Objavljeno: 03/05/2025
This Position paper is supported by over 4,000 university professors, scientists, and artists from Serbia’s state universities, including the University of Belgrade, University of Novi Sad, University of Niš, and University of Kragujevac.
As university professors, scientists and artists from Serbia, we feel the urgent need to draw attention to the devastating consequences of the new Government Decree that drastically reduces the scope of scientific and artistic work at universities and research institutions.
The Decree, which limits scientific and artistic activity to merely five hours per week out of a total of 40, instead of the previous 20 hours out of a total of 40, has already caused severe consequences and can also lead to far-reaching effects:
1. Jeopardising Engagement on Current and Future Projects:
The regulation mandating that 12.5% of working hours be allocated to research hinders most scientists and artists in the country from engaging in or applying for various European projects and developing international cooperation. These projects often necessitate a significantly greater commitment of time from principal investigators, such as the prestigious ERC research grants or specific Horizon Europe calls available to Serbia as an associate country. This challenge is also faced with grants from Serbia's national science foundation, which require a minimum of 30% of time dedicated to the grant.
2. Weakening Prospects for Career Development:
The Decree presents a significant risk to the future prospects for career advancement within academic and research institutions in Serbia, given that the standards for academic promotion are predominantly based on research output, which is unlikely to be substantial with only five hours allocated to research each week.
3. Financial Violence Against University Professors:
By drastically cutting the time allocated for scientific and artistic work, university professors have been subjected to extreme financial hardship. Their basic livelihoods are now endangered, as their salaries - previously based significantly on scientific work - have been critically reduced or altogether suspended. This constitutes a direct violation of their economic and social rights.
4. Collapse of the Accreditation System for Academic Programs:
Scientific and artistic research is a cornerstone for the accreditation and quality assurance of study programs at universities. With the new Decree, the capacity to maintain internationally recognized academic standards has been critically undermined. Programs that rely on research-active teaching staff can no longer guarantee the necessary scientific and artistic quality, jeopardising the credibility of Serbian higher education both domestically and internationally.
Most importantly, we must underline that the fundamental reasons for the previous closure of Chapter 25 (Science and Research) in Serbia’s EU accession negotiations are no longer valid. At the time of its closure, Serbia had a functioning and dynamic scientific system. That system has now been effectively dismantled.
Given this profound change, we respectfully but firmly insist that:
- Chapter 25 be reopened, or alternatively,
- The European Commission issues a clear and public statement demanding the immediate revocation of the Decree, to restore scientific activity to its previous standards.
Without urgent and decisive action, Serbia's scientific community will face irreversible damage, and the country will no longer meet even the basic requirements expected of a future EU member state in the area of science and research.
In addition to the immediate harm caused by the Decree, it is critical to recognise that these developments are part of a broader and ongoing erosion of the rule of law and institutional autonomy in Serbia. Systemic governance failures and the suppression of public accountability undermine the foundations of education and result in an unchecked loss of talent. In light of the still open Chapters 23 (Judiciary and Fundamental Rights) and 24 (Justice, Freedom, and Security), we call on European institutions to act decisively for transparency and the rule of law-core values essential for Serbia’s path to EU membership.
At this critical moment, we urge you to stand with us - with those who defend European values of democracy, education, and scientific freedom - and to stop supporting a regime that is systematically destroying them.
We thank you for your attention to this urgent matter and look forward to receiving your support.
Ciljne grupe: #akademska zajednica #opšta javnost #međunarodne organizacije i tela