For Besa Kabashi (MPIA ’10), a commitment to public service has always been personal.
“My life, my dreams, and my sense of purpose were fundamentally shaped by what Kosovo went through in 1999,” she said. “When you grow up in a country at war, and then in its immediate aftermath, you understand very clearly what the absence of security, institutions, and stability means. You also understand how fragile peace can be if it is not protected and built upon.”
That understanding has driven Kabashi’s lifelong mission to help build a secure, resilient, and democratic Kosovo—a mission that has now led her to the national legislature as a newly elected member of Parliament.
Kabashi’s path to public leadership began amid the aftermath of war, when her family lost their home and rebuilt from nothing in a country still recovering from conflict. Determined to make a difference and contribute meaningfully to Kosovo’s future, she spent hours in internet cafés researching and applying to universities abroad. She earned her bachelor’s degree in political science in 2006 and set her sights on graduate school, eventually making her way to the School of Public and International Affairs and the Master of Public and International Affairs (MPIA) program with a concentration in Security & Intelligence Studies.
Reflecting on her SPIA experience, Kabashi highlighted the invaluable real-world expertise of SPIA’s faculty, many of whom had careers in national security, intelligence, and diplomacy. She also emphasized the foundational and lasting ways the program shaped both how she thinks and works.
“The program trained me to operate in complex environments, to think critically and strategically, to exercise strategic foresight, and to translate analysis into policy. It gave me structure, discipline, and a way of approaching problems that I still rely on every day,” she said. “The University of Pittsburgh and the SPIA MPIA SIS program were among the key enablers of my journey, and I remain committed to paying that opportunity forward through my public service.”
After graduating from SPIA, Kabashi quickly rose through senior roles in Kosovo’s national security institutions, serving as adviser to the Minister responsible for the Kosovo Security Force, National Coordinator for Kosovo’s first Strategic Security Sector Review, and later as National Security Adviser to the Prime Minister. At the same time, she took on political leadership roles, helping shape her party’s national security agenda and acting as a shadow minister of defense. She also founded BKR and Associates, a consulting firm specializing in strategy and executive coaching, while continuing to engage with academia and mentor students.
Despite her success in institutional roles, Kabashi recognized that lasting change required legislative authority.
“While you can influence policy from within institutions, lasting change requires shaping the system itself,” she said. “All of my previous experiences converged into my decision to run for Parliament. It felt like the moment to bring operational experience, strategic thinking, and long-term vision into legislative leadership.”
Following elections in December 2025, Kabashi was sworn into office for a four-year term earlier this year. Her work is closely aligned with her professional background in national security and public policy, with a focus is on strengthening Kosovo’s national security architecture, deepening strategic partnerships with the United States and NATO, and advancing Euro-Atlantic integration. She sits on the Committee for Oversight of the Kosovo Intelligence Agency and the Committee on Social Welfare, Victims of Sexual Violence of War, and Missing Persons —work she describes as deeply personal.
Kabashi remains closely connected to the SPIA community and dedicated to supporting the next generation of leaders pursuing their academic goals. She visited campus in September 2024 to deliver the Professor Saul M. Katz Lecture on Economic and Social Development and is a senior associate in the Matthew B. Ridgway Center for Security and Intelligence Studies. Her advice to students is simple but profound: build real expertise, seek experiences that challenge you, develop resilience, and anchor yourself in purpose.
“If you are driven by something larger than yourself, it will guide your decisions and sustain you through difficult moments,” she shared. “Ultimately, my journey from post war Kosovo to public service and now Parliament has always been guided by the same principle. To contribute to a future where Kosovo is secure, resilient, and fully integrated into the international community.”
Learn more about our 36-credit MPIA program including the concentration in Security & Intelligence Studies. For more on the Ridgway Center, visit their website.