Serbian Government adopts amendments to higher education law

“The amendments to the Law on Higher Education increase the budget for higher education by 20 percent, or by 12 billion dinars (1 euro – 117 dinars), which is in line with the fourth student demand. Moreover, additional funds in the amount of 5.7 billion dinars have been provided for an increase in the salaries of employees in higher education, starting from the salaries for March of this year,” said the press release.

Under the bill, it added, the salary base in higher education is aligned with the salary bases of employees at other levels of education as of 1 January 1, 2026.

The proposed amendments reduce the cost of tuition fees for self-financing students at state higher education institutions by 50 percent through direct reimbursement of funds to students from the budget.

Additionally, the amendments also envisage the allocation of funds that will fully cover the fixed costs of higher education institutions, greater allocations for the costs of materials for higher education institutions, as well as the full coverage of costs for other employee income, in accordance with the Special Collective Agreement for Higher Education, said the Serbian Government.

The proposed amendments to the Law on Higher Education also provide for norms aimed at further improving the quality and relevance of higher education, university autonomy and further internationalization of higher education, it added.