Ongoing student protests in Belgrade
Like the University of Belgrade, HU is a member of the European University Alliance Circle U. Mass protests have been taking place in Belgrade for six months, starting as student protests. At an online event on 6 June 2025 on the topic of "Voices of Resistance: The Role of Student Protests in Shaping Serbia's Future", students and teachers from the University of Belgrade discussed the situation at universities in Serbia with students and teachers from Circle U.
The European University Alliance Circle U. had already? published a declaration on the developments in Serbia in January 2025 ?Since then, HU has received many reports from partners, students and teachers on the ground. They report how the situation is becoming increasingly acute.
Situation at the universities in Serbia
The current demands of students from various political backgrounds in Serbia arose after the train station accident in Novi Sad on 1 November 2024. The accident, which claimed the lives of 16 people, triggered protests in Serbia, which initially demanded an investigation into the accident, but have since developed into mass protests.This accident triggered a long-simmering criticism of various social challenges. The articulation and discussion of these challenges is currently taking place particularly strongly at universities in Serbia.
The reports now paint a picture of the dramatic difficulties for the academic community in Serbia. The University of Belgrade in particular continues to be in the spotlight.
There are reports of several indictments against the rector of the University of Belgrade, massive salary cuts for lecturers across the country, physical attacks on students and defamation in the media that threaten academic freedom and the independence of universities. The pressure on staff who show solidarity with students has increased considerably. Many of them now fear for their jobs and their professional future. According to feedback from some of our colleagues in Serbia on their current situation, they described, among other things, that the state sometimes only pays lecturers the legal minimum of 435 euros as a salary; the basis for calculating the distribution of payments was changed from 50 per cent research and 50 per cent teaching to 12.5 per cent for research and 87.5 per cent for teaching. N; new laws that would mean your loss of a large part of university autonomy are in preparation. There are also plans to allow foreign universities to be authorised as representatives, which would then receive state funding and would not have to undergo an accreditation procedure, thereby creating competition with state institutions. Many universities are also currently being pressurised to switch to online courses, with the threat that otherwise no more new students will be admitted.
In one of the most recent incidents, a professor and a security guard at the Belgrade Faculty of Law were injured by blows from a student who had opposed the blockades and had to be taken to hospital. In various statements on the incident, including from the University of Belgrade, the coordinated and aggressive media campaign against the protests in the country is blamed.
These measures and incidents have a massive impact on the autonomy of universities and pose a serious threat to academic freedom. The situation in Serbia reflects a broader global challenge as the independence of academic institutions comes under increasing pressure in many regions of the world. Academic freedom and the autonomy of universities are essential for innovation, critical thinking and social progress. Restricting these cornerstones jeopardises not only education, but also democratic development and social cohesion.
The overall social discourse that is negotiated at universities and beyond should take place free from threats and political influence.
Further information
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