University of Defence

Overview

The University of Defence (Univerzitet odbrane) is Serbia’s public military university, established on February 24, 2011. It combines officer education and professional training with academic programs at the graduate level, preparing students for careers in the Serbian armed forces and defence-related public service.

Managed under the Ministry of Defence, the university integrates two core institutions—the Military Academy and the Medical Faculty of the Military Medical Academy. Together, they support applied research and developmental projects aligned with defence policy priorities, national security needs, and innovation in military and medical fields. Although the university is relatively young as a single institution, it continues educational traditions built on nearly two centuries of military education in Serbia.

If you’re comparing military-focused study options in the region, you may also want to review broader study pathways at other Serbian public universities, such as the university of belgrade, which is a good reference for how general research university structures work in Serbia.

2. General Information

Name	University of Defence (Univerzitet odbrane)
Established	24 February 2011
Type	Public military university
Location	Belgrade (Vidovic district), Serbia
Students	≈ 885 total (figures often reported for 2018–2019): Undergrad 827, Postgrad 38, Doctoral 20
Academic Staff	≈ 502 (reported for 2018–2019)
Website	uo.mod.gov.rs

3. Fee Structure

Program	Tuition / Fees
Officer training and military academic studies	Typically funded within the Ministry of Defence; there is usually no standard public “tuition” model
Medical studies at Military Medical Academy	Integrated degree; funding is commonly linked to the military service context rather than standard civilian tuition

Note: Because funding models can depend on current Ministry of Defence selection and service terms, applicants should check the latest announcements through the official university channels before planning finances.

4. Academic Programs

Undergraduate, Master’s and Doctoral programs in military and defence-related fields
Offered via Military Academy, including areas such as Military Engineering, Electronics, Defence Economics, Cyber Defence, and Risk Management in Disasters
Medical degree via the Medical Faculty of the Military Medical Academy (integrated MD)
Combined programs and joint academic work in collaboration with other institutions where applicable

While the University of Defence is specialized and structured around military and medical training, you can still use other Serbian university pages as a comparison for how faculties, study cycles, and research units are organized—examples include the university of novi sad and the university of kragujevac.

5. Facilities

Main campus located in the “General Jovan Mišković” barracks, Belgrade (Vidovic district)
Military Academy facilities such as lecture halls, cadet dormitories, a sports complex, an indoor athletics hall, and a swimming pool
Medical Faculty hospital complex with significant capacity (commonly cited as around 1,200 beds), including surgical and outpatient services, alongside research and clinical resources
Strategic Research Institute supporting defence studies, training-related research, and innovation
Ongoing support and coordination through Ministry of Defence collaboration for training, archives, and scientific infrastructure

Because facilities and clinical training are a major part of medical-track programs, prospective students should verify the exact clinical rotation and research opportunities listed for their intake year with the official departments.

6. Accommodation

Cadets enrolled through the Military Academy typically live in university-managed dormitories on the campus. Civilian or visiting students (where allowed) may arrange housing off-site, coordinated through institutional offices and aligned with applicable military standards. Accommodation planning is usually part of the admission and onboarding process rather than an afterthought.

On-campus cadet housing within the Military Academy campus
Support for temporary off-campus civilian housing upon request (subject to availability and program rules)

7. Contact Information

Email: rectorate@mod.gov.rs
Phone: +381 11 3005 197 (Rector’s Office)
Address: Veljko Luccia Kuryaki 1, 11042 Belgrade (Vidovic), Serbia
Website: University of Defence official site

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