Drama on the proposals of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija on changing the status of the University of Pristina (North Mitrovica), that is, a merger of individual faculties within the University, what would make the University of Pristina (Serbian) a so-called integrated university, was partially completed yesterday.
Director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija met yesterday with the representatives of the Council of the University of Pristina based in North Mitrovica. All the concerns were resolved, regarding the continuation of the work of the University, as announced after the meeting.
Rector of the University of Pristina, Srecko Milacic says that he is pleased that all disputes are resolved around the letter sent by the Office for Kosovo and Metohija to the Ministry of Education and it has been agreed to work uniquely in the future.
Exclusively academic community, its professors, students and all those who make up the university will decide about the fate of the University of Pristina with the support of whole of Serbia, said Marko Djuric, Director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija.
However, when asked whether the letter has been withdrawn, sent to the Office of the Serbian Ministry of Education to integrate the University of Pristina on the model of the University of Europe, a concrete answer has not been received.
Milan Savic, President of the Student Parliament, expressed the view that they do not accept any changes to the statutes of the university and that the student parliament, as always, was in the service of the people, primarily students.
Otherwise, the model of the integrated University, as proposed by the letter, centralizes the management of the institution, which is governed by the Rector instead of individual deans. This way of administration has the University of Novi Pazar.
President of the Serbian National Council of North Mitrovica believes that such an initiative would set the abolishment of all the institutions of Serbia on the territory of Kosovo.
University of Pristina was founded in 1969. After the 1999 bombing, the University of Pristina has moved temporarily to Krusevac. At the end of 2001, the seat of the University of Pristina was relocated to Northern Mitrovica, where it is today. Within the University there are ten faculties, with enrolled about 12,000 students.
