CELEBRATING THE 7TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOUNDING OF THE KOSOVA COLLEGE OF SURGEONS

On Wednesday, December 17, 2025, at the Dean’s Office of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Prishtina, Kosova, we proudly marked the 7th anniversary of the founding of the Kosova College of Surgeons (KCS).

The ceremony was moderated by Dr. Mentor Gorani, Director of the KCS Board, and the program opened with a video presentation highlighting the College’s achievements from its founding to the present day, reflecting its work, growth, and impact on education, training, and professional standards.

From a small group of visionary founders who met on December 17, 2018, under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Rifat Latifi, the College has today grown to more than 1,000 members, bringing together surgeons from Kosova, Albania, North Macedonia, and the diaspora. From the very beginning, it has been supported by a U.S.-based foundation, the International Virtual e-Hospital, and through close collaboration with the American College of Surgeons. In just seven years, the Kosova College of Surgeons has become a cornerstone of surgical education, research, and collaboration.

The College has developed a rich portfolio of educational programs, including courses, trainings, and workshops for surgeons, residents, and medical students. It has been recognized by the international family of colleges of surgeons worldwide and is now an approved provider of the ATLS course, accredited by the Committee on Trauma of the American College of Surgeons.

Within the framework of Continuing Professional Education, the organization of the annual congress represents the College’s flagship activity. To date, KCS has organized five annual congresses, welcoming more than 4,000 participants, 700 speakers, and nearly 1,000 presentations. This year, from September 25–28, the College held the First Clinical Congress of Albanian Surgeons—a historic milestone that brought together more than 1,200 participants, 219 speakers from the elite of world surgery as well as from all Albanian regions and the diaspora, and featured over 300 world-class lectures.

To honor those who laid the foundations of Kosovar and Albanian surgery, each year during its congresses the College delivers 40 Named Lectures bearing the names of distinguished Kosovar professors and surgeons.

Over the past two years, the College has expanded its branches in Europe and the United States, further uniting Albanian surgeons worldwide. These branches strengthen the College through participation in committees, as well as through the organization of and participation in seminars, specialized symposia, professional courses, and annual congresses—serving as a concrete platform for brain return among Albanian surgeons from the diaspora.

The welcoming address was delivered by Dr. Osman Zhuri, President of the Kosova College of Surgeons, who presented the vision and strategic objectives for the future of the College. These include: consolidating the role of KCS as an umbrella institution and professional authority in surgery; advancing surgical education and continuing professional training; strengthening scientific research and academic publishing; reinforcing regional and international collaboration; increasing the engagement of the diaspora in College activities; supporting the new generation of surgeons and residents; and advancing the College’s most important ongoing project—the development of the Kosova Center for Advanced Surgical and Medical Research, Simulation, and Training.

Prof. Dr. Rifat Latifi, Founding President and President Emeritus of KCS, presented the ongoing work toward establishing the Kosova Center for Advanced Surgical and Medical Research, Simulation, and Training (KCSMRT), a key step toward the modern development of surgical education in Kosova and the region.

For this purpose, the College, in collaboration with the University of Prishtina and the Medical University of Graz, as well as other partner institutions, will begin construction of the Center. It will include a Medical and Surgical Simulation Laboratory, an Advanced Laparoscopic and Arthroscopic Training Laboratory, a Telemedicine and Tele-surgery Program, a Trauma and Emergency Education Unit, a Guidelines and Protocols Office, a Clinical Research Unit, and dedicated space for the Kosova Journal of Surgery and its publications.

Prof. Latifi also presented the progress of the Kosova Journal of Surgery, the College’s scientific journal and a symbol of academic advancement in Kosova. With eight issues published and 111 articles to date, the journal has become a bridge connecting Kosova’s surgical science to the global stage. Beginning in 2026, the journal will publish four issues per year, featuring more than 60 scientific articles, including two thematic review issues focused on current surgical topics.

In parallel, the College has published twelve issues of its Bulletin, with four new editions planned annually, documenting the history of the College and the ongoing development of surgery in Kosova.

The ceremony was also addressed by Prof. Dr. Arben Beqiri, Vice President of KCS for Albania, who expressed his honor and special pleasure in being part of the College’s monumental achievements in such a short time. He also highlighted ongoing preparations for the Second Clinical Congress of Albanian Surgeons, to be held in Tirana from October 22–24, 2026.

One of the College’s key activities in recent years was presented by Prof. Assoc. Dr. Baton Kelmendi, Chair of the Committee on Trauma, who reported on the implementation of the ATLS course in Kosova. He emphasized the course’s proven practical benefits and its role in the standardization of trauma care nationwide, adding that the College will work with all relevant authorities to make ATLS mandatory.

During the ceremony, two KCS awards were presented:

• The Lifetime Achievement Award “Prof. Dr. Sami Haxhibeqiri” was awarded to Dr. Sali Qerimi, ENT surgeon, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the development of Albanian medicine in North Macedonia.

• The Award for Excellent Partnership was presented to the National Telemedicine Center of Kosova, and accepted by its Director, Dr. Ismet Lecaj, in appreciation of the Center’s strong collaboration and support of numerous KCS initiatives.

 In closing, we extend our heartfelt thanks to all participants, collaborators, and partners for their continued support, as well as to the sponsor of this event, CFO Pharma.