On the occasion of Student Day, commemorated in memory of Žarko Marinović and the struggle for students’ dignity and rights, the Centre for Civic Education (CCE) highlights that the position of the student population in Montenegro reflects a deeper crisis within the higher education system, as well as a lack of focus on strategic development.
Although the new Law on Higher Education, introduced at the end of 2025, was presented as a step forward, an important opportunity for the democratization of the University of Montenegro (UoM) was missed, while in many aspects its effective implementation remains limited.
CCE recently supported the request of students from the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics at UoM, who are seeking the issuance of postgraduate specialist diplomas in accordance with the new Law on Higher Education, emphasizing that they are not asking for privileges but merely for the consistent application of the law. CCE recalls that these are so-called “legacy students” enrolled under the 3+2 model, who have completed at least 60 ECTS out of the total 120 ECTS required at the master’s level. Their qualifications are in high demand on the labour market, yet they remain restricted by the university.
Furthermore, students of applied psychology at the University of Donja Gorica (UDG) have, through no fault of their own, found themselves in a legal and institutional vacuum. Despite having completed accredited study programmes approved and recognised by the state within the higher education system, they are prevented from obtaining licences and working as psychologists. At the same time, relevant institutions send contradictory signals – while the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation recognises their diplomas and accredits the programmes, other bodies effectively dispute their professional validity. Such a contradiction has serious consequences: some psychologists face job loss, while many have already been excluded from the labour market despite holding formally recognised qualifications. Additionally, they are denied the opportunity to participate in the work of the professional chamber, thus blocking a key pathway to professional development and recognition.
These examples illustrate some of the challenges students face – challenges that are existential in nature, but also indicators of broader institutional neglect. Instead of formally acquired education ensuring the right to work within one’s profession, it is bureaucratically restricted, directly undermining students’ trust in the education system and institutions. This further deepens the gap between acquired qualifications and real opportunities on the labour market, rendering higher education an unreliable foundation for a professional future.
Findings from the Youth Study conducted by CCE and the Friedrich Ebert Foundation confirm the scale of the problem: nearly two-fifths of young people are dissatisfied with the quality of education, while as many as 55% believe that grades can be “bought”. At the same time, 45.8% of young people express a desire to leave Montenegro, most often due to limited career opportunities.
CCE reminds that students are neither statistics nor political décor, but a key resource of society. Ignoring their problems directly undermines Montenegro’s development potential.
Therefore, Student Day must be more than a symbolic observance. It should serve as a reminder of the responsibility of institutions to ensure a fair and functional education system aligned with labour market needs.Otherwise, the dissatisfaction present today may evolve into profound and long-term distrust. The legacy of Žarko Marinović obliges us to ensure that the struggle for students’ rights leads to concrete and meaningful change.
Milica Borozan, Project Assistant