In the Serbian higher education system, academic staff fall into one of the three following categories:
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teaching staff
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researchers
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associates
Teaching staff include: lecturers, senior lecturers, professors of applied studies, assistant professors, associate professors and full professors. Teachers with the title of lecturer, senior lecturer, or professor of applied studies can only teach in applied studies, while assistant professors, associate professors, and full professors can teach in all types of studies.
Researchers are primarily involved in scientific research and they can teach at the master and doctoral level.
Associates include assistants, teaching assistants and assistants with doctoral degrees.
Planning Policy
The Strategy for the Development of Education in the Republic of Serbia 2030 defines a specific goal related to the quality of higher education: “Improving the quality of the offer, human resources and outcomes of higher education”.
Three relevant measures have been established to achieve this goal:
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Developing a framework for monitoring and evaluating the quality of higher education and applying the results in policymaking.
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Developing and implementing a financing model that incentivises quality, efficiency and student success in higher education.
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Developing, establishing and implementing comprehensive processes and procedures for improving human resources in higher education.
Within each measure, a set of actions has also been described. The most relevant actions related to academic staff have been specified under the third measure, including:
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Developing a framework for teaching competencies in higher education.
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Improving the concept of the continuous professional development system for teaching, administrative and technical staff at higher education institutions.
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Determining quantitative and qualitative indicators for assessing the effects of the professional development of academic staff.
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Developing and adopting regulations on the professional development of academic staff.
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Providing financial resources for distance learning programmes and professional development of academic staff abroad.
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Creating a strategic framework to prevent the brain drain of academic staff.
Entry to the Profession
The recruitment of new teachers is carried out through an open procedure by the higher education institution (college of applied studies or university), based on a proposal from its faculty. Each higher education institution determines its recruitment policy and specific requirements in accordance with the recommendations of the National Education Council. General requirements for employing a teacher or an associate include: no prior convictions for sexual harassment or abuse, falsification of public documents issued by a higher education institution or bribery within higher education structures.
An appropriate education degree documented scientific work and ability to perform teaching activities. Degree requirements for specific titles are:
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Teaching assistant: Bachelor’s degree with a high grade point average;
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Lecturer: Master’s degree or specialisation;
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Assistant: PhD students in good standing with strong teaching skills;
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Assistant with a doctoral degree: PhD;
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Professor of Applied Studies: PhD;
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Assistant Professor: PhD and published scientific papers;
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Associate Professor: PhD and published scientific papers or other publications of considerable scientific relevance;
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Full Professor: PhD and an extensive amount of published scientific papers or other publications of considerable scientific relevance in their field of expertise, alongside other contributions to science and the quality of higher education.
Distinguished results in the following evaluations by higher education institutions (when applicable):
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Evaluation of scientific/research/artistic work;
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Evaluation of contribution to teaching quality and other educational processes;
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Evaluation of pedagogical work. Students’ opinions may be taken into account when evaluating teachers’ previous pedagogical performance.
Visiting professors from foreign higher education institutions may be employed without undergoing a recruitment procedure.
Professional Status
Higher education teachers and associates are mostly employed on a full-time basis. However, employment duration may vary by title.
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Teaching Assistant: fixed-term employment for one year, extendable twice for one year, until the end of the academic year in which studies are completed.
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Assistant: fixed-term employment for three years, extendable twice for three years.
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Assistant with a Doctoral Degree: fixed-term employment for three years, with a possible three-year extension.
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Lecturer, Senior Lecturer, Assistant Professor and Associate Professor: fixed-term employment for five years.
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Professor of Applied Studies and Full Professor: permanent position.
According to the Open Data of the Ministry of Education, in 2024 in Serbia, there were 23,671 academic staff, of whom 14,977 were teaching staff. 89.2% of the total number of staff work in public higher education institutions. The data show that 49.7% of academic staff have permanent contracts. Academic staff members must adhere to the professional code of ethics which is usually issued by their respective higher education institutions.
Salaries
The remuneration policy at state higher education institutions is defined by the following legislation:
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Regulation on Working Condition Norms and Standards for State-Financed Universities and Faculties.
The Regulation on Working Condition Norms and Standards for State-Financed Universities and Faculties determines funding criteria and levels for HEIs, as well as salary scales for their staff.
This Regulation defines norms and coefficients related to the complexity of work which provide the basis for state budget allocations. However, salaries can vary significantly across faculties and colleges as HEIs have additional revenues, which they may use for salaries.
According to the Law on Employees in Public Services, certain higher education staff are entitled to an increased salary because of their managerial positions:
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Rector – 40% of the basic salary;
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Vice-Rector, Dean – 30% of the basic salary;
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Director/Head of Institute, Vice-Dean – 20% of the basic salary;
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Head of Department, Head of Studies – 10% of the basic salary.
Working Hours and Holidays
The Special Collective Agreement for Employees in Higher Education – a general legal framework for all HEIs in Serbia in line with the Labour Law – defines the following: working hours (full-time work – 40 hours per week; part-time work – less than 40 hours per week; overtime work), sabbaticals, vacations, paid and unpaid leave etc.
HEIs are free to organise working hours of their staff within the abovementioned general legal boundaries.
All other specifics are determined by employment contracts and class schedules issued by higher education institutions. HEIs determine the structure and schedules of teachers’ annual and weekly obligations. Staff members are entitled to a minimum of 20 vacation days per year, taken during collective holidays and breaks in line with the academic calendar.
In addition, paid leave is available for professional development, conferences, illness, maternity leave or other circumstances, as defined by each institution.
Promotion and Advancement
The Law on Higher Education defines criteria for career advancement for each staff category based on scientific achievements (e.g. defended PhD thesis, number of national and international conferences, number of published papers). Career advancement involves gradual progression from lower to higher professional titles (i.e. from assistant to full professor). It concerns all staff categories except full professors and is based on the following:
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supervisor reports on teaching,
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scientific work and
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student evaluations.
A formal recruitment process is required for a higher title, which brings a salary increase, as in other cases of teacher promotion (e.g. becoming Head of Department, Dean, a committee member etc.). Furthermore, each year of work experience leads to a salary increase and more annual leave days, as specified by the Labour Law.
The Professor Emeritus title may be awarded to retired professors for their distinguished scientific work and contribution to higher education. Professors Emeritus may be involved in teaching at the second- and third-degree levels of study. However, a very small percentage of professors can receive this distinction.
Retirement and Pensions
According to the Law on Higher Education, all teaching staff may retire at the age of 65 with at least 15 years of work experience. Associate and full professors have the right to extend their employment for up to two years, with the possibility of additional extension, but no later than the end of the academic year in which they reach 70.
Teachers who meet the retirement conditions can extend their employment if they have at least 20 years of work experience in higher education and if, after obtaining the title of full professor, they have continued achieving significant results in scientific or artistic work and in engaging young people at the higher education institution in research and/or teaching activities (which are required for promotion to the rank of full professor). Additionally, these teachers can still mentor master’s and doctoral students or be committee members in the process of developing and defending final theses or dissertations, for up to two years upon retirement.
After retirement, teachers keep their respective titles.
General conditions regarding pensions and retirement are determined by the Law on Pension and Disability Insurance.