Serb freedom threat

The following petition concerning threats to academic freedom in Serbia has been signed by a cross-section of prominent British academics. On June 4, 1998, secretly prepared legislation, rushed through the parliament of the Serbian Republic a few days earlier, came into effect. The so-called University Law has understandably aroused considerable opposition throughout the university system. The law makes all senior university staff appointments, from rector to dean, subject to direct government approval. Faculty deans have been granted unrestricted powers over staff in all academic matters, including their place of employment and the courses they choose to teach. Meanwhile all university staff are required to recognise the law by signing a new contract with the government. Those who object are left without effective rights of appeal.

University staff and administrators throughout Serbia have been shocked by the ill- prepared and punitive clauses of the law. Many have directly protested, for instance by refusing to sign their new contracts of employment. The stakes are evidently high, and rising. For the first time in the history of Serbian universities academic life is to be determined by narrowly political criteria. Universities are effectively to become an apparatus of government; university teachers are being told to give up their recent practices of collegiality, cooperation and open enquiry. The government has also made it clear that research institutes, which are excluded from the new law, are next in line for legislative treatment. Throughout Serbia, there is a gathering perception among academics that the University Law is designed to punish those staff who were involved in the anti-Milosevic demonstrations during the winter of 1996-97. There are also growing fears that worse measures are to follow.

As scholars working in British universities, we wish to add our names to the appeal to repeal the University Law. This law is a hindrance to existing and future contacts between our respective countries' universities. It also represents a regression below acceptable internationally recognised standards of the academic freedom to teach, research and publish. We believe these standards should be upheld in Serbia - especially now that its government is caught up in a savage war that threatens civilised standards of life throughout southeast Europe.

The petition has been forwarded to the speaker of the Serbian parliament, Dragan Tornic, as well as to other Yugoslav authorities. Scholars who wish to add their names to the appeal against the University Law are urged to do so. Their support should be forwarded to: Centre for the Study of Democracy, University of Westminster, 100 Park Village East, London NW1 3SR. Tel: 0171-911 5138. Fax: 0171-911 5164. Email: csd@wmin.ac.uk John Keane

Director, Centre for the study of democracy, University of Westminster, and Jeremy Black, Alex Danchev, Robert Eccleshall, Terry Eagleton, Peter Golding David Held, Charles Jones, Neil MacCormick, David McLellan, David Marquand, James Mayall, William Outhwaite, Bhikhu Parekh, Raymond Plant, Richard Sakwa, Yezid Sayigh, Brendan Simms and Anthony Smith