University of Niš faculty status dispute

A legal and administrative dispute has emerged regarding the establishment of the Faculty of Serbian Studies at the University of Niš. The faculty was created following a Serbian Government decision in November 2025 to separate the departments of history, Serbian studies, and Russian language and literature from the Faculty of Philosophy.

Initially, the University Senate was set to consider amending the University Statute to recognize the new faculty as a legal entity. This followed a Ministry of Education decision to revoke operating licenses for the relevant programs at the Faculty of Philosophy, a move that the Administrative Court had temporarily stayed.

Despite the University Senate failing to approve its admission, the Ministry of Education has proceeded to integrate the Faculty of Serbian Studies into the University of Niš. While an injunction from the Administrative Court has prevented the new faculty from enrolling students this year, critics argue the integration bypasses academic procedures. Additionally, staff at the Faculty of Philosophy have reported a two-month salary delay, as the Ministry has withheld funds pending statutory changes and the relinquishment of the three departments.