NEWS

22. July 2025th

EUA Board calls for a resolution to the challenging situation facing Serbian universities

Massive student protests and campus blockades began in November 2024 in response to the collapse of a concrete canopy at Novi Sad train station. Since then, academic life has been profoundly affected in many universities. Considerable pressure has been exerted on universities, such as the withholding of state funding for operational costs, and the recent introduction of a new regulation restricting the amount of time academic staff at institutions can spend on research activities. This has resulted in a reduction in professors’ salaries, first to 50% in February 2025 and subsequently to 12.5% since April, which is clearly an unsustainable situation. In recent months, university students and professors protesting the situation have also faced numerous other pressures and threats.

These are clear infringements of university autonomy, which are likely to have severe consequences for universities and wider society. The restrictions negatively impact universities’ ability to collaborate internationally and weaken the knowledge base, hindering universities in carrying out their work.

Fundamental values, including institutional autonomy and academic freedom, are essential for universities to fulfil their missions and to serve society. Promoting and protecting these as preconditions for the meaningful work of universities is especially crucial in times of unrest, when there is a risk that these principles may be eroded.

In the face of these challenges, EUA expresses its support for all institutions and individuals within the Serbian higher education community that have been, or continue to be, adversely affected. The Association’s Board calls on all parties involved to engage in meaningful, peaceful and constructive dialogue, and hopes for a swift and lasting resolution to the current situation, and for the institutional autonomy of universities to be fully upheld.

15. November 2024th

The Second Serbian-Hungarian Rectors' Forum

The Second Serbian-Hungarian Rectors' Forum was held at the University of Novi Sad on November 15, 2024, jointly organized by the Conference of Universities of Serbia and the Hungarian Rectors' Conference.

The forum brought together rectors, vice-rectors and other high-ranking representatives of universities from Serbia and Hungary, members of the Hungarian Rectors' Conference and the Conference of Universities of Serbia.

Although universities from our regions have continuous and highly developed cooperation, the meeting of rectors from Serbia and Hungary was an opportunity to discuss the continuation of successful cooperation for networking and establishing new connections, initiating new ideas for cooperation and sharing experiences on best practices in the work of higher education institutions in Serbia and Hungary.

The attendees were welcomed on behalf of the host institution by the Rector of the University of Novi Sad, Prof. Dr. Dejan Madić, and introductory speeches on behalf of the Serbian and Hungarian Rectors' Conferences were given by Prof. Dr. Vladan Đokić, President of the Conference of Serbian Universities and Rector of the University of Belgrade, and Prof. Dr. László Borhy, President of the Hungarian Rectors' Conference and Rector of the Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest. The guest of honor at the Forum was the President of the Assembly of the AP Vojvodina, Bálint Juhas, who in his welcoming speech emphasized that this event is precisely an indicator that the AP Vojvodina is a place of meeting and cooperation, both in the fields of science and education, and in many other areas.

The working part of the meeting was addressed by Dr. Zoltan Dubéci, Secretary General of the Hungarian Rectors' Conference, and Luka Dimitrijević, Secretary General of KONUS, who introduced the delegations of the Hungarian Rectors' Conference and the Conference of Serbian Universities, while Prof. Dr. Levente Kováč, Vice President of the Hungarian Rectors' Conference and Rector of Obuda University, spoke about sustainable investments and investment within universities.

In addition to representatives of universities from Serbia and Hungary, the Forum was also attended by Dr. Aleksandar Jović, Assistant Minister for International Cooperation and European Integration at the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Serbia, and Dragica Kolđin from the Provincial Secretariat for Higher Education and Research.

08. November 2024th

A joint session of the Rectors' Conference of the Republika Srpska and the Conference of Universities of Serbia

A joint session of the Rectors' Conference of the Republika Srpska and the Conference of Universities of Serbia was held today at the Rectorate of the University of East Sarajevo, where it was agreed to move to a higher level of cooperation when it comes to teaching process.

The session was chaired by the Chairman of the Rectors' Conference of the Republika Srpska, the Rector of the University of East Sarajevo, Prof. Dr. Milan Kulić, and the Chairman of KONUS, the Rector of the University of Belgrade, Prof. Dr. Vladan Đokić.

Rector Kulić thanked all public universities in Serbia that have been selflessly and sincerely helping the University and East Sarajevo for 32 years, and emphasized that today's joint session is one of the first steps in the implementation of the Declaration of the All-Serbian Assembly.

He allocated financial support from the Government of Vojvodina for a number of projects, which are jointly implemented by the universities of Novi Sad, Banja Luka and East Sarajevo, adding that this is clearly visible from the large number of published scientific papers.

“Our goal and desire is that these joint meetings of the Rectors’ Conference be held at least once a year and that both public universities from the Republika Srpska become associated members of the Rectors’ Conference of Serbia, of course without voting and decision-making rights, but with the right to discuss and agree on raising our cooperation to an even higher level,” emphasized Rector Kulić

President Đokić expressed sincere satisfaction with today's event, emphasizing that the Rectors' Conferences of Serbia and Republika Srpska bring together 27 universities that have a plan to work together, establish better cooperation, to participate jointly in many projects and to make this cooperation between Serbia and Republika Srpska at this academic level as successful as possible.

He stated that in the past 20-30 years, universities from Serbia have helped universities in Republika Srpska to establish and develop better study programs, and that this cooperation continues.

“I think the time has come to start thinking in terms of partnership, so that it is no longer just one-way cooperation and assistance to Serbia-Srpska, but that on the basis of partnership we work on various research projects, apply for international projects, exchange students and professors and in some way establish such a relationship that we can direct future cooperation towards applying for projects and withdrawing funds from EU funds,” said President Đokić.

The Rector of the University of Novi Sad, Prof. Dr. Dejan Madić, pointed out that this higher education institution has been in a great rush of cooperation with universities from Republika Srpska, not only recently, but from much earlier times, and that the most effective way of this cooperation is through teaching and scientific research.

“It is time to turn to science, research, and we believe that we have excellent capacities. Sometimes our countries do not have sufficient budgets for very high-quality research, so we turn to European grants. My university is very successful, it has an excellent office for both projects and international cooperation, so we regularly receive projects”, emphasized Madić.

Rector Madić believes that universities in Serbia should always invite someone from the Republika Srpska, because this cooperation will certainly bear fruit, and the best example of this is certainly the brilliant researcher and young scientist from Banja Luka, winner of the “Doctor Zoran Đinđić” award, Mitar Simić, of whom the entire Republika Srpska should be proud.

13. September 2024th

The sixteenth session of the Rector's Council of the Conference of Universities of Serbia

The sixteenth session of the Rector's Council of the Conference of Universities of Serbia was held on Friday, September 13, 2024, in the premises of the Rectorate of the University of Belgrade.

The elections of Prof. Dr. Nenad Malešević for rector of the Union University and Prof. Dr. Novica Staletović for rector of the Union University - Nikola Tesla, as well as the election of Prof. Dr. Vladimir Ranković for acting rector of the University of Kragujevac were declared;

Support was given to the nomination of Prof. Dr. Ivanka Popović, as a member of the European University Association’s Board, for the 2025-2029 period.

The proposal for amendments to the Classification of representative references of professors and the competence of mentors in the field of art and the Minimum requirements for selection as a professor at the university, which was prepared by the University of Arts in Belgrade and supported by the art faculties of the member universities of the Conference, was adopted;

The proposal for amendments to the Statute of the Conference, as well as the Rules of Procedure of the Rector's Council, were adopted;

The proposal of the University of Kragujevac to supplement the Rulebook on the List of Professional, Academic and Scientific Titles (Master of Aesthetic and Anti-aging Medicine) was adopted;

After the session, the members of the Rector's Council had the opportunity to attend the ceremony on the occasion of the Day of the University of Belgrade, which was held in the Rector's Hall.