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Niš University Departments Face Transfer Amidst Faculty and Student Protests
🇷🇸 Serbia /Culture & Society

Niš University Departments Face Transfer Amidst Faculty and Student Protests

From N1 Serbia · () Serbian

Translated from Serbian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • Professors and students at the University of Niš's Faculty of Philosophy are protesting a government decision to transfer Serbian, Russian, and History departments.
  • The departments are to be moved to the newly established Faculty of Serbian Studies, which critics claim was created in violation of regulations.
  • Faculty members are preparing for student enrollment in June but are uncertain if it will occur, citing a lack of transparency in the negotiations.

A dispute is brewing at the University of Niš, Serbia, as professors and students from the Faculty of Philosophy resist a government decision to transfer three key departments, Serbian, Russian, and History, to a new institution, the Faculty of Serbian Studies. The move, which involves sharing accreditations, professors, and students, has been met with strong opposition.

We are preparing as if we will enroll students in June, but we don't know if that will happen.

— ProfessorsDescribing the uncertainty surrounding student enrollment due to the departmental transfer.

Critics argue that the new Faculty of Serbian Studies was established in violation of regulations, potentially as an act of retaliation for previous blockades by the Niš Faculty of Philosophy. Students have labeled the proposed joint teaching and diplomas as a betrayal, fearing it legitimizes an improperly formed institution. "We were not informed about these negotiations, nor about the basis for reaching a compromise," stated Dejan Milutinović, a professor from the Serbian department at the Faculty of Philosophy.

We were not informed about these negotiations, nor about the basis for reaching a compromise.

— Dejan MilutinovićProfessor from the Serbian department at the Faculty of Philosophy, commenting on the lack of transparency.

Despite the backlash, members of the Faculty of Philosophy's Teaching-Scientific Council adopted a platform to overcome the crisis, reportedly signed by a majority of professors from the affected departments. "Twenty of us have signed this document by name," said Jasmina Šaranac, a history professor. The platform aims to find a legally sound compromise. Milutinović added, "The next step we are taking is to talk with the Government or its representatives."

Twenty of us have signed this document by name.

— Jasmina ŠaranacProfessor from the History department, referring to the platform adopted to overcome the crisis.

However, uncertainty looms over the upcoming academic year. "We are preparing as if we will enroll students in June, but we don't know if that will happen," professors noted. They insist that students already enrolled must be allowed to complete their studies within an extended timeframe. The Faculty is also pushing for the return of enrollment quotas and the administration of entrance exams, which are currently absent. The core issue remains the government's decision to revoke the Faculty of Philosophy's license for these three departments, leaving the future enrollment of Serbian, Russian, or History students in Niš unclear.

The next step we are taking is to talk with the Government or its representatives.

— Dejan MilutinovićOutlining the planned course of action to resolve the dispute.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by N1 Serbia in Serbian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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