Serbian academic community protests university autonomy threats

Academic institutions and faculty in Serbia are raising alarms over the erosion of university autonomy and political interference in higher education. The Academic Plenum, representing professors and researchers from the University of Novi Sad and colleges in Vojvodina, has adopted a declaration supporting students and the Studentska lista. The Plenum stated that the educational system has faced systematic political, financial, and institutional pressure for nearly two years.

In Niš, tensions are rising as the University of Niš Senate prepares to vote on amending its Statute to include the Faculty of Serbian Studies. This move is being contested by students and faculty members, such as Tatjana Paunović of the “Nezavisnost” union, who argue the incorporation is unlawful and politically motivated. Protesters have gathered to demand that the Senate uphold legal standards and academic ethics rather than acting under political pressure. The controversy follows a government process to separate departments from the Faculty of Philosophy to form the new faculty, a move that has faced legal challenges in the Administrative Court.