University of Belgrade, Serbia / Универзитет у Београду

The University of Belgrade is a public university in Serbia. It is the oldest and largest modern university in Serbia. The Monastery of Hilandar in Mount Athos holds the distinction of being the first Serbian University, the cornerstone of the educational, religious and cultural life of Serbian people since 1198.

Founded in 1808 as the Belgrade Higher School in revolutionary Serbia, by 1838 it merged[citation needed] with the Kragujevac-based departments into a single university. The University has around 97,700 enrolled students and over 4,800 members of academic staff. Since its founding, the University has educated more than 378,000 bachelors, around 25,100 magisters, 29,000 specialists and 14,670 doctors. The University comprises 31 faculties, 12 research institutes, the university library, and 9 university centres. The faculties are organized into 4 groups: social sciences and humanities; medical sciences; natural sciences and mathematics; and technological sciences.

On the prestigious Shanghai Ranking (ARWU), the University of Belgrade ranks between 401st and 500th place, according to the most recent (2018) global ranking. In 2014, it ranked 151-200, specifically in the areas of mathematics and physics.

The University of Belgrade was established in 1808 as the Belgrade Higher School (Serbian: Београдска Велика школа, romanized: Beogradska Velika škola; a Grandes écoles) by Dositej Obradović, Serbian key figure in the Age of Enlightenment. It was the highest ranking educational institution in Serbia between 1808 and 1905, as the first Higher School (1808–1813), the Belgrade Lyceum (Serbian: Београдски Лицеј / Beogradski Licej; 1838–1863), and the second Higher School (1863–1905). It was initially located at the Princess Ljubica's Residence building and then moved to another significant site in Belgrade, the Captain Miša’s Mansion, today's seat of the university.

The second Higher School (also known as the Great School or Great Academy of Belgrade) was established as the successor of the Lyceum and was a combination of a classical gymnasium and a college, and as such developed into the University of Belgrade. Under the law, it was defined as a "scientific institute for higher and professional education". The Minister of Education had control over this institution and it was managed by the Rector (elected by the monarch) and Academic Council.

During its early history it had three departments: Philosophy, Engineering and Law. The Higher School formally became the University of Belgrade through the Law on the University from February 27, 1905. In addition to the Philosophy, Law and Electrical Engineering departments, this law introduced the Orthodox Theology and Medical schools.

In the early 19th century, the studies of law lasted three years and the curriculum included comparative and state (constitutional) law, international law, criminal law and judicial procedure, as well as general subjects. This is how the modern legal education in Serbia emerged in the year 1808. Before enrolling the legal department, it was compulsory to graduate at the philosophy department where the studies lasted two years, so the legal studies lasted a total of five years. Since 1853, the legal education became independent from the studies of philosophy and from 1863 the legal education in Serbia lasted four years.

The lectures were held by well-known professors who had earned their diplomas in Austria, Germany and France (Jovan Sterija Popović, Josif Pančić, Đura Daničić, and others).

During the 1850s, the Philosophy (General) Department developed into a particular college. The University of Belgrade's Faculty of Philosophy is today's continuation of this department.

The first academic lecture on electrical engineering in Serbia was held in 1894. Professor Stevan Marković was the first lecturer and founder of the Engineering Department at the Higher School. Only four years later, Professor Marković also established the first Serbian electrical engineering laboratory. Since then, this academic discipline has been studied at the Higher School and the University of Belgrade. The first diplomas in this field were given in 1922.

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