Serbia
The country is included for the first time in the Autonomy Scorecard in the 2016 update.
Recent developments:
- Ban on recruitment of public employees in Serbia, affecting university administrative staff
Organisational autonomy: medium low
The appointment of the university’s executive head does not require external validation. The law specifies selection criteria as well as the term of office of the rector. The university decides on the dismissal procedure. Universities must include external members in their board/council, but they are selected and appointed by the ministry. Changes to internal academic structures require ministerial approval. Universities can create legal entities via their faculties.
Financial autonomy: medium low
Universities have no control over the internal allocation of funds, which are distributed by the government as line-item budgets. Universities cannot borrow nor keep surpluses and cannot own buildings. In a mixed model where the majority of students are enrolled in state-funded places, universities may set the level of fees for self-paying students and international students.
Academic autonomy: medium low
Universities do not control student numbers, whether enrolled in state-funded or self-paying places. Admission to Bachelor and Master programmes is co-regulated. Both institutional and programme accreditation are mandatory. Universities do not receive funding for programmes delivered in foreign languages. They can design the content of their academic programmes.
Staffing autonomy: medium low
Universities decide on the recruitment procedures of senior academic staff, but are currently not able to hire administrative staff as part of a national ban on recruitment of public employees in Serbia. Salary bands are set by the ministry. The near-civil servant status of senior academic staff makes dismissals strictly regulated. The law includes provisions for selection committees for the promotion of senior academic staff. For both senior academic and administrative staff, promotions are only possible if a post is available.
Organisational weighted 51% unweighted 53%
100% Selection procedure for the executive head
The selection of the executive head is not validated by an external authority
25% Selection criteria for the executive head
The law states that the executive head must hold an academic position
This applies to 13 other countries: Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Flanders, France, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden
The law states that the executive head must come from within the university
Other restrictions
This applies to 4 other countries: Brandenburg, Hesse, Hungary, North Rhine-Westphalia,
100% Dismissal of the executive head
The procedure for the dismissal of the executive head is not stated in the law
This applies to 10 other countries: Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Flanders, Wallonia, Ireland, The Netherlands, Switzerland, United Kingdom
0% Term of office of the executive head
The exact length is stated in the law
29% External members in university governing bodies
Universities cannot decide as they must include external members
This applies to 23 other countries: Austria, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, Flanders, France, Wallonia, Hesse, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland
The appointment is completely controlled by an external authority
This applies to 5 other countries: Hungary, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland
20% Capacity to decide on academic structures
100% Capacity to create legal entities
Universities can create legal entities without constraints
This applies to 18 other countries: Austria, Brandenburg, Croatia, Estonia, Finland, Flanders, France, Wallonia, Hesse, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Spain, United Kingdom
Financial weighted 46% unweighted 60%
60% Length of public funding cycle
One year
0% Type of public funding
Line-item budget
This does not apply to any other country.
0% Ability to borrow money
Universities cannot borrow money
This applies to 5 other countries: Hesse, Hungary, Norway, Portugal, Switzerland
0% Ability to keep surplus
0% Ability to own buildings
Universities are not allowed to own their buildings
This applies to 6 other countries: Brandenburg, Hesse, Hungary, Lithuania, North Rhine-Westphalia, Sweden
100% Tuition fees for national/EU students at Bachelor level
Universities are free to set the level of tuition fees
This applies to 3 other countries: Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg,
100% Tuition fees for national/EU students at Master's level
Universities are free to set the level of tuition fees
This applies to 6 other countries: Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Portugal, United Kingdom
100% Tuition fees for national/EU students at doctoral level
Universities are free to set the level of tuition fees
This applies to 8 other countries: Croatia, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Portugal, United Kingdom
100% Tuition fees for non-EU students at Bachelor level
Universities are free to set the level of tuition fees
This applies to 13 other countries: Croatia, Estonia, Flanders, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Sweden, United Kingdom
100% Tuition fees for non-EU students at Master's level
Universities are free to set the level of tuition fees
This applies to 13 other countries: Croatia, Estonia, Flanders, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Sweden, United Kingdom
100% Tuition fees for non-EU students at doctoral level
Universities are free to set the level of tuition fees
This applies to 11 other countries: Croatia, Estonia, Flanders, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, United Kingdom
Staffing weighted 58% unweighted 58%
100% Recruitment procedures for senior academic staff
Recruitments are carried out freely by universities
This applies to 17 other countries: Austria, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Flanders, Hesse, Iceland, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
50% Recruitment procedures for senior administrative staff
The number of posts is regulated by an external authority for all staff
This does not apply to any other country.
Other restrictions
67% Salaries for senior academic staff
Salary bands are prescribed by an external authority for all staff
67% Salaries for senior administrative staff
Salary bands are prescribed by an external authority for all staff
20% Dismissal of senior academic staff
Dismissals are strictly regulated due to civil servant status for some staff
This applies to 6 other countries: Austria, Brandenburg, Hesse, Ireland, North Rhine-Westphalia, Portugal,
Dismissals are subject to other regulations specific to the sector
This applies to 8 other countries: Austria, Croatia, Flanders, Ireland, The Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Switzerland
100% Dismissal of senior administrative staff
There are no sector-specific regulations concerning dismissals (national labour regulations apply)
This applies to 11 other countries: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Wallonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
29% Promotion procedures for senior academic staff
The law states who has to be included in the selection committee
Promotions are only possible if there is a post at a higher level
This applies to 7 other countries: Brandenburg, Croatia, Wallonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Portugal,
29% Promotion procedures for senior administrative staff
Academic weighted 46% unweighted 44%
40% Overall student numbers
An external authority decides on the number of study places
This does not apply to any other country.
60% Admissions procedures at Bachelor level
Admission criteria are co-regulated by an external authority and universities
This applies to 11 other countries: Brandenburg, Croatia, Denmark, Hesse, Latvia, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden
100% Admissions procedures at Master's level
Admission criteria are set by the university
This applies to 18 other countries: Brandenburg, Estonia, Finland, France, Hesse, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, United Kingdom
0% Introduction of programmes at Bachelor level
All new degree programmes/courses must be submitted to prior accreditation to be introduced
0% Introduction of programmes at Master's level
All new degree programmes/courses must be submitted to prior accreditation to be introduced
0% Introduction of programmes at doctoral level
All new degree programmes/courses must be submitted to prior accreditation to be introduced
100% Termination of degree programmes
Universities can terminate degree programmes independently
This applies to 25 other countries: Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Flanders, France, Wallonia, Hesse, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
67% Language of instruction at Bachelor level
Universities can choose the language of instruction but will not receive public funding for foreign-language programmes
67% Language of instruction at Master's level
Universities can choose the language of instruction but will not receive public funding for foreign-language programmes
0% Selection of quality assurance mechanisms
Universities cannot select quality assurance mechanisms
0% Selection of quality assurance providers
Universities cannot choose the quality assurance agency
100% Capacity to design content of degree programmes
Universities can freely design the content of degree programmes and courses (other than for the regulated professions)
This applies to 25 other countries: Austria, Brandenburg, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Flanders, France, Wallonia, Hesse, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom