The Role of Higher Education Institutions in Building a Culture of Peace: An Albanian Case

Abstract

This study explores the status of peace education and its correlation to student perceptions of peace in social science curricula in Albanian universities. The study finds that social science programmes in Albania offer varying coverage of peace education topics. Using quantitative surveys of 460 social science university students, the study finds evidence for a positive understanding of peace. Employing a Pearson's correlation analysis, the study finds a lack of support for the hypothesis that the prevalence of peace topics in the curricula to which students are exposed significantly explains students’ perceptions of peace. The implications of the study are that Albanian curricula and students affirm a positive understanding of peace, yet more research is needed to understand what factors impact student perceptions of peace and how they may be leveraged to further peace education and overall peace dividends in Albania and beyond.