CLARKSVILLE, TN − Austin Peay State University (APSU) played a central role in the international academic conference “80 Years Since the End of World War II: Changes in International Relations, 1945–2025,” held on May 7 in Belgrade, Serbia.
The event was co-organized by APSU’s Institute for National Security and Military Studies (INSMS) in partnership with the Institute of International Politics and Economics (IIPE) and the Institute of World History of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, and supported by Serbia’s Ministry of Science, Technological Development, and Innovation. More than 30 international scholars contributed, and APSU officially co-published the proceedings with IIPE.
Dr. Michael Licari, president of APSU, delivered a virtual opening keynote address, emphasizing the enduring legacy of the postwar order and the need for informed, globally engaged scholarship.
“As we consider the shifting landscape of world politics, we must reaffirm the role of higher education as a place not only of study, but of bridge-building,” he said. “Across disciplines, across national boundaries, and across generations.”
Licari’s remarks were followed by contributions from several senior institutional and government-affiliated figures, including IIPE Director Dr. Branislav Đorđević, Dr. Zhan Liang (Institute of World History, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences), Dr. Olga Lazorkina (Belarusian Institute for Strategic Research), and Dr. Branko Krga, former chief of the general staff of the Armed Forces of Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
The conference also featured two thematic panels and saw participation from scholars across North America, Europe, and Asia. Topics included the legacy of wartime alliances, the evolution of global institutions, the rise of regional powers, and the long shadow of WWII on contemporary strategic thinking. The panels built upon prior APSU-IIPE academic conferences and reflect a sustained commitment between the two institutions to promote collaborative inquiry into the foundations and future of international order.
“Commemorating the end of World War II is not just a matter of history – it is a matter of responsibility,” said Dr. Rudy Baker, an assistant professor with INSMS. “This project gave us the chance to revisit the assumptions that shaped the postwar order and to ask what still holds, and what must change.”
Baker co-edited the official conference proceedings with INSMS Director Dr. Rich Mifsud, Dr. Dušan Proroković (IIPE), and Dr. Zuokui Liu (Chinese Academy of Social Sciences). The volume is accessible here and showcases the deepening partnership between APSU and IIPE.
“Our participation underscores APSU’s expanding global footprint and its mission to foster rigorous, policy-relevant research on the future of international order,” Mifsud said.