The Ambassador of Austria to Kosovo, Georg Schnetzer, and the Mayor of Pristina, Përparim Rama, joined forces to inaugurate the "Erhard Busek" Square in front of the National Library "Pjetër Bogdani." 

During the square’s inauguration on the premises of the University of Pristina, attendees included Rector Arben Hajrullahu and Vice-Rector for Internationalization and Academic Exchange, Rozafa Basha. 

Austrian Ambassador Georg Schnetzer noted that the square is being named after Erhard Busek precisely on the third anniversary of his passing. He added that Busek would have been pleased to know his name now stands near the library and the University of Pristina. 

Erhard Busek, a former Austrian diplomat, tirelessly championed the European path for the states of Southeastern Europe and the Western Balkans. Through his roles as Vice-Chancellor and Austrian Federal Minister for Education, Science, and Culture, Busek was instrumental in securing recognition for Kosovo’s education system diplomas during the 1990s. At the time, Albanian students were denied access to schools and universities under Serbia’s apartheid regime and were forced to learn in makeshift home-schools. 

Many professors at the University of Pristina, including Rector Hajrullahu, gained knowledge and experience through Austrian universities. Recently, on the 17th anniversary of Kosovo’s independence, Austrian universities—along with others worldwide—were honored with medals by President Vjosa Osmani, following a proposal by the University of Pristina. 

Austria has strongly supported education in Kosovo since the Ottoman era. The University of Pristina has an ongoing agreement with the Austrian program ShER (Higher Education and Sustainable Research in Kosovo), signed last year. Experts from this program have begun intensive work to harmonize regulations with the university’s current statute. 

Rector Hajrullahu recently lectured about the university at the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna in late February, and last year participated in an economic forum in the Austrian capital, where support for universities was also discussed. 

The initiative to name the square near the National Library after the renowned Austrian figure originated from the Kosovo-Austria Friendship Association. The proposal was welcomed and unanimously supported by all political groups in the Pristina Municipal Assembly.