This panel was conceived as an immediate response to the latest and most flagrant attacks on university autonomy in Serbia. The discussion will focus on recent attempts by the regime to undermine the independence of universities through legal changes and institutional mechanisms: the formation of a Working Group for the Amendment of the Law on Higher Education without consulting the academic community, the increase in the number of government-appointed representatives in university and faculty councils at the expense of institutional autonomy, and the imposition of the selection of deans and rectors with the approval of the Ministry of Education.
The panel will also address the proposed introduction of a voucher system and subsidies for private universities, which threatens the financial and institutional independence of public universities and paves the way for the commercialization of education.
Special attention will be given to the ongoing attacks on professors and students — ranging from media smear campaigns and physical intimidation, to threats, persecution for publicly expressed opinions, the imposition of provisional administration, and the silencing of dissent within certain universities. Through a dialogue with distinguished members of the academic community, the panel aims to expose the mechanisms of pressure and emphasize the importance of knowledge, critical thinking, and solidarity between professors and students in the struggle to defend the university as the last bastion of a free and democratic society in Serbia.
