Albanian Scholarship Foundation Scholarships for talented Albanian students   The Albanian Scholarship Foundation (Fondacioni Shqiptar i Bursave) was registered in 2004 by the founder Millennium Relief & Development Services – Macedonia) www.mrds-macedonia.org,  but it started its activities in 2003, when a small group of Albanians gathered to discuss about the need for high education support of Albanians in Macedonia. By giving scholarships, they invest in talented Albanian university students who study in crucial yet under-represented fields, people who will in turn make a contribution to their community, people and country. In the Foundation’s Program it is stated that its main objective is to raise the awareness of advancing the educational level of the Albanians in Macedonia; allocating scholarships exclusively for higher education and solely to candidates from the Republic of Macedonia, as well as raising funds from the population, institutions, and other people from the country and abroad. In 2004/2005 academic year the Foundation managed to award seven scholarships for talented students in the fields of medicine, biochemistry, physics, mathematics, business administration, IT and law. In spite of the fact that it is a small number of awarded scholarships, it was a success for the first year of its existence. In 2005/2006 academic year, 237 students applied for 30 undergraduate scholarships. The scholarship winners, except at the universities in Macedonia, can also study abroad. For the academic year 2006/2007 four scholarships have been awarded for postgraduate studies in the field of medicine, art and cartography. Scholarship candidates are evaluated on the basis of three criteria: to study in under-represented field which is important to the development of Albanians in Macedonia; success in studies and financial need. The students’ success is not evaluated only according to the grades, but also according to their contribution in the society and the ambitions they have. Financial need is also important, but not that much as the under-represented fields and achieved success. The Albanian Scholarship Foundation focuses on development of qualified professionals, not on aid to people with financial needs. The foundation performs all financial activities solely through its giro account. Transparency is the key element of its performance. Steve Lied (chairman of the Executive Board), Ismail Kadare (member of the General Assembly) and Abdurauf Pruthi (president of ASF General Assembly) are some of the many eminent members of ASF of academic, scientific, artistic and social character.