Alternative Academic Educational Network (AAEN)

Masarikova 5,
11000 Beograd

phone/fax: (381 11) 36 13 112, 683 712
e-mail: aaen@EUnet.yu
WWW: www.aaen.edu.yu

Contact: Srbijanka Turajlic, Zagorka Golubovic

Alternative Academic Educational Network is nongovernmental organization founded in Jun 1998. Network is independent, nonprofit educational organization based on voluntary entered students. It was established as the reaction on the new Law on University, which restricted autonomy of the University and limited scientific work and education.

Network has been working through organizing regular classes, seminars, workshops and mentors work. In February 1999, the Network started with realization of 5 programs through 40 courses with 273 students. The lecturers, among others, were mostly the professors from the University who lost their jobs when the new Law on University was introduced.

The students body of 273 has attended the lectures during the four weeks of February and March, interrupted on March 24, 1999. These courses were continued in October 1999.

In the meantime, Alternative Academic Educational Network organized open discussions every week including its advanced students as lecturers.

On July 25, 1999 - public announcement for the new programs, 25 having been submitted to the AAEN Board until August 20 programs.

The Board has made the final decision for the following five programs to be executed during following two semesters:

• European Law
• Challenges of Contemporary Theory and Practice of Democracy
• The Culture and Gender Studies - Prospective from the Balkan
• Environment - Challenge for Science, Tehnology and Society
• Public and Local Government, Polititcs and Menagment

The semester was started on January 10, and last for 12 weeks. More than 240 lectures are planned, to be taught more than 100 lecturers. The total number of students attending this semester is 150 ( 30 per program, each attending two courses of his/her choice).

National and international cooperation

Contacts have been initiated with the state universities in Montenegro (Podgorica and Nikšic). AAEN hopes and is willing to establish cooperation with universities in Serbia.

The institutional international cooperation has been maintained with the Central European University - Budapest, and Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales - Paris. Contacts have been established and exchange of lecturers agreed upon with a number of academic institutions.

Member organisation

AAEN is a network of the 15 educational/research NGO organizations active in educational projects such as:

Anglo-Yugoslav Summer School for Democracy
Belgrade Open School
Belgrade Center for Human Rights
Center for Policy Studies
Center for Comparative Literature and Theory
Center for Culture Studies
Center for Advanced Legal Studies
Center for Women Studies
Eco Center
Group 17
Yugoslav Center for Children Rights
Open University - Subotica
PALGO Center
Summer School for Sociology
Uniforum