University of Belgrade: Senate Meets on Class Start Date
The Education Ministry rejects the student plenum's request to delay classes at the University of Belgrade until November 1 over the October 25 election, as the issue is not on today's Senate agenda.
The plenum of several University of Belgrade faculties is asking that the new academic year start on November 1 instead of October 1, citing the snap parliamentary election called for October 25. The request comes before the University Senate’s regular session, scheduled for Wednesday, September 16, but it was not included on the session’s agenda. As of September 15, based on available information, no formal request had even reached the Senate.
Students gathered around the plenum are asking rector Vladan Djokic to push the start of classes back by a month, arguing that the pre-election period, overlapping with the first weeks of the academic year, would disrupt the normal functioning of the faculties. Faculties have signaled that new blockades will follow if the Senate rejects the proposal.
The Education Ministry weighed in with a statement issued on September 14 at 2:02 p.m., clearly opposing the change. Minister Dejan Vuk Stankovic said:
The school year begins on October 1. That is how it has always been, and that is how it will be now.
The ministry’s statement cites several provisions of the Higher Education Act. Article 94, paragraph 1 sets the academic year to begin on October 1 and run for 12 months. Article 43, paragraph 10 bans political, party and religious organizing and activity at higher education institutions, and it is this provision the ministry points to in arguing that a politically motivated postponement is not legally possible. Article 65, paragraph 1 governs the authority of the institution’s professional bodies, while Article 64, paragraph 3 requires the rector to issue a written warning to a dean and faculty council over conduct that violates the law or the statute.
The ministry’s statement says that “political, party or religious organizing is not permitted at a higher education institution.” Officials say blocking the work of these institutions is illegal and punishable, and announced they would take every action within their authority to keep classes running. Two concrete measures were mentioned: professors who fail to hold classes will not be paid, and inspectors will be sent to the faculties.
The current 2025/2026 school year is ending on September 30 at most faculties for undergraduate and integrated studies, and on October 14 for master’s and doctoral programs. For the coming 2026/2027 year, the University of Belgrade has already adopted a Student Enrollment Policy under which undergraduate and integrated studies begin no later than October 1 and run through September 30, 2027, while master’s and doctoral programs begin no later than October 15 and run through October 14, 2027. Individual faculties within the University have been left to set their own exact deadlines.
Whether the plenum’s initiative will reach the Senate at all, and in what form, remains open after today’s session.
