After the Government of Serbia canceled the budget places in basic studies for three departments Faculty of Philosophy in Niš, and the Council of this faculty decided to students free of tuition fees, it has now been decided that even young people who want to enroll in master's or doctoral studies in the study programs of Serbian studies, history and Russian language and literature will not be able to "invade" the budget at the Philosophical University in Nis. The ruling was passed even though the Court halted all actions related to the "splitting" of the Faculty of Philosophy and the transfer of those departments to the Faculty of Serbian Studies, writes "Južne vesti".
The Government of Serbia has made decisions on the number of students for enrollment in the first year of master's vocational and academic studies and doctoral academic studies funded from the budget of the Republic of Serbia for universities and faculties founded by the Republic of Serbia in the academic year 2026/2027. year.
How many budget seats belong to whom?
Of the 6.466 budgetary places for master's studies in Serbia, 1.111 belong to the University of Niš, and 97 to the Faculty of Philosophy. However, next to the number 97, Filozofski also has an asterisk, that is, a note.
"In accordance with the Decision of the Government of the Republic of Serbia, 05 Number: 022-12202/2025-02 of November 6, 2025, the number does not include study programs: MAS Serbian Studies (with two modules), MAS History and MAS Russian Language and Literature," the note states.
Young people who want to enroll in doctoral studies in Serbian studies and history without paying school fees will not be able to do so in Niš, since budget places have been abolished there as well. According to the decision of the Government, Filozofski received 8 budget places for doctoral studies, but there is a note again - that number does not include the study programs: DAS Serbian Studies and DAS History.
These decisions on the abolition of budget positions were made despite the decision of the Administrative Court, which postpones the decision of the Ministry of Education and revokes the work permit of the departments of history, Serbian studies, and Russian language and literature.
Splitting of the Faculty of Philosophy
The license to operate these departments was revoked in April, which is a consequence of the establishment of the Faculty of Serbian Studies, which caused numerous controversies.
The Faculty of Serbian Studies is not on the list of the Government's decisions on the allocation of budget places neither for undergraduate studies, nor for master's and doctoral studies, for which it has neither the right to have.
Let us remind you that the Faculty of Serbian Studies, since the decision of the Government of Serbia to establish it by "splitting" the Faculty of Philosophy in Nis, has not followed the numerous procedures and steps provided for by the Law on Higher Education, because in the first step it did not even ask for the opinion of the Teaching and Scientific Council.
Research by Southern News shows that the official documentation of FSS contains empty tables, downloaded programs and magazines from the Faculty of Philosophy, non-existent amphitheatres and elevators at the new address, professors from private and foreign faculties without consent, master's and doctoral studies that they do not have the right to have, and at the time of obtaining the work permit, FSS has zero employees, while the University has not yet recognized the new faculty.
Source: Southern News
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