Academic MASS

Support to my colleague Biljana Aranđelović from the Faculty of Architecture in Niš

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MASA supports her colleague Biljana Aranđelović from the Faculty of Civil Engineering and Architecture in Niš in her efforts to be elected to a higher position, as she has been meeting the legal requirements for such an election since 2014. She has been employed at the Faculty since 2009. as an assistant professor in the courses Art and Architecture, Contemporary Architecture and Architecture of Serbia of the 20th Century, which belong to the field of social and humanistic sciences.

Even though before 2014, she fulfilled the legal requirements for being elected to the title of associate professor - published a monograph for an influential international publishing house (Springer International Publishing) and works in the most prestigious world magazines in the field of history of architecture and art - she was again elected as an assistant professor. Five years after that, she also met the requirements for a full professor, and yet in 2019, she was chosen as an assistant professor for the third time.

In the official announcement of the decision-making body at the University of Nis, it is stated that colleague Aranđelović cannot advance in her career, because she does not have works on the SCI list, which includes scientific journals from natural and technical-technological sciences. Why is candidate Aranđelović required to submit articles from technical and technological sciences journals when she has been teaching subjects in the field of social and humanities for ten years, and she applied for a competition in the narrower scientific field of history of architecture and art, which belongs to the social and humanities? This interpretation of the conditions of the competition led to the discrimination of the candidate, for whom the university bodies set conditions that she could not fulfill. Unfortunately, it also led to the degradation of the professional reputation of colleague Aranđelović. The prohibition of discrimination during career advancement is an integral part of the Code of Professional Ethics of the University of Niš. We hope that this misunderstanding will be resolved quickly and that colleague Aranđelović will advance to a university title that faithfully maintains her academic qualities.

Mass Coordinating Committee

Belgrade, 23.12.2019.

Academic MASS

MASA demands the dismissal of Zukorlić

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It is worrying with how much vindictiveness, contempt and anger was spoken in the National Assembly of Serbia these days about one of the most important and respected scientific and educational institutions of our society and their representatives. Instead of the highest legislative body in the Republic of Serbia debating the dismissal of one of the representatives of the executive power, whom the University of Belgrade recently condemned for plagiarizing his doctoral thesis and initiated the procedure for its annulment, we are witnessing that for the umpteenth time the culprits are declared victims and that an important and sensitive process is turning into a farce. One gets the impression that individual MPs are behaving like angry fans at a football match who, enraged because the referee sent off one of their players, would now prefer to rush onto the field and take justice into their own hands.

It is particularly worrying that the president of the Parliamentary Committee for Education, Science, Technological Development and Information Society participates in this, who called the decision of the Committee for Professional Ethics of the University of Belgrade a "rebellious action at the University" and called on the parliamentary majority to deal with the University with the words "or they will you or you will them". As this is not about a football match or angry fans, but about the most important institutions of this society, we demand from the President of the Assembly of the Republic of Serbia to condemn the statements of certain members of parliament and, due to the threats made against the University of Belgrade, to initiate the emergency procedure for the dismissal of Muamer Zukorlić from the position of chairman of the parliamentary committee for education.

Otherwise, we will be forced to inform the representatives of all relevant international organizations about the open threats and intimidation to which academic institutions and their employees in Serbia are increasingly exposed and invite colleagues and other interested parties to join our request. We remind you that the highest institutions of government must be the guarantor of the university's autonomy, and not instruments for controlling and disciplining the university and its employees.

Academic MASS

MASA welcomes the decision of the Committee for Professional Ethics of the University of Belgrade

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MASA welcomes decision of the Committee for Professional Ethics of the University of Belgrade which established non-academic behavior, i.e. plagiarism, of the current Minister of Finance of the Republic of Serbia, Siniša Malog, during the preparation of his doctoral dissertation. 

This has not yet put an end to the affair that seriously shook the credibility and integrity of the University of Belgrade, but it has set a clear framework for the further struggle against the collapse of its autonomy and dignity. In accordance with the mentioned Decision, we expect a quick reaction of the Senate of the University. We believe that this Decision will contribute to other joint efforts to stop non-compliance with the rules, procedures and ethical standards that are the basic guarantors of the institutional independence of our academic institutions. 

Academic MASS

MPNTR's response regarding the open letter from Masa

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The Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development sent a response to open letter from Mass on the occasion of the "Third call for talented young researchers - students of doctoral academic studies for inclusion in scientific research work in accredited scientific research organizations".

You can download the answer at the following LINK.

The Network of Academic Solidarity and Engagement requested the reformulation of two conditions of this call:

1. That the right to submit an application belongs to young researchers who are enrolled in the first year of doctoral academic studies for the academic year 2019/2020;
2. That he is at most 30 years old or that he was born in 1989 or earlier.

Thus, young researchers who are full-time doctoral students or who have defended their doctorate within the last seven years, in accordance with good European practices, have the right to submit an application.

Academic MASS

Open letter on the occasion of the Third Call for Young Researchers

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On the occasion of the "Third call for talented young researchers - students of doctoral academic studies for involvement in scientific research work in accredited scientific research organizations (hereinafter referred to as NIO)", published on November 6, 2019, the Network of Academic Solidarity and Engagement requests the reformulation of two conditions of this call:

1. That the right to submit an application belongs to young researchers who are enrolled in the first year of doctoral academic studies for the academic year 2019/2020;
2. That he is at most 30 years old or that he was born in 1989 or earlier.

Thus, young researchers who are full-time doctoral students or who have defended their doctorate within the last seven years, in accordance with good European practices, have the right to submit an application.

The criteria for determining the scope of this term should not include age, as this is contrary to anti-discrimination laws, but the level of education and academic career development. We draw attention to the fact that there are no obstacles in the current Law on Science and Research to define the term "young researcher" in such a non-discriminatory manner. The ranking of the candidates should then reflect the achievements not only based on the grade from the studies, but also other relevant outcomes of scientific research work (published works, presentations at conferences, participation in scientific projects).

You can find it in the attachment LETTER of Mass with explanation addressed to the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development.

Academic MASS

Announcement regarding the inquiry of the students of the University of Belgrade

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The entire academic community in Serbia, as well as the general public, expected the Committee for Professional Ethics of the University of Belgrade to make a decision on the validity of Sinisa Malog's doctorate on November 4, 2019.

This date is fixed by agreement of 24.09.2019. between the administration of the University of Belgrade and the students who blocked the Rector's office, demanding that the issue of the disputed doctorate of Sinisa Malog, which has been threatening the reputation of the University of Belgrade for more than five years, be finally resolved.

Extension of the deadline for the final decision until November 22, 2019. it's an unpleasant surprise.
Rector of the University of Belgrade, prof. Ph.D. Ivanka Popović explained that, due to an oversight in the interpretation of the regulations, and considering the newly created circumstances after the decision of the Faculty of Organizational Sciences, it is necessary to extend the deadline in order to comply with the appeal procedure of 15 days.

The omission in the interpretation of regulations is big and unpleasant both for the academic community and for the general public. However, we are of the opinion that this was not the result of the intention, because delaying the resolution of this issue cannot bring any benefit to the academic community. On the contrary!

We fully understand the dissatisfaction of students due to these circumstances. We also understand, and we're sure the students do, that the delay is really necessary for procedural reasons. If the appeal deadline is not met, we would provide an opportunity to have the Professional Ethics Board's decision overturned in court.

In other words, we are ready to wait, together with the students, for the final decision to be made within valid academic and legal frameworks. In the meantime, the teachers and researchers of the University of Belgrade will also file appeals against the FON's decision regarding Sinisa Malog's doctorate.

We express our belief that, based on the unequivocal, and publicly presented, evidence of plagiarism in Sinisa Malog's doctorate, the Committee for Professional Ethics of the University of Belgrade will make the correct decision on November 22.

We, the teachers and researchers of the University of Belgrade, stand by our students and will support any student initiative that will protect the academic integrity, reputation and autonomy of our university. The university, made up of teachers, researchers and students, represents the intellectual force on which the foundations of modern society rest. We will not allow these values to collapse.

Initiative University support #1 of 5 million
Network of Academic Solidarity and Engagement - MASA

Academic MASS

Petition in support of preserving the autonomy of the Orthodox Theological Faculty of the University of Belgrade

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Mreža akademske solidarnosti i angažovanosti poziva koleginice i kolege sa univerziteta u Srbiji i ostale zainteresovane, da potpišu peticiju kojom se od nadležnog ministarstva i uprave Univerziteta u Beogradu traži da stanu u zaštitu autonomije Pravoslavnog bogoslovskog fakulteta (PBF), kao punopravne članice Univerziteta. Ukazujemo da je Sinod SPC sledećim postupcima grubo prekršio i nastavlja da krši prava nastavnika i autonomiju PBF, a time i autonomiju Univerziteta u Beogradu.

1. Sinod Srpske pravoslavne crkve je mimo svih zakonskih ovlašćenja naložio dekanu Pravoslavnog bogoslovskog fakulteta Univerziteta u Beogradu da oduzme pravo dvojici nastavnika ovog fakulteta da na njemu predaju. Episkop Maksim Vasiljević, redovni profesor i docent Marko Vilotić lažno su optuženi da krše Statut Univerziteta u Beogradu.

2. Sinod zloupotrebljava institut običajnog davanja saglasnosti za izbor u nastavnička zvanja predviđen članom 95. Statuta PBF, te proizvoljno tumači i povlači odobrenje nastavnicima, čime narušava radna prava i autonomiju nastavnika koji predaju na Univerzitetu u Beogradu. Nakon odbijanja dekana PBF Ignatija Midića da otpusti pomenute kolege, Sinod je izvršio pritisak na Nastavno naučno veće PBF da pokrene proceduru za smenu dekana. Sednica NNV je zakazana za 12. novembar.

3. Sinod se direktno meša u unutrašnja pitanja fakulteta i univerziteta imenovanjem svojih predstavnika kao „posmatrača i izaslanika na sednicama fakultetskih tela, a među njima i Saveta Fakulteta“, protivno Zakonu o visokom obrazovanju, Statutu Univerziteta i Statutu PBF.

4. Pritisci na kolege sa PBF traju još od istupa grupe od 12 nastavnika i saradnika koji su zajednički potpisanim Stavom ustali protiv Peticije za reviziju izučavanja teorije evolucije u obrazovnom sistemu R. Srbije. Patrijarh Irinej je 20. maja 2017. uputio dekret, koji nikada nije povučen, kojim zabranjuje javne nastupe svim nastavnicima, saradnicima i zaposlenima na PBF bez njegovog prethodnog odobrenja.

Apelujemo na Univerzitet u Beogradu i Ministarstvo prosvete, nauke i tehnološkog razvoja da spreče dalje proganjanje nastavnika i dekana ovog fakulteta. Takođe, tražimo da se rad PBF vrati u okvire regulisane Statutom Univerziteta i Zakonom o visokom obrazovanju i da se iz Statuta PBF ukloni odredba o davanju saglasnosti Sinoda SPC predavačima na fakultetu, koja se koristi za unutar-crkvene obračune kojima ne sme biti mesto unutar Univerziteta.

Peticiju možete potpisati na the following LINK.

Academic MASS

First Assembly of Mass 5.11.

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The Mass Assembly will be held on Tuesday, November 5 at 4 p.m. The venue is the House of Culture (Krsmanović House), Terazije 34.

In order for the operation of the Mass to be based on democratic foundations and with the inclusion of as wide a circle of academic workers as possible, we invite you to get involved and contribute to the work of the network. In this way, we intend to lay the foundation for the mass's systemic action, which will not only be reactive but also proactive in creating an academic environment. In order to build the capacities of the Mass, it is necessary that all those who have the desire and ambition to improve the academic environment and conditions for their own work actively participate in its work.

At the assembly itself, the steps taken so far to provide capacities for the work of the Mass and support for academic workers will be presented. After the assembly, we will develop concrete action plans for each of the areas together with those who join and start implementing them. The problems we face within the academy are numerous and it is extremely important that as many colleagues as possible attend the assembly.

On the following links you can find:
1. Mass Statute, with principles, goals and planned activities.
2. Mass action plan, that is, the structure of the network that will be the basis for work in the next year.

Academic MASS

The Emperor's New Suit: The Dishonest Plagiarism of Sinisha the Small

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The expert commission formed by the Teaching and Scientific Council of the Faculty of Organizational Sciences remained deaf to the remarks sent to them by the professors of Belgrade University through the Committee for Professional Ethics and blind to the obvious - that the doctorate of candidate Sinisa Mali is plagiarized. In a short, biased and imprecisely composed answer signed by three of the four members of the expert committee, which informally reached the public, it is stated that, when "weighing the number and importance of the virtues and flaws of the doctorate, the Committee firmly stands on the point of view that there are not enough reason to deprive the candidate of the acquired title of Doctor of Science".

The approach of the deadline for the statement of the Faculty of Organizational Sciences on the opinion of the expert committee (October 26, 2019) and the deadline for the statement of the Committee for Professional Ethics of the University of Belgrade (November 4, 2019) inevitably raises two important questions. Who will defend the honor and reputation of the University of Belgrade and who will bear the responsibility for the consequences of a possible wrong decision?

We see from the media that the price for defending the dignity of the profession is paid by colleagues who did not want to close their eyes to the obvious or to hide behind procedures and suitable "expert" opinions. MASA calls on the academic community to demonstrate in this case as well that it can shoulder the burden of making an honorable decision in solidarity. We appeal to the management and teachers of the Faculty of Organizational Sciences to be guided by the common need to collectively protect the honor and reputation of the University of Belgrade and to reject the decision of the expert committee accordingly. We believe that the blanket rejection of objections in order to wash away the dishonesty of the minister will not have consequences for the signatories of the expert commission's response or their universities, but will have long-term negative consequences precisely for the University of Belgrade.

The history of Sinisa Malo's doctorate is irresistibly reminiscent of the story of the emperor's new suit, no one wants to be the one to announce that the emperor is naked. We believe that colleagues from the Faculty of Organizational Sciences will reject the description of the emperor's suit given in the opinion of the expert committee and say what everyone has seen for a long time: this doctorate is PLAGIARISM.

Academic MASS

Narrowing the space for critical thinking and action - conversations with Judith Butler

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The Network of Academic Solidarity and Engagement in cooperation with the Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory organizes a panel discussion whose goal is to open the issues of autonomy and freedom of thought, with a focus on the university, which should be the cradle of social criticism.

We are witnessing that demands for freedom of expression, more democracy and more justice are increasingly being censored and interpreted as calls for rebellion. Support for change is interpreted as the voice of a notorious elite that does not understand or undermines the aspirations of the "ordinary" man. This kind of censorship is not only a specialty of our societies. Trump even openly calls professional media where supporters of critical thinking are enemies of the people.

When the state does not protect either autonomy or freedom of thought, when unconditional obedience becomes a principle of state organization, then the university must become that place, a beacon and a fortress within the state itself that protects both freedom of thought and the right to criticize. Otherwise, thinking becomes dangerous. Censorship is essentially violent, because the consequences of censorship - as shown by numerous cases from different parts of the world - can be threats of violence or actual violence, surveillance, censorship of publications, mock trials, defamation, expulsion from the workplace, expulsion from the country and finally, even death.

How can we explain the fact that the space for public speaking is expanding, because there are more and more platforms and opportunities for communication, while at the same time the space for critical thinking is narrowing? Is the cacophony actually suffocating him? Does the growing populism that recognizes in criticism a "rotten elitism" that is essentially always hostile to "the people" contribute to the stifling of critical thinking? What are the spaces for critical engagement in the West that dissolve right-wing populism? How to identify those areas in Eastern Europe where authoritarian right-wing populists managed to collapse institutions and narrow the space for action in already weak societies? Has the deliberative collapse of the authority of knowledge irreversibly opened the door to the decline of the university as an institution that produces critical thinking? How do universities resist censorship and what to do when the pressure becomes unbearable?

The event was supported by the Heinrich Böll Foundation in Belgrade and Dom omladine Belgrade.

Participants:

Judith Butler, University of Berkeley, California
Ivan Vejvoda, Institute for Humanistic Studies, Vienna
Athena Athanasiou, Pantheon University, Athens
Sanja Bojanić, Center for Advanced Judges of Southeast Europe, University of Rijeka
Elena Tzelepis, Center for Advanced Studies, Sofia
Adriana Zaharijević, Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory, University of Belgrade