Following the incursion by police forces at the University of Belgrade on 31 March 2026, the Board of the European University Association (EUA) wishes to express its deep concern over these developments and their adverse impact on universities in Serbia. swissuniversities is a member of the EUA and endorses this statement.
Academic life has been profoundly and negatively affected by, often violent, conflicts between university communities and the Serbian government since massive student protests and campus blockades began in November 2024.
The EUA Board notes with great concern that universities and their communities continue to face unacceptable pressures and threats, as was previously highlighted in a statement from July 2025. The continued erosion of institutional autonomy, which is a precondition for universities to fulfil their diverse missions, will have a damaging impact on academic life and wider society in the short- and long-term.
The EUA Board therefore renews its call for meaningful dialogue between the university sector and the Serbian government, in order to de-escalate and, ultimately, resolve the current unsustainable situation. Moreover, the Association expresses its solidarity towards all affected institutions and individuals within the Serbian higher education community.