CLARKSVILLE, TN – Austin Peay State University (APSU) has formalized a significant new international partnership with the Faculty of Political Science at the University of Belgrade (FPN), one of Serbia’s most distinguished university faculties and home to a 21-year-old Center for American Studies.
The partnership was marked by the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on May 21, 2026, in Belgrade, Serbia. It establishes a framework for collaboration in international relations, security studies, and political science, including initiatives such as joint conference organizing, co-publication of scholarly work, online course access, and the development of study abroad programming for Austin Peay students at FPN’s Belgrade campus.
“FPN already operates well-established semester and summer abroad programs in Belgrade with American university partners,” said Dr. Rudy Baker, an assistant professor with APSU’s Institute for National Security and Military Studies who was instrumental in developing the partnership. “The prospect of APSU students joining those programs and building lasting relationships with Serbian peers and faculty is one of the things I am most excited about. This partnership is not just an institutional agreement. It is a genuine opening for our students to engage with one of Europe’s most dynamic academic communities.”
That programming is already taking shape under the new agreement. APSU’s annual Spring Break study abroad program in Belgrade will continue under FPN’s institutional framework beginning in March 2027, and APSU students will be able to join FPN’s established semester and summer study abroad programs operated in partnership with Ohio State University and Clemson University. The agreement also establishes a Fulbright visiting scholar pipeline and a two-way faculty exchange.
“FPN brings extraordinary depth and institutional strength to this partnership,” said INSMS Director Dr. Rich Mifsud. “Its Center for American Studies, its established exchange programs with leading American universities, and the caliber of its faculty make it an ideal partner for INSMS. We are committed to building something lasting here, and today’s signing is the foundation on which we intend to build it.”
The signing ceremony was held at FPN’s Belgrade campus and attended by Alexander Titolo, chargé d’affaires of the United States Embassy in Belgrade, along with representatives from the embassy’s Public Affairs Section and Military Group (MILGRP).
“The United States remains committed to deepening our partnership with Serbia across all sectors, and education remains one of the most powerful tools we have to build lasting relationships,” Titolo said.
The memorandum was signed by FPN Dean Dr. Maja Kovačević on behalf of the University of Belgrade Faculty of Political Science and by Mifsud on behalf of APSU.
“Austin Peay State University has demonstrated from our very first meetings a seriousness of purpose and a genuine commitment to reciprocal academic exchange that we greatly value,” Kovačević said. “The Faculty of Political Science looks forward to welcoming APSU students and colleagues to Belgrade and to developing with them the kind of deep, enduring collaboration that enriches both institutions and the students they serve.”
The partnership was also developed in significant part through the efforts of Dr. Vladimir Trapara, a graduate of FPN and currently APSU’s Fulbright Visiting Scholar. His relationships on both sides of the Atlantic proved indispensable in laying its foundations.
“From our very first conversations with Dr. Mifsud and Dr. Baker, it was clear that Austin Peay State University was a different kind of partner,” said Dragan Živojinović, a senior member of FPN’s faculty and another key figure in facilitating the partnership. “They came to Belgrade not to lecture but to listen, not to impose a model but to build one together. That spirit is what makes this partnership genuinely exciting, and I am very proud that our faculty will be part of it.”
For APSU’s leadership, the agreement is a deliberate step deeper into the European academic community.
“The Faculty of Political Science at the University of Belgrade is one of Europe’s great centers of political science and international relations scholarship,” APSU President Dr. Michael Licari said. “This partnership gives our students and faculty access to that tradition and to a network of colleagues who share our commitment to rigorous, globally engaged academic work. I am proud that Austin Peay State University is deepening its presence in Serbia and in the broader European academic community.”