Eshref Ademaj (1940–1994) was a Yugoslav mathematician and education activist of

Albanian Albanian may refer to: *Pertaining to Albania in Southeast Europe; in particular: **Albanians, an ethnic group native to the Balkans **Albanian language **Albanian culture **Demographics of Albania, includes other ethnic groups within the country ...

ethnicity. A professor of the

University of Pristina The University of Pristina () is a public university located in Pristina, Kosovo. It is the institution that emerged after the disestablishment of the University of Pristina (1969–1999) as a result of the Kosovo War. The inauguration ...

, he played a pivotal role in the early restoration of universitarian activity in

Kosovo Kosovo, officially the Republic of Kosovo, is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe with International recognition of Kosovo, partial diplomatic recognition. It is bordered by Albania to the southwest, Montenegro to the west, Serbia to the ...

after the mass dismissals of academicians and ban on Albanian-language education by the

Serbian Serbian may refer to: * Pertaining to Serbia in Southeast Europe; in particular **Serbs, a South Slavic ethnic group native to the Balkans ** Serbian language ** Serbian culture **Demographics of Serbia, includes other ethnic groups within the co ...

government of

Slobodan Milošević Slobodan Milošević ( sr-Cyrl, Слободан Милошевић, ; 20 August 1941 – 11 March 2006) was a Yugoslav and Serbian politician who was the President of Serbia between 1989 and 1997 and President of the Federal Republic of Yugos ...

in the early 1990s. Ademaj was also a corresponding member of the

Academy of Sciences and Arts of Kosovo The Kosova Academy of Sciences and Arts (, ) is the national academy of Kosovo. History and organization The Kosova Academy of Sciences and Arts is the highest institution of science and art in Kosova, with headquarters in Prishtina, establish ...

Biography

Born on July 20, 1940, in the village of Zhur near

Prizren Prizren ( sq-definite, Prizreni, ; sr-cyr, Призрен) is the second List of cities and towns in Kosovo, most populous city and Municipalities of Kosovo, municipality of Kosovo and seat of the eponymous municipality and District of Prizren, ...

Kingdom of Yugoslavia The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a country in Southeast Europe, Southeast and Central Europe that existed from 1918 until 1941. From 1918 to 1929, it was officially called the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, but the term "Yugoslavia" () h ...

, Ademaj studied mathematical sciences in the

University of Belgrade The University of Belgrade () is a public university, public research university in Belgrade, Serbia. It is the oldest and largest modern university in Serbia. Founded in 1808 as the Belgrade Higher School in revolutionary Serbia, by 1838 it me ...

. In the 1970s he began his career as assistant professor and later a docent at the faculty of mathematical sciences of the University of Pristina, while in 1987 he received full tenure. Ademaj was the first to initiate postgraduate degree courses at the faculty of mathematical sciences of Pristina. At the same time, he was a member of various doctoral commissions in universities throughout

Yugoslavia , common_name = Yugoslavia , life_span = 1918–19921941–1945: World War II in Yugoslavia#Axis invasion and dismemberment of Yugoslavia, Axis occupation , p1 = Kingdom of SerbiaSerbia , flag_p ...

. In 1993 he became a corresponding member of the Academy of Sciences and Arts of Kosovo. In the early 1990s, Serbian policy focused on the ban on Albanian-language education in Kosovo. As regards the University of Pristina, the Serbian government massively dismissed Albanian professors, closed departments and banned the use of Albanian. The reaction of the academic community was centered on the creation of a parallel education system that ensured dissemination of Albanian-language textbooks and education on all levels. Eshref Ademaj, head of the Independent Union of University Teaching Staff, co-founded and led the Initiative Council to organise the restoration universitarian system. The organisation has been credited with much of the success of the initial projects towards that goal.

Notes

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Federal Republic of Yugoslavia The State Union of Serbia and Montenegro or simply Serbia and Montenegro, known until 2003 as the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and commonly referred to as FR Yugoslavia (FRY) or simply Yugoslavia, was a country in Southeast Europe locate ...

, as such all measures carried out during this period were endorsed by and represented the central government.

Sources

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ademaj, Eshref 1940 births 1994 deaths People from Prizren Yugoslav Albanians Yugoslav mathematicians Albanian nationalists in Kosovo Academic staff of the University of Pristina University of Belgrade Faculty of Mathematics alumni Education activists Members of the Kosova Academy of Sciences and Arts