Arafat Shabani was born on March 20, 1976.

In the period 1995-1999 at the University "St. Cyril and Methodius" - Skopje, graduated from the Faculty of Philosophy, graduated psychologist.

In the period 1998-2001 he completed professional education in psychotherapy (integrative psychotherapy) at the Center for Development, Counseling and Psychotherapy.

He graduated from the Faculty of Philosophy at the University of Prishtina, Kosovo, in 2002 and received the title of graduate professional pedagogy.

In 2003 he graduated from the Department of Sociology at the Faculty of Teacher Training at the South East European University and received the title of graduate sociologist.

In 2005 he received a master's degree in social psychology from St. Cyril and Methodius University. At the same university in 2006 he completed his master's degree in peace and development.

In 2008 he received his PhD from the University of Southeast Europe and Indiana University in the USA.

In the period 2008 - 2013 he was an assistant professor of pedagogical psychology and teaching methodology at the Faculty of Languages, Cultures and Communication at the South East European University.

From 2013 to 2018 he is an associated professor of pedagogical psychology at the same faculty.

From 2018 he is appointed full professor of pedagogical psychology and management in education.

In the period 2016-2018, he served as Vice Dean at the Faculty of Languages, Cultures and Communication at the South East European University, while from 2019 to 2020 he served as Dean at the same faculty.

From September 2020, he served as Deputy Minister of Education and Science.

During his rich professional career he has been engaged in several professional fields, namely in a number of projects at home and abroad.

As a professional advisor and member of expert committees, he has been continuously engaged in the Ministry of Education and Science. From 2011 to 2013 he was Advisor to the Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs of the Republic of Northern Macedonia.

Arafat Shabani also teaches as a professor at the State University of Tetova, at FAMA University in Prishtina and at the Faculty of Pedagogy at the University of Prishtina.

He is President of the Center for Professional Leadership at SEEU and Vice President of the Institute for Democracy and Development.

 The experience of the expert in psychology, pedagogy, sociology, service learning, project cycle management, advice and policy coordination made him assist in a large number of projects in the country and the region, but also in the countries of the European Union and the USA.

He is the author of a number of professional works published in the country and abroad.

He speaks Albanian, Macedonian, English, Serbian, Croatian and Turkish.

He is married.