AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE HOLY SEE AND SERBIA

Vatican City, 27 June 2014 (VIS) – Today in Belgrade a framework Agreement was signed between the Holy See and the Republic of Serbia on collaboration in higher education, which confirms the principles and defines the arrangement of duties between both parties in the field of higher education. The Agreement was signed on behalf of the Holy See by Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, secretary for Relations with States, and for the Republic of Serbia by the vice president of the government and minister of the Exterior, Ivica Dacic.

According to the terms of the Agreement, the Parties will undertake to collaborate in the sector of higher education and to promote direct contract between institutions of this type. Furthermore, they will undertake to standardise the questions regarding mutual recognition of academic qualifications and public documents attesting to higher instruction. To implement this agreement, the two Parties will subsequently stipulate related additional protocols, by which the activities, as well as the organisational and financial conditions of implementation, shall be defined. The Agreement also recognises the right of the Catholic Church in Serbia to establish and direct Institutions of higher education both for ecclesiastical disciplines and other subjects of higher study.

The Agreement will come into force on the date of receipt of the final information, by diplomatic means, pertaining to the fulfilment of all the requisites of the national legal systems of the two Parties for its implementation.