The Rector of the University of Belgrade, Vladan Đokić, held a meeting with Prime Minister Đuro Macut to present the demands of the rector’s council of deans to the Government of the Republic of Serbia. The main demands include an immediate end to aggressive rhetoric and repression against students and university staff, the dissolution of the working group for drafting a new higher education law, the opening of a public and inclusive discussion, the repeal of illegal amendments to the university work standards regulation, remediation of their consequences, and the adoption of budget quotas for faculty admissions by the end of June at the latest. This is the fourth meeting between Đokić and Macut and represents an important step in addressing issues in higher education in Serbia.
Political Perspectives:
Left: Left-leaning outlets emphasize the demands of the university community for transparency, inclusivity, and the protection of academic freedoms. They highlight the call to end repression and aggressive rhetoric against students and staff, framing it as a fight for democratic values and human rights within the education system.
Center: Center-leaning sources report the meeting as a formal dialogue between university leadership and the government, focusing on the procedural aspects of the demands such as legislative reform and budget planning. They present the issues in a balanced manner, noting the importance of cooperation between the government and academic institutions.
Right: Right-leaning media tend to focus on the government’s response and the need for maintaining order and standards in higher education. They may emphasize the importance of budget discipline and the government’s efforts to address the demands without compromising stability, sometimes downplaying the claims of repression or aggressive rhetoric.
