Roundtable discussions organized by the Faculty of Law, University of Niš, are a significant platform for academic exchange, interdisciplinary dialogue, and critical reflection on contemporary legal issues. They bringing together experts from legal theory and practice, as well as representatives of relevant public institutions and the civil sector. These events contribute to deepening the scholarly debate and strengthening connections between the academic community and broader societal challenges.
HUMAN RIGHTS AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, October 10, 2025
On 10 October 2025, the Faculty of Law, University of Niš, had the honour of hosting a highly attended and intellectually stimulating roundtable titled “Human Rights and Artificial Intelligence,” organized within the framework of the Jean Monnet Module “Digital Transformation and Human Rights: The EU Perspective” (DIGIRIGHTS).
The event was formally opened by Mr. Pasquale de Micco, Head of the Department for European Integration and Economy at the Delegation of the European Union to Serbia. Introductory addresses were delivered by Prof. dr. Predrag Cvetković, Dean of the Faculty of Law, University of Niš, and Prof. dr. Miroslav Lazić, Vice-Rector of the University of Niš.
The academic programme was structured into three thematic panels:
1. Digital Rights and Fundamental Principles
2. Artificial Intelligence in Judicial Proceedings: The Rule of Law in the Age of Algorithms
3. Artificial Intelligence and Challenges for the Legal System
The roundtable brought together over 40 participants, including representatives of the academic community in the fields of law and information technology, researchers, judges, attorneys, public prosecutors, enforcement officers, representatives of human rights protection institutions, the Protector of Citizens (Ombudsman), the Local Ombudsman of the City of Niš, and legal practitioners.
All participants contributed meaningfully to the advancement of dialogue on the complex interplay between technological innovation and the protection of human rights. Through this event, the Faculty of Law reaffirmed its role as a forum for the exchange of ideas and open academic debate on contemporary challenges in legal science.
Link: https://www.prafak.ni.ac.rs/9-uncategorised/11425-digi-okrugli-sto-10okt2025.html
CONSTITUTIONAL PROCESSES IN THE REGION, June 11, 2018
On 8 June 2018, the Faculty of Law, University of Niš, hosted a scholarly roundtable titled “Constitutional Processes in the Region”, as part of the annual professional gathering of academic staff from law faculties in the Republic of Serbia specializing in Constitutional Law,
The event served as a distinguished forum for constitutional law scholars from the Faculties of Law in Niš, Belgrade, Novi Sad, and Kragujevac, as well as from the Faculties of Law in Maribor, Skopje, Banja Luka, and East Sarajevo, to present their expert analyses and exchange views on current constitutional developments in the region.
Recognizing that numerous constitutional issues continue to engage not only the academic community but also the broader political and legal public, the roundtable provided a valuable opportunity for in-depth discussion and critical reflection among legal scholars specializing in this field. The Faculty of Law, University of Niš, thus reaffirmed its role as a center for academic dialogue and regional cooperation in constitutional legal studies.
Link: https://www.prafak.ni.ac.rs/123-dogadjaji-na-fakultetu/6381-odrzan-okrugli-sto-ustavni-procesi-u-regionu.html
IMPRISONMENT VERSUS ALTERNATIVE SANCTIONS: RAISING AWARENESS FOR IMPROVED SOCIAL REINTEGRATION OF FORMER INMATES, December 7, 2017
On 7 December 2017, the Faculty of Law, University of Niš, hosted a roundtable titled “Imprisonment Versus Alternative Sanctions: Raising Awareness for Improved Social Reintegration of Former Inmates.”
The event was organized by Mr. Katalin Bežan, Resident Advisor to the EU Twinning Project, in cooperation with the Legal and Social Research Center at the Law Faculty in Niš. The Twinning Project, titled “Enhancing the Capacity of the Prison System in the Republic of Serbia” is jointly implemented by the Directorate for Execution of Criminal Sanctions of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Serbia, the German Foundation for International Legal Cooperation, and the Agency for Economic Cooperation and Development.
Special contributions to the roundtable were made by Mr. Katalin Bežan, Resident Advisor to the Twinning Project; Mr. Stefan Thier, Deputy Head of the Department for Alternative Sanctions and Public Relations at the German Ministry of Justice; and Mr. Tomas Matusche, Deputy Head of the same department.
The roundtable was attended by 27 professionals from Niš, including representatives of the judiciary, the legal profession, social services, civil society organizations, the Office for Non-Custodial Sanctions and Measures, the Warden of the Correctional Facility in Niš, and a representative of the Training and Professional Development Center in Niš.
The organizers extended their sincere gratitude to the distinguished guests representing the Twinning Project. As unanimously noted by the participants, the distinctive features of this roundtable were the insightful discussions, proposals, questions, and conclusions presented by esteemed colleagues both from the academia and legal practice, including: Mr. Zoran Krstić, President of the Higher Court in Niš; Mr. Goran Spasić, President of the Basic Court in Niš; Judges Ivana Milovanović and Dragana Savić of the Basic Court in Niš; Senior Public Prosecutor Ms. Borica Mitić; Ms. Brankica Orlović, President of the Niš Bar Association; attorneys, and judicial assistants of the Higher Court in Niš. Particular emphasis was placed on the contributions of Mr. Zoran Jović, Director of the Center for Social Work in Niš; Mr. Srećko Luković, Commissioner of the Office for Non-Custodial Sanctions and Measures; and Mr. Dejan Panić, Warden of the Correctional Facility in Niš.
It was agreed that future meetings would be organized in similar and expanded formats, and that the conclusions reached would be disseminated to the public in order to foster a shift in societal perceptions regarding the status of individuals sentenced to imprisonment, as well as the scope and impact of legally prescribed alternative sanctions.
Link: https://www.prafak.ni.ac.rs/9-uncategorised/5970-okrugli-sto-yatvor-alternativne-sankcije-tweening-dec-2017.html
LECTURE SERIES BY DR. HANS VAN LOON, FORMER SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE HAGUE CONFERENCE ON PRIVATE INTERNATIONAL LAW, April 10, 2017
On 10 April 2017, the Center for Private International Law of the Hague Conventions at the Faculty of Law, University of Niš, had the distinct honour of hosting a series of academic lectures delivered by Dr. Hans van Loon, former Secretary General of the Hague Conference on Private International Law (1996–2013).
In her introductory remarks, Assistant Professor Dr. Maja Nastić, Vice Dean for Academic Affairs and Research, emphasized the Faculty’s pride in the fact that this occasion marked Dr. van Loon’s first lecture to students in Serbia and the broader region of the former Yugoslavia in 2012. On behalf of the Faculty, she expressed sincere appreciation for Dr. van Loon’s long-standing support, recalling his ceremonial inauguration of the Center on 5 October 2012, during which he generously donated the invaluable Actes et documents collection. She further noted that, upon the Center’s initiative, the Faculty of Law remains the sole institution in Serbia to have introduced a dedicated course on Hague Conventions in Private International Law, offered as a compulsory subject at the master degree level.
Following the Vice-Dean’s address, Prof. dr. Mirko Živković, Head of the Center, extended a warm welcome to Dr. van Loon and the attending students, evoking memories of his initial visit to the Faculty in 2012, when he participated as a keynote speaker at the 10th anniversary conference on Private International Law. These conferences, initiated by Prof. Živković, have been held annually since 2003 and serve as a distinguished platform for academic exchange among Private International Law scholars from all jurisdictions of the former Yugoslavia.
Dr. van Loon’s first lecture, titled Global Horizon of Private International Law, provided students with a comprehensive overview of the historical evolution of the discipline. He elaborated on the Hague Conference’s strategic approach to the global harmonization of Private International Law and the development of cooperative frameworks among member states, while also addressing the challenges inherent in such processes.
The second lecture, Coordination of the 1980 Child Abduction Convention and the 1996 Child Protection Convention, attracted a broader audience, including judges from Niš courts and members of the legal profession. Over the course of two and a half hours, legal practitioners and students engaged in a substantive dialogue with Dr. van Loon, seeking clarification on the successive application of the Child Abduction Convention and the Child Protection Convention, which had recently entered into force in the Republic of Serbia (as of 1 November 2016).
Particular attention was given to the retention of jurisdiction by the courts of the child’s habitual residence in cases of abduction (Article 7 of the Child Protection Convention), and to the interpretation of the “grave risk” exception in return proceedings (Article 13(1)(b) of the Child Abduction Convention), especially in instances where the abducting parent, rather than the child, is the direct victim of domestic violence.
During the afternoon workshop, Dr. van Loon presented the foundational concepts of the Judgment Project, outlining the development of this pivotal initiative of the Hague Conference aimed at establishing a convention on the recognition and enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters. In a dynamic and intellectually engaging exchange with students, the workshop featured a detailed analysis of the provisions contained in the most recent version of the 2017 Draft Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Judgments in Civil and Commercial Matters. Given the high level of interest, the workshop also extended over two and a half hours, during which students posed numerous questions, all met with Dr. van Loon’s thoughtful and expert responses.
Link: https://www.prafak.ni.ac.rs/123-dogadjaji-na-fakultetu/5672-predavanje-van-loon.html