Over the centuries, the Jesuits in Shkodra have distinguished themselves for their educational and cultural activities.

In 1877, the College was opened, named after a famous Jesuit missionary of the sixteenth century, the Spaniard St. Francis Xavier.

The Saverian College was initially established as a business school at the request of Shkodra families, seeking a solid human and professional preparation for their children. Later, in the 1920s, it gradually transformed into a classical high school to meet the need for a deeper cultural education.

The words written on the College’s emblem, accompanied by the national symbol of the eagle, “For God, Country, and Progress,” expressed the fundamental values of the school, while the motto “Work – Science – Discipline” reflected its educational style.

The school was Catholic, but even then, it welcomed Orthodox and Muslim students.

The Saverian College represents a long-standing tradition lasting several decades, leaving a profound mark on the religious, cultural, and social landscape of Shkodra and Albania, with a strong resonance in several countries across Europe and America until 1946, when it was forcibly closed.

After the fall of the communist regime, the Jesuits quickly returned to Albania, and in 1992 they reopened a small school in Shkodra in a temporary location with a group of young Catholics.

In 1994, the Jesuits regained their former properties, on which a state school had been built. The school was set up in this building and was named after Father Pjetër Meshkalla, a Jesuit from Shkodra who remains a symbol of faith, culture, and freedom in the city.

In the 1998-99 school year, the “Atë Pjetër Meshkalla” school opened its doors to young people, both Christian and Muslim, meeting the educational needs of many families in Shkodra for future generations.

In the 2009-2010 school year, another change began with the transition from a 4-year to a 3-year study cycle in secondary education. This shift was accompanied by the start of work on a new structure.

The continuity of the school’s pedagogical and moral principles and the dedication of its leaders – respectfully remembering Father Gaetano Brambillasca, Father Lello Lanzilli, Father Ronny Alessio, Father Giangiacomo Ghiglia – make the history of this school a unique story within the Albanian reality to this day.