BELGRADE – “The Rebellious University” initiative, an informal network of more than 300 professors of universities across Serbia, on Monday called on the competent institutions of the European Union to safeguard the rights of students and faculty at the University of Pristina temporarily seated in Kosovska Mitrovica, following regulatory changes that could alter the institution’s legal status and the conditions for work and study.
“We call on the relevant EU institutions to demonstrate, in this case, their commitment to European values,” the initiative said in a statement signed by 320 professors, teaching assistants and research advisers.
“The Rebellious University” initiative urged all competent institutions and decision-makers to take concrete steps, within the scope of their authority, to ensure the full respect of the right to education, academic freedom and professional dignity.
It stressed that the right to education, academic freedoms and institutional autonomy constitute fundamental values of modern democratic societies.
“They are not privileges dependent on political circumstances, but binding standards that every government must respect and protect,” the statement warned.
The initiative further emphasized that students must not bear the consequences of normative and institutional processes beyond their control, and that their right to the continuity of studies, recognition of their status and the validity of their diplomas must be unconditionally protected.
“Teachers and associates must not be exposed to conditions that call into question their academic autonomy, professional dignity and existential security. Questioning the survival or effectively preventing the work of a higher education institution has long-term consequences for the education system and society as a whole, and therefore requires a high level of responsibility,” the statement concluded.
Authorities in Pristina have issued a 30-day ultimatum to the Faculty of Technical Science in North Mitrovica, part of the University of Pristina with temporary headquarters in North Mitrovica, to either vacate its premises or sign a use agreement with Kosovo’s Pristina-based university.
The issue of integrating Serbian-run healthcare and education systems in Kosovo has once again come into focus, particularly after Kosovo authorities intensified activities on the ground over the past year. Government in Pristina maintains that unifying the systems is inevitable, arguing that “dualism” is unsustainable.
In practice, steps have already been taken to assume control of facilities previously used by institutions operating within the Serbia’s system. At the same time, authorities have announced the full implementation of the Law on Foreigners and the Law on Vehicles, measures that could further complicate the administrative position of employees in Serbian institutions if they are not registered within the Kosovo’s legal framework.
Meanwhile, the Faculty of Technical Sciences received a formal notice requiring it to vacate its premises within 30 days or regulate its status with the University of Pristina operating within the Kosovo system.
At the same time, a meeting between mayors of Serb-majority municipalities and Kosovo’s Minister of Local Government Administration failed to address the issue of education and healthcare, despite prior announcements.
The international community does not dispute the principle of integration, but insists that it be carried out in coordination with Kosovo Serbs rather than unilaterally. The European Union has recalled that Kosovo PM Albin Kurti pledged to conduct the process in consultation with local Serbs and with EU support.
