IMF warns of STEM education crisis in Albania

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has issued a warning regarding a ‘silent crisis’ in Albania: a severe shortage of students graduating in STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). Comparative data indicates that Albania has the lowest rate of technical graduations in the region, trailing behind neighbors such as Serbia and North Macedonia, and falling significantly below the European Union average.

The IMF suggests the roots of this issue lie in the pre-university education system, noting that low performance in international PISA assessments for mathematics indicates a lack of basic analytical skills among youth. This educational gap has led to a structural skill mismatch in the labor market, where the country produces few engineers, programmers, or scientists to meet the demands of a digital and automated global economy.

This shortage of specialized human capital poses several risks to Albania’s long-term development, including hindered innovation, reduced attractiveness for high-quality foreign investment, and increased pressure for emigration among youth who lack the technical skills required for high-paying jobs.