Sotir Kuneshka

The same year, in 1936, he applied for the certification on Applied mechanics and electromagnetism. In 1937, he was called back by the Minister of Education of Albania, and was appointed director of the French Lyceum. He kept that position until 1940. In August 1940, during the Fascist Italy occupation, he had to leave that position because his records shows he hadn't fulfilled the military service. He was sent in Pesaro in a school for artillery. This was a harsh period for due to isolation and lack of contacts. Few letters that managed to receive were always rare and censured. With the Allied invasion of Italy, his military studies were interrupted. In early 1944, he went south to Bari, trying to find a way to return to Albania. Meanwhile, he kept giving private science lessons to support living. An Albanian military delegation encountered him and brought him back home.[4]

Soon after the end of WWII, the French Lyceum reopened and he was appointed director. Nevertheless, he did not keep this position for longs since he bigger tasks were assigned to him. The Ministry of Education put him in charge of the Albanian school system. Beside that, Albania needed a full education system reformation. One of his successful tasks was leading the commission for establishing the High Pedagogical Institute (Albanian: Instituti i Lartë Pedagogjik). This institute marked the start of the higher education in Albania, which had been missing till then. In 1948 he was assigned as lecturer in the Institute, and 1 year later became its director. In 1951, the 4-year curriculum Pedagogical Institute was established in Tirana; he served as deputy director until 1957 when the University of Tirana was established.[4]

Kuneshka served as the first dean of the Natural Sciences Faculty of the University of Tirana (1957–1958), first chairman of the physics catedra of it (1957), and remained part of its academic staff until his retirement in 1982.[1]

Kuneshka was the key person in the process of improving the physics teaching curriculum in the Albanian schools. He was also the author of the very first textbooks of physics, as Kurs i fizikës së përgjithshme (General physics course) in 1974, Kurs i mekanikës teorike (Theoretical mechanics course) of 1981, etc. He performed studies in the field of natural radioactivity of the waters systems. As a direct result of his persistent work, the first work group of physicist was established in Albania.[1] The first scientific article on physics written in Albanian Scientific Bulletin of the University of Tirana bears his name as author.[4]