Investment substantially improves the living and studying conditions of Albanian students in Tirana

The Student City in Tirana has now five renovated dormitories that meet European Union Standards. In a joint ceremony, the German Chargé d’Affaires, Mr. Thilo Schroeter, the Ambassador of the European Union to Albania, Mr. Silvio Gonzato, Member of the Management Committee of KfW Development Bank, Mr. Stephan Opitz and the Mayor of Tirana, Mr. Erion Veliaj, participated in the inauguration for the completion of works for the energy-efficient renovation of the first building cluster including 5 student dormitories.

The project “Energy-Efficient Rehabilitation of Student Dormitories of Public Universities in Albania” funded by Germany and the EU through KfW together with Albania includes the energy-efficient renovation of 19 student dormitories of the Student City I campus in Tirana. Overall, more than 2,600 Albanian students will benefit from the measures, which substantially improve living and studying conditions, aligning them with the high standards applied in other European countries.

A minimum of 70% of the capacity of the renovated dormitories will be occupied by students with low incomes, thus promoting social infrastructure for underprivileged students. 

“The effect of the project is two-fold: The energy-efficient rehabilitation of the dorms contributes to climate-protection, but also improves conditions for the students significantly. Therefore, the dorms provide a good example of drawing a direct line between local impacts and global effects”, said Thilo Schroeter, Chargé d’Affaires of the German Embassy.

 “At the heart of this project are the students, the future EU citizens of Albania. By investing in their education, environment, and their well-being, we are investing in Albania’s progress. Today, around 650 students will benefit from modern accommodations compliant to EU standards. Additionally, by improving the energy efficiency of these buildings, we are helping Albania to take important steps in meeting EU environmental targets as part of its EU integration path”, said EU Ambassador, Silvio Gonzato.

”This KfW project marks a significant step towards reducing energy consumption of the dormitories, compared to pre-rehabilitation levels. KfW as a green bank is very proud of it”, said Stephan Opitz, Member of the Management Committee of KfW Development Bank.

The improvements in the dormitories’ infrastructure will decrease the energy consumption by an average of 40% compared to current levels. The expected reduction in emissions equals 3,031 CO2 per year, while the amount of energy savings is expected to reach 5,869 MWh per year. The renovation of the remaining building clusters is expected to start in 2025.

Overall, KfW provides financing of more than EUR 30 million in loans and grants on behalf of the German Government and about EUR 4.78 million as a grant on behalf of the European Union through the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF).

Background Information

In Albania, KfW carries out the German Financial Cooperation through various projects and programmes. KfW provides grant aid and concessional loans for key investments and project-related consultancy services. German development cooperation with Albania started in 1988. Since then, the German Government has committed more than one billion EUR for development projects and programs. The energy sector is a priority area within the scope of German Financial Cooperation with Albania, with an active portfolio of over EUR 457 million.

The WBIF is a joint initiative of the European Commission, the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the European Investment Bank (EIB), bilateral donors and Western Balkans beneficiaries launched in December 2009 with the purpose to deliver finance and technical assistance for strategic investments. The KfW and the World Bank subsequently joined the platform. In December 2018, the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) became a participating organisation in the WBIF.