Aware that one of the essential roles of universities is to educate students in the spirit of Enlightenment and Humanism, and guided by the belief that universities play a vital societal role in fostering the common good.
We are closely following recent developments in Serbia, particularly at its universities, where members of our Forum — together with many respected voices within the Serbian academic community — are facing unacceptable pressure simply for advocating values such as academic freedom, university autonomy, accountability, the rule of law, transparency, and freedom of expression.
We therefore express deep concern over the increasing pressure on professors, researchers, and students, as well as the presence of hostile rhetoric that contributes to a climate of tension.
As rectors of the member institutions of the Rectors’ Forum, we affirm our support for the academic community in Serbia in its commitment to uphold and promote the universal values that form the foundation of the European academic space and democratic society.
We are convinced that, in these challenging times, the voice of Serbia’s academic community deserves our attention and solidarity.
Explanatory note: The Conference of Rectors of Public Universities in Kosovo has decided to abstain from commenting on Serbian domestic developments.