FACULTY OF ARTS

 Peja is known as one of the oldest cities in Kosovo and is one of the most beautiful and richest cities with cultural-historical, artistic potential and rare natural beauty.

History. – The establishment of a higher education institution in the field of arts in Peja has been the idea of ​​many intellectuals and artists from this area. The city of Peja has always been an inexhaustible source of world-renowned personalities. The opening of the High School of Arts in 1949 strongly influenced this institution to become the home of almost all the most eminent Albanian painters, not only in Kosovo but also throughout the former Yugoslavia. This art school has produced outstanding painters, sculptors and graphic artists, who today are the pride of Kosovo's and the national visual arts. The city and this art school are proud of Xhevdet Gjava, Esat Valla (from Gjakova), Shyqeri Nimani, Rexhep Ferri (from Kukës in Albania), Gjelosh Gjokaj (from Tuzi in Montenegro), Fatmir Krypa (Gjakova), etc.

The first traces of activities in the field of performing arts in Peja date back to before 1940. In 1939, on the occasion of Easter, the “Easter Carnival” was organized, on which occasion the theatrical piece “Skënderbeg” was performed. The greatest activity in this cultural segment increased after 1945, namely in 1949 when the Municipal Assembly of Peja made a decision to establish the City Theater. From this year, performing arts took on even greater importance and talent gathered in the theater of this city, who made the local (Albanian) culture known throughout Kosovo, Montenegro, Macedonia and beyond. Two years later, respectively, in 1951, the Peja Theater qualified for the First Festival of Amateur Theaters of Serbia. In 1959, the Peja Theater reached, by then, the pedestal of successes. The Albanian drama of this theater qualifies for the Federative Festival of Amateur Theaters of Yugoslavia, which was traditionally organized in Hvar (Croatia). From 1950 to the present day, theater enthusiasts and actors have been joined by dozens and dozens of young actors. Among the bright names that have emerged from this scene and have shone eternally in this branch of art have been the actors Kristë Berisha, Istref Begolli, Faruk Begolli, Muharrem Qena, Ragip Logja, etc., the directors Selami Taraku, Ekrem Kryeziu, etc., the set designers Nuredin Loxha, Shahin Kryeziu, Agush Beqiri, Muhamet Shala, Afrim Gora, etc.

In terms of Peja's musical culture, since 1954/55, with the commitment, work and contribution of the Czechoslovak professor of music Franjo Vaculny, the city's wind orchestra was formed. In parallel with the formation of this orchestra, this professor laid the first foundations of the music school by lecturing music theory subjects and teaching wind instruments through musical notes, which for the circumstances of the time was an epochal innovation and advancement. From this school came the first wind orchestra, which included a clarinetist, flutist, trumpeter, hornist, trombonist, baritone tuba, etc. From 1950 to 1960, there were types of orchestras, such as wind orchestras, string orchestras, jazz orchestras, mandolin orchestras, amateur folk orchestras. In Peja since 1954 onwards, there have been and are various ensembles that develop and cultivate musical cultures in different genres. In the field of music, this city has produced internationally renowned guitarists Ehat Musa and Xhevdet Sahatqija, soloists Shpresa Gashi and Xhelal Bakraqi, and many, many others. A primary school of music has been operating in this city since 1976, and in the 2008/2009 school year, a secondary school of music has also begun teaching.

The beginnings of the establishment of the Faculty of Arts. – Preparations for the establishment of the University of Peja were intensified and dynamized in 2009 under the leadership of the former management of the Faculty of Applied Business Sciences. From these initiatives, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology at the end of 2009 engaged the British Council to draft a feasibility document to examine the possibility of establishing this higher education institution. At the beginning of 2010, the British Council expert, Professor Steve Bristow, submitted to the Minister of MEST the feasibility document with proposals and orientations for future faculties and at the same time recommended to MEST the establishment of the university in Peja.

After receiving this document, the management of the FSHAB, before and especially after the establishment of the University on 14.11.2011, in the absence of the necessary knowledge to better articulate the demand regarding possible study programs, engages two working groups with professionals. The first group with four music professors and the second group with two visual arts professors. It is decided to prepare two (2) programs for the future branch of music (general music education and music education) and one (1) program for the future branch of visual arts (visual arts and culture).

In particular, the group of professors should be engaged in preparing documentation for the justification of the establishment of this faculty. This document clearly emphasizes all that has been given in the first part of the history of art in Peja. It is estimated that Peja has a tradition in the field of art and national culture and beyond, emphasizing that the establishment of this faculty with two branches, of fine arts and music, is not only rooted in the tradition of this area, but the implementation of the programs would have an extraordinary impact on the qualification of future cadres of fine arts education and music education, profiles that were largely lacking in all primary and secondary schools in Kosovo and beyond. This analysis is also added to the fact that in Gjakova there is a high school of music and since the geographical distance was very small (34 kilometers), this institution was seen as a complementary source for the engagement of academic staff and as an opportunity for its students to enroll in the Faculty of Arts - Music Branch. Of course, this is also argued with an analysis prepared with statistical data from official sources on the needs that the country had for these specialized profiles. It is also concluded that there is a certain number of qualified staff who could carry the burden of academic development. After 14.11.2011, the process of establishing UHZ passes into the competence of the Temporary Steering Council of UHZ. After the submission of the draft of the Temporary Statute of UHZ, on 06.01.2012 the Minister of Education, Science and Technology signs and enforces the Temporary Statute of the University "Haxhi Zeka", where in Article 28 the establishment of the Faculty of Arts in Peja is defined and regulated.

Now under the direction of the Interim Governing Council of UHZ, in June 2012, groups of professors engaged in the preparation of the programs of the Faculty of Arts, apply for accreditation to the Kosovo Accreditation Agency with three (3) programs: general music education, education in music and art and figurative culture. The Kosovo Accreditation Agency on 06. July 2012 successfully accredits only the two programs of the music branch for a one-year term. This short-term accreditation in the decision of the Kosovo Accreditation Agency with no. 437/12 dated 09.07.2012, is justified because at the moment UHZ did not yet have a clear legal status.

The Provisional Governing Council of UHZ prepares a public competition for the admission of four (4) professors. In the absence of funds for the publication of the competition, the assistance of the Rector of UP is requested, so that this competition is published in the name and account of UHZ. Naturally, UP publishes the competition in question. The Provisional Governing Council, in the absence of the Senate, as the only body authorized to establish UHZ, only for this time, until the conditions for the creation of the Provisional Senate are created, appoints the Review Commissions with competence, publishes the reports received from them in the bulletin created for the first time and, in accordance with the provisions of the Provisional Statute of UHZ, and the regulation on the equivalence of academic appointments, for the first time in this faculty accepts four (4) assistant professors in a regular employment relationship.

The Faculty of Arts of the “Haxhi Zeka” University started its work for the first time on 01. October 2012 with only the music branch. After a successful one-year work and the Approval of the Statute of the “Haxhi Zeka” University by the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo on 30 May 2013, the Faculty of Arts – Music Branch again applied to the Kosovo Accreditation Agency and by decision of this agency with no. 486/13 the programs Music Education (BA) R and General Music Education (BA) R, are accredited for a period of three (3) years (from 1 October 2013 to 30 September 2016). In 2014/15 the Faculty of Arts was enriched with new programs such as Artistic Education in Wind Instruments and Film and TV Directing (accredited for a period of three years).

From 2016 to 2019, the following programs were accredited and reaccredited at the Faculty of Arts: Music Education - Reaccreditation, General Music Education - Reaccreditation. In 2019/2020, the programs at the Faculty of Arts were reformatted and reaccredited as Artistic Education in Interpretation, enriched with string instruments, piano, guitar and solo singing, and the Music Education and General Music Education programs were reformatted into Music Education. From 2020, the Master's level with the Music Education program was also functionalized at the Faculty of Arts. The Faculty of Arts has engaged as lecturers on a continuous basis eminent professors and artists from Albania, Macedonia, Croatia. During these years, students and teachers have had a series of activities such as concert performances in many regional and European countries such as: Albania, Macedonia, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Germany, Turkey, England, Czech Republic, Italy, etc.

For five years now, students and teachers of the Faculty have been organizing the annual Student Artistic Week, where the work, success, and commitment of the entire academic year are presented.

Organization of master classes with renowned professors from Germany, Ukraine, Macedonia, Albania, Kosovo, and Croatia. Participation and awards in international competitions as absolute prize winners, first, second, and third places in the following countries: Albania, Macedonia, and Russia. Participation in conferences: European Associate for Music in School (EAS), International Conference on Media and Arts. Graduates of this Faculty are largely employed in primary and secondary general schools, in professional music schools, and are also employed as members of orchestras and choirs in Tirana, Prishtina, Prizren, Peja, in various television productions, etc.

Faculty of Arts today – It consists of 2 Bachelor's level programs: Music Education and Artistic Education in Interpretation (Modules: Wind, Harp, Piano and Guitar, Solo Singing) as well as 1 Master's level program in Music Education.

The Faculty of Arts currently has a concert hall, 5 classrooms and 4 offices. All rooms are equipped with pianos, desks, tables and, in certain rooms, projectors. Since 2017, construction of a new building specifically for the Faculty of Arts with all the required specifications has begun. This building is nearing completion and is expected to be operational in October 2023.