President Vučić Attends 15th Anniversary of ‘World in Serbia’ Program Serbia’s ruling leadership turned an education anniversary into a showcase of soft power, economic ambition, and geopolitical hedging — all in a single morning at the Palace of Serbia.

Morning: Celebrating “World in Serbia”

The day’s centerpiece was the 15th anniversary of the “World in Serbia” scholarship program, which brings students from Non-Aligned Movement countries to study in Serbian state universities. President Aleksandar Vučić arrived to thunderous applause, a made-for-TV affirmation of a program framed as both foreign-policy tool and development strategy.

From the podium, Vučić cast African and Asian students as “a bridge of friendship and a driver of Serbia’s development,” arguing that their knowledge and language skills make them “a treasure” for both their home countries and Serbia. He reminded the audience that Yugoslavia helped found the Non-Aligned Movement and built the very Palace of Serbia for the 1961 summit, a symbolic backdrop for today’s renewed outreach.

Student voices reinforced the narrative. Angolan medical student Gouvanja Goulao praised the “love and happiness” foreign students receive and the chance for quality education in Serbian public faculties, drawing a standing ovation from the hall and from Vučić himself.

Midday: From Scholarships to EXPO and Visas

After the ceremony, Vučić shifted from history to incentives. Foreign students were invited to volunteer at EXPO 2027, earning 1–3 ESBP points and, more importantly, “great experience” and networking opportunities, as the president put it. Education Minister Dejan Vuk Stanković confirmed faculties could award up to three credits depending on student engagement.

When Tunisian PhD student Karim said he wanted to stay in Serbia because he felt “at home,” Vučić seized the moment, promising new rules so foreign graduates can remain, work, and serve as “a bridge” between Serbia and their countries — calling them “our resource” and “our treasure.”

Afternoon: From Belgrade to Beijing

Even this soft-power set piece doubled as a launchpad for hard geopolitics. Vučić used the same podium to trail what he called “probably the most important” five-day visit to China so far, stressing that Beijing is becoming a “factor of stability and responsibility in the world.” He said Serbia is preparing 31–32 meetings with Chinese companies, hoping to seal at least 20 deals and “more than 30 contracts,” including cooperation on new technologies and artificial intelligence.

He also flagged the opening of a robot factory in Šabac by early summer — a tidy symbolic arc from Non-Aligned scholarships to high-tech industrial Serbia.

Throughout, Vučić hammered a familiar work ethic line — “work, work and only work” as the path to prosperity — even as the event itself served as a carefully staged advert: Serbia as welcoming host, regional hub, and increasingly ambitious player between Africa, Asia, and China.