University of Belgrade drops in Shanghai Ranking amid political dispute

Shanghai Ranking University of Belgrade higher education academic protests Serbia

The University of Belgrade has dropped out of the top 500 institutions in the latest Shanghai Ranking, falling into the 501–600 range. This decline has sparked a sharp political debate in Serbia regarding the causes of the university's diminished global standing.

Education Minister Dejan Vuk Stanković attributed the drop to academic blockades and political activism by the university leadership during the 2024/2025 academic year, calling it a “clearly harmful consequence” of irresponsible management. Conversely, academic initiatives and former rector Ivanka Popović argue that the decline is a result of government policies, such as reduced research funding and restrictive regulations that hindered scientific work.

President Aleksandar Vučić stated that the decline would cause significant problems for investment and economic development. Meanwhile, the University of Novi Sad has also notably fallen off the Shanghai Ranking entirely. Academic experts point to low national investment in science—0.4% of GDP compared to higher EU averages—as a fundamental driver of the long-term decline in Serbian higher education.

Entities

Aleksandar Vučić · Dejan Vuk Stanković · Serbia · Serbian Progressive Party · University of Belgrade · University of Novi Sad · Vladan Đokić · Đuro Macut

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 3 SOURCES] Harvard University holds the first place in the global rankings. nin.rs
[● 2 SOURCES] The University of Belgrade was ranked among the top 500 universities in the previous year. nin.rs
[● 2 SOURCES] University of Paris-Saclay is ranked 13th, the highest in Europe.
[● 3 SOURCES] The University of Belgrade is ranked in the 501-600 range in the latest Shanghai Ranking. nin.rs
[● 2 SOURCES] The University of Ljubljana dropped to the 601-700 group.
[● 2 SOURCES] Sixteen Chinese institutions are now ranked among the top 100 universities in the world.
[○ 1 SOURCE] Calling the elections will fulfill one of the main demands of the student protesters.
[● 5 SOURCES] Elections will be called within 15 to 25 days. 6yka.com
[● 5 SOURCES] The election campaign will last between 45 and 60 days. 6yka.com
[● 4 SOURCES] Protesters are being brought from Belgrade and Niš to campaign in smaller towns like Vranje and Dubnica.
[● 4 SOURCES] Foreign actors are providing training to the student movement.
[○ 1 SOURCE] The University of Novi Sad was removed from the Shanghai ranking due to government regulations. www.masina.rs