BACKGROUND
The Serbian Educational Alliance (SEA) began in January 2020 and connects The Ohio State University and the University of Belgrade in an academic partnership focused on research and scholarly exchange with the goal of strengthening the existing ties between Ohio and Serbia. This partnership is primarily composed of OSU’s Center for Slavic, East European and Eurasian Studies and University of Belgrade’s Faculty of Political Science and Centre for Studies of the United States of America.
The SEA funds research collaborations, educational experiences, guest lectures, and faculty trips between OSU and University of Belgrade.
Funding for SEA comes from a University Partnership grant through the U.S. Department of State and is coordinated with the American Embassy Belgrade.
ONGOING PROGRAMS
VIRTUAL LECTURES AND CLASSROOM EXCHANGES
To facilitate academic linkages of U.S. and Serbian faculty and students and to exchange ideas and perspectives, the SEA connects through virtual or in-classroom lectures. Experts from both OSU and University of Belgrade hold lectures and webinars throughout the academic year.
The Spring Political Science Lecture Series launched in spring 2021 with its first series featuring lectures by three Ohio State political science experts selected by University of Belgrade’s Faculty of Political Science. The inaugural series was held virtually and attended by over 300 students, faculty, and researchers in Serbia and beyond.
The SEA organizes virtual guest lectures between OSU and Belgrade faculty members and their classes. Past guest lectures have covered topics from music to law with audiences ranging from undergraduate first-years to graduate students. If you believe your class may benefit from a guest lecturer from University of Belgrade, contact Emma Pratt (pratt.124@osu.edu) for more information.
PEDAGOGY PROGRAMS
Pedagogy programs between the U.S. and Serbia facilitate an exchange in critical thinking, teaching methods, and higher education standards in the U.S. and Europe.
The Course Design Institute run by Ohio State University’s (OSU) Drake Institute of Teaching and Learning is a six-week program where participants design a course by using a backward design approach. This approach focuses on goals and outcomes of the course, as well as why these goals and outcomes are important to both the students and the instructor. The program provides updated pedagogical practices that focus more on critical thinking and engaging students. Small cohorts from Belgrade’s Faculty of Political Science began participating in the Course Design Institute in January 2021.
RESEARCH PROJECTS
The SEA works to enhance research collaborations between University of Belgrade and OSU faculty in order to increase and strengthen partnerships between American and Serbian academics, as well as to contribute to national and international research endeavors across varied fields.
The SEA sponsored a research project in September 2020 studying perceptions of democracy and foreign policy in Serbia following their 2020 parliamentary election. The findings of the research were presented in a webinar in May of 2021.
In April of 2022, two SEA affiliated faculty members, Dr. Jennifer Mitzen (OSU) and Dr. Filip Ejdus (University of Belgrade) facilitated a symposium titled "What States Do, Who States Are: Routines, Foreign Policy, and International Politics". The symposium featured international relations experts from Serbia, Germany, and across the United States, as well as OSU graduate and PhD students, faculty, and staff to listen and contribute to groundbreaking discussions. SEA provided funding and logistical support for this symposium and you can read the overview of the event.
If you have questions or would like to get involved with the Serbian Educational Alliance, contact Emma Pratt (pratt.124@osu.edu).