Why We URGENTLY Need a University Under the Direct Influence of the Serbian Orthodox Church
The Government of the Republic of Serbia recently made a decision to begin cooperation with the Serbian Orthodox Church on the establishment of “Saint Sava” University, opening the way for the creation of a new higher education institution that would connect academic standards with spiritual values.
The idea in a broader historical framework
The establishment of “Saint Sava” University should be viewed within the long and distinguished tradition of the development of higher education in European and world civilization. Higher education institutions were never created as value-empty or neutral spaces, but from the very beginning were shaped by specific cultural, religious, and civilizational patterns.
The oldest universities and religious traditions
Historically speaking, almost all of the oldest and most respected universities in Europe were created in close connection with Christian church institutions and the intellectual traditions that came out of them. Oxford and Cambridge were not only educational institutions, but above all centers of theological and philosophical thought from which the modern sciences later developed. In France, the Sorbonne traces its roots to medieval theological schools. In the United States, Harvard and Yale were founded as institutions with a clearly defined Protestant mission, while Georgetown and the University of Notre Dame represent modern examples of Catholic universities that are both academically relevant and institutionally strong. 
Education and a value framework
These examples clearly point to one basic fact: the connection between education and a religious and value-based framework is not some exception or anomaly, but rather a rule in the historical development of universities across the Western world. For that very reason, the idea of establishing “Saint Sava” University does not represent any precedent or radical turn, but essentially a return to a tested and successful model that has delivered remarkable results over centuries.
Shaping younger generations
In modern conditions, one of the strongest arguments in favor of establishing such a university lies in the role of education in shaping the moral and character profile of younger generations. Research in public health and sociology clearly points to the spread of risky forms of behavior among youth, including the abuse of psychoactive substances, 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 that context, educational institutions that openly combine the transfer of knowledge with clear value norms can act as a strong stabilizing factor in society. They provide not only professional knowledge, but also structure, discipline, a moral compass, and a deep sense of belonging to a community.
National and Orthodox identity
The special and irreplaceable importance of “Saint Sava” University should be reflected in its potential to contribute to the preservation and strengthening of Serbian national and Orthodox religious consciousness. At a time of powerful global cultural currents that often have a destructive effect on national identities, educational institutions represent one of the few systemic mechanisms through which Serbian identity can be continuously and responsibly passed on to future generations. A university that would systematically develop studies of Serbian history, the Serbian language, culture, and Orthodox spirituality would have not only an educational role, but also a deeply national one – the role of a guardian of the cultural and spiritual continuity of the Serbian people.
Academic freedom and the identity framework
In that sense, such a university would at the same time represent an institutional framework that sets clear boundaries for academic thought, preventing the uncontrolled spread of ideas that stand in direct opposition to the vital national interests of the Serbian people. This, of course, does not imply the abolition of academic freedom and critical debate, but rather their direction within a framework that does not call into question the basic pillars of Serbian national and spiritual identity.
Natural sciences and religious identity
At the same time, there is no essential obstacle to the development of natural sciences at the highest level at such a university. The history of science shows that the foundations of modern scientific thought were laid precisely within Christian, including Orthodox, institutions. The key condition for genuine scientific work is not false ideological neutrality, but the strict application of scientific methodology – empirical research, experiment, and verifiable results. Universities such as Notre Dame and Georgetown today have highly developed 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 in higher education
The establishment of “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, “Saint Sava” University would not be an alternative to the existing system, but its natural and necessary expansion.
The attitude toward domestic and foreign models
Particularly telling, and often overlooked, is the social phenomenon that a number of students from Serbia are happy to study at Western universities with a clearly defined religious identity, whether Catholic or Protestant. At the same time, resistance often appears in the domestic public sphere toward the idea of establishing an Orthodox university in their own country. Such an attitude represents an obvious inconsistency, because it accepts the same model in a foreign setting while rejecting it in the Serbian and Orthodox context. This inconsistency points to a deeper cultural and ideological problem in which foreign models are automatically perceived as more legitimate and “normal” than domestic ones, even though they are structurally very similar.
Implementation will be decisive
In the end, it should be clearly said that the final outcome of this project does not depend on the idea itself, which is essentially sound and historically grounded, but on the quality of its implementation. The quality of the teaching staff, accreditation of programs, scientific production, and institutional organization will be the decisive factors in determining whether “Saint Sava” University becomes a significant and influential academic institution or remains at the level of a “good idea.” If it is implemented in accordance with the highest academic standards, this university will have all the prerequisites to become a place where top-level knowledge, strong values, and unwavering Serbian national and Orthodox identity come together at the highest level – which represents one of the highest and most honorable goals of education in the broadest sense.
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