Speaker Bio

Dr. Enver Hoxhaj is one of Kosovo’s most active politicians over the past two decades. He currently serves as the Member of Parliament of Kosovo and has been elected as for nine consecutive legislatures. He was a member of Kosovo’s delegation in the UN-led negotiations for the country’s independence (2005–2007) and played a key role in Kosovo’s state-building process. Hoxhaj served as Minister of Education, Science, and Technology (2008–2011), where he focused on modernizing Kosovo’s education system. He held the position of Minister of Foreign Affairs in two terms (2011–2014 and 2016–2017), leading an active foreign policy agenda focused on securing new recognitions of Kosovo, advancing its membership in international organizations, strengthening ties with the EU and the U.S., and promoting regional cooperation in the Balkans. From 2017 to 2020, he served as Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo. Prior to his political career, Hoxhaj was a research fellow at the London School of Economics and at Johns Hopkins University, and a professor of Political Science at the University of Prishtina since 2000. He holds a PhD in History from the University of Vienna and is the author of numerous academic papers and books, including Ethnic Politics and The Rise of a State – Kosovo’s Foreign Policy. His latest book received wide acclaim for outlining a unique foreign policy path and offering a strategic vision for Kosovo’s future. He is fluent in English, German, and Serbo-Croatian.