24.02.2026.
Minister Gašić attends ceremony marking Defence University Day
Minister of Defence Bratislav Gašić attended today a formal ceremony marking Defence University Day held at the lecture theatre of the Field Marshal Radomir Putnik National Defence School in Belgrade.
The ceremony was also attended by the Minister of Science, Technological Development and Innovation, Academician Bela Balint.The Rector of the Defence University, Brigadier General Prof. Boban Đorović, Ph.D., presented Minister Gašić with the Defence University Plaque as a token of gratitude for his overall contribution to military education and its development.
In his address, Minister Gašić noted that the Defence University is an institution that continues the tradition of Serbian military education spanning nearly two centuries.
- Serbian military education set high academic and professional standards as early as in the 19th century, forming the foundation for its continuous development to the present day. It is precisely upon these values that the Defence University, a central institution of military education in the Republic of Serbia, is founded. In a time of profound geopolitical change and rapid technological advancement, the defence of the country does not begin at the border, but in the classroom. It is here, at the Defence University, that knowledge is shaped into strength, discipline matures into responsibility, and character becomes the backbone of the armed forces – the Minister of Defence emphasised.He noted that the advancement of military education is a strategic priority for the Ministry of Defence and that the adoption of the new Law on Military Education has enabled this institution to address the challenges of our time even more effectively – “to preserve the specific nature of military sciences, to safeguard experience and tradition, but also to open up to contemporary knowledge and technologies.”
- Over the past period, the Defence University has demonstrated its ability to follow the needs of the Serbian Armed Forces responsibly and efficiently by adapting its study programmes to new weapons systems and equipment and by developing research projects that are significant for the defence system. In doing so, the Defence University has confirmed that military virtues – discipline, precision, and task commitment – are not only integral to military formation but also to academic work. That is why this institution is held in high regard not only in Serbia, but internationally, which is reflected in the trust placed in it by numerous countries that send members of their armed forces to pursue education and professional development at the Defence University. The prudent international policy pursued by our President and Supreme Commander of the Serbian Armed Forces, Aleksandar Vučić – the policy of military neutrality and principled positions in this regard, lays a solid foundation for the education of officers from different parts of the world, Minister Gašić stated, adding that, at a time of major strategic and geopolitical challenges and changes, the Defence University is “a stage for significant exchanges of knowledge and experience, but also for developing and strengthening understanding, cooperation, and friendship among officers, armed forces, and nations”.The Minister of Defence also expressed his satisfaction with the attention the Defence University devotes to the youngest members of the defence system - cadets, their talents, and their overall development.
- At your initiative, we have adopted amendments to the Decision on increasing financial compensation for those who fulfil their duties responsibly, and particularly to those who achieve excellent and outstanding results during their studies. In this way, we show that we care about their position and status – said Minister Gašić, adding that investment in the development of military education and the strengthening of educational capacities will continue in the coming period, because knowledge is one of the key prerequisites for victory on the battlefield. He noted that the Defence University is expected to provide full support to the newly appointed Commandant of the Military Academy in the “further development and advancement of education and in shaping officers who are the future and the backbone of the defence of the Republic of Serbia”.
Addressing the members of the Defence University, Minister Gašić noted that behind them lies a tradition of nearly two hundred years of Serbian military education, a road paved with knowledge, effort, and curiosity, but also with the sweat, blood, and courage of Serbian officers who were also professors and scientists.
- Ahead of you are new technologies, new security challenges, and new circumstances that demand even greater expertise and determination. Ahead of you is a goal – to ensure that officers, in the decades to come, are a source of pride and pillar of Serbia, just as they have been in the most sublime moments of our military history. May wisdom, success, and good fortune accompany you on this unwavering march toward that goal. I wish you a happy Defence University Day - said the Minister of Defence.The Rector of the Defence University, Brigadier General Boban Đorović, highlighted the specific nature and significance of this institution, reflecting on its work and accomplishments over the past year, which was marked by a strong emphasis on science.
- The Defence University is a unique institution in the Republic of Serbia, established with the specific mission of developing, through a synthesis of military education and scientific research, capabilities of training cadets to become officers, providing continuous education and professional development for Serbian Armed Forces officers, and advancing a scientific approach to phenomena that are crucial for the defence of the Republic of Serbia. By fulfilling this mission, indeed, living it every day, in dormitories, lecture halls, classrooms, laboratories, and libraries, as well as on training grounds, shooting ranges, and sports fields, the Defence University has promoted the power of knowledge, a culture of quality, and the values outlined in the Code of Honour of the Serbian Armed Forces - Brigadier General Đorović stated.At today’s ceremony, Rector Đorović presented diplomas to those who over the past year earned their PhD degrees at higher education institutions within the Defence University, as well as awards to outstanding individuals and institutions of the Ministry of Defence and the Republic of Serbia.
The ceremony was attended by members of the collegiums of the Minister of Defence and the Chief of the Serbian Armed Forces General Staff, representatives of scientific and educational institutions, along with numerous distinguished guests.
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