The “Rebel University” initiative has announced a protest scheduled for June 9 in front of the Serbian Government building, under the slogan “Faculties at a Crossroads,” starting at 10:00 AM.
Members of the “Rebel University” cite intensifying pressures on university autonomy, political and institutional repression against employees in higher education, and the continued deterioration of public education as the primary reasons for the demonstration, according to Danas.
The organizers emphasize that the gathering aims to send a clear message: education must not become a political instrument, and freedom of thought and scientific work are fundamental to any democratic society.
Participants in the protest have three key demands:
- Immediate disbandment of the Working Group for the new Law on Higher Education and the initiation of an open, inclusive public debate.
- Urgent abolition of the latest amendments to the Regulation on University Work Standards and the elimination of their illegal effects.
- Adoption of budget quotas for university enrollment by the end of June.
According to the initiative, a regulation recently adopted by the Serbian Government drastically reduces the scope for scientific and research activities, jeopardizes the international standing of Serbian universities, and represents an explicit punishment for employees who supported student blockades in previous months. This, they warn, directly undermines university autonomy and creates room for political control over education.
“We are all at a crossroads – professors, students, and the entire society. This is least of all a fight for illegally withheld salaries! This is a fight for free, public, and quality education. If the university falls, so does the last line of defense for freedom of thought in Serbia,” the organizers declared.
They have extended an invitation to all education employees, students, high school students, parents, and citizens who believe in the importance of knowledge, science, and a free society to join them.
