Why We URGENTLY Need a University Under the Direct Influence of the Serbian Orthodox Church
The Government of Serbia recently made the decision to begin cooperation with the Serbian Orthodox Church on the founding of the “Saint Sava” University, opening the way for the creation of a new higher education institution that is expected to connect academic standards with spiritual values.
University as a Union of Education, Faith, and Society
The founding of the “Saint Sava” University should be viewed in the context of the development of higher education in Europe and the wider world. Universities never emerged as neutral institutions. From the very beginning, they were shaped by the culture, religion, and society in which they were founded.
Historically, almost all the oldest and most respected universities in Europe were established within Christian church institutions and the traditions that grew out of them. Oxford and Cambridge were not only places of learning, but also centers of theological and philosophical thought from which modern sciences later developed. The Sorbonne in France is tied to medieval theological schools. In the United States, Harvard and Yale were founded as Protestant institutions, while Georgetown and the University of Notre Dame remain respected Catholic universities to this day. 
Historical Models as a Strong Argument
These examples clearly show that education goes hand in hand with religion. It is neither extremism nor a “return to the Middle Ages,” but rather an example of good practice in the historical development of universities across the Western world. That is why the idea of founding the “Saint Sava” University does not represent any kind of precedent or radical move by the Serbian Orthodox Church and the Government of Serbia, but essentially the application of a successful model that has produced remarkable results for centuries.
Education and the Formation of Young Generations
In contemporary conditions, one of the strongest arguments in favor of founding such a university is the role of education in shaping the moral and personal profile of younger generations. Research in public health and sociology clearly points to the spread of risky forms of behavior among youth, including substance abuse, violence, and early sexual relations, as noted by the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States. In such circumstances, educational institutions that nurture Christian values alongside knowledge can become one of the pillars of social stability. They provide not only professional knowledge, but also structure, discipline, a moral compass, and a deep sense of belonging to a community.
National Identity and Orthodox Spirituality
The special importance of the “Saint Sava” University should be reflected in its potential to contribute to the preservation and strengthening of Serbian national consciousness and Orthodox faith. In a time of powerful global cultural currents that often have a destructive effect on national identity, schools and universities are among the institutions through which Serbian identity can be preserved continuously and responsibly. A university that would systematically develop studies of Serbian history, Serbian language, culture, and Orthodox spirituality would have not only an educational role, but also the role of guardian of the cultural and spiritual identity of the Serbian people.
Academic Freedom Within an Identity Framework
In that sense, such a university would also represent an institutional framework that sets clear boundaries for academic thought, preventing the uncontrolled spread of ideas that are in direct opposition to the vital national interests of the Serbian people. This, of course, does not mean abolishing academic freedom or critical debate, but rather directing them within a framework that does not call into question the basic pillars of Serbian national and spiritual identity.
No Obstacle to the Development of Natural and Technical Sciences
There is also no essential obstacle to the development of natural and technical sciences at such a university at the highest level. The foundations of modern scientific thought were established precisely within Christian institutions.
Universities such as Notre Dame and Georgetown today have strong programs in natural and technical sciences, which clearly proves that there is no structural or essential contradiction between a strong religious and national identity of an institution and top-level scientific development.
Diversity as a Strength of Higher Education
The founding of the “Saint Sava” University would also contribute to healthy institutional diversity in Serbian higher education. The existence of different types of universities — state, private, and value- and identity-oriented — can encourage healthy competition and raise the overall quality of education in Serbia. In that sense, the “Saint Sava” University would not be an alternative to the existing system, but its natural and necessary extension.
Attitudes Toward Domestic and Foreign Models
Particularly indicative, and often overlooked, is the social phenomenon that some students from Serbia gladly go to study at Western universities with a clearly defined religious identity, whether Catholic or Protestant. At the same time, in the domestic public sphere there is often resistance to the idea of founding an Orthodox university in Serbia itself. This inconsistency points to a deeper cultural and ideological problem in which foreign models are automatically perceived as more legitimate and more “normal” than domestic ones, even though they are structurally very similar.
The Outcome Will Depend on Implementation
The final outcome of this project does not depend on the idea itself, but on how it is implemented, even if the idea is justified in principle. The quality of the teaching staff and of the academic programs themselves will be the deciding factors in whether the “Saint Sava” University becomes a significant and influential academic institution or remains only at the level of a “good idea.”
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