Dr. Klodian Allajbeu, head of the British Chamber of Commerce, writes in the British newspaper The Independent that investment in education, scholarships and job creation in Albania could help reduce irregular migration to the United Kingdom.
According to him, border controls and efforts to combat traffickers must be accompanied by concrete opportunities that give young people a reason to build their future in their own country.
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In an opinion article published on October 27, 2026, in the “Voices” section, titled “Andy Burnham is right: Brexit made the small boats crisis worse, but scholarships will reduce it,” Allajbeu supports reopening the debate on Brexit’s impact on migration management.
He argues that restoring practical cooperation between Britain and Europe is important, but must also be accompanied by investment in the countries people are leaving.
According to Allajbeu, the debate has long focused on preventive measures, deportations and border controls, paying less attention to why people risk their lives to reach Britain.
He illustrates this situation with the reality facing families in northern Albania. A young person may qualify to attend university, but their family cannot afford the fees.
Meanwhile, a relative in England promises them a job, and someone offers to connect them with traffickers. In these circumstances, the dangerous crossing of the English Channel can begin to seem like a chance at a better life.
The article describes the case of a young man from Shkodër who faced this choice in 2024. He wanted to study, but his family could not afford the fees and living expenses in Tirana.
His brother had already left Albania, and he too was considering paying a trafficker to get to Britain.
According to Allajbeu’s account, the young man received a scholarship and continued his studies. Today, he is preparing for his exams and sees his future in his own country.
For the author, this case shows that tackling irregular migration also requires measures that make staying in one’s homeland a viable choice.
Allajbeu also cites figures on Albanians crossing to Britain by small boat.
According to the data he cites, around 800 Albanians crossed the English Channel in 2021. The number rose to approximately 12,700 in 2022, before falling to 927 in 2023 and 616 in 2024.
He attributes this decline to stronger British-Albanian cooperation, the 2022 returns agreement and the crackdown on trafficking networks.
Allajbeu emphasizes that scholarships were not the only response to this phenomenon, but that education and employment can address some of the reasons people leave.
In this context, he cites initiatives by Western Balkans University, which he founded.
According to him, the university began offering scholarships to students from northern Albania, where economic hardship and pressure to emigrate are pronounced.
The principle behind the initiative, he writes, is that talent should not be limited by family income or place of residence.
Allajbeu also writes that the British Chamber of Commerce in Albania was launched in 2023 with the support of the British Embassy in Tirana.
He recalls a visit to the university in October of that year by then-British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly, who met scholarship recipients and recognized the importance of investing in young people’s potential.
According to the figures he gives in the article, the Chamber funds more than 150 scholarships a year for students from less-developed regions, including 50 through Western Balkans University.
It also supports four or five Chevening scholarship recipients each year, in addition to those funded through the wider program in Albania.
These scholarships enable graduates to pursue advanced studies in Britain before returning home.
He adds that Chamber members are also investing in areas affected by migration to Britain.
According to him, a job in Albania may have more influence on a young person’s decision than a warning at the border, while the opportunity to attend university offers a concrete alternative to leaving.
Allajbeu acknowledges that these initiatives do not replace border controls or action against criminal groups, and that not every scholarship recipient will choose to stay.
However, expanding educational opportunities, strengthening local economies and creating jobs can make staying in Albania a sustainable choice.
In conclusion, he calls for an approach in which universities support talented people who lack backing, businesses create jobs, and governments support education partnerships and local economic development. These measures, Allajbeu argues, complement law enforcement.
“The question is not simply how to stop the next small boat. It is how to make getting on one less necessary,” he writes, stressing that cooperation with Europe must be accompanied by investment that gives people a reason to stay in their own country./albeu
