Military Academy Belgrade

Emblem of the academy

The Military Academy Belgrade is a training college devoted to military education and career development in Belgrade, Serbia. The academy forms part of the Serbian higher education system, offering accredited graduate and postgraduate curriculum. It contains a military high school, offering secondary-level education, and a school of national defense, which conducts officer training. The academy's facilities include a sports center with a swimming pool, a stadium with running tracks, modern classrooms for foreign language learning, and lecture theaters.

History

The Artillery School

Attempts at founding a degree-granting military school in the Principality of Serbia began with Serbia's autonomy from the Ottoman Empire in 1830. A first military academy began operations in December 1830, but lasted only six months before being closing. Some years later Ilija Garasanin, who was in charge of the garrison, suggested that an artillery School be founded to improve military education in the Principality. The State Counsel accepted the proposal, and Prince Aleksandar Karadjordjevic welcomed it on 18th March 1850. The artillery School was the first military degree-granting institution in Serbia, and the modern military academy in Belgrade is regarded as its successor.

Students training in the art of fencing during the 1920's

The Structure of the Military Academy

After the Serbian-Turkish Wars (1876–1878) the Principality of Serbia was, at the 1878 Congress of Berlin, internationally recognized as an independent and sovereign state. War experiences and the enlargement of the state territory precipitated a reorganization of the artillery school. The Minister of Defense of the General Staff, second-lieutenant Jovan Miskovic, set up the commission which launched an "Act on the Structure of the Military Academy", which the National Assembly adopted and which Prince Milan Obrenovic accepted on January 30, 1880.

Military Institutions

The military academy remained operational until the Balkan Wars began in 1912. Operations were also halted during the First World War, and once again, in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, during the 1941 April War. During the Second World War, by the decision of the Supreme Command of The Army of National Liberation and the Yugoslav Partisans from 21st November 1944, The Military Academy of the Democratic Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was founded. Two-year courses were introduced in February 1945. By decree of the General Staff, the academy was reformed as the general military academy on July 31st, with the intention that students would then specialize in subject areas to be taught separately by individual military institutions. These were formed and started admitting students in November 1945. The 15 institutions, located throughout the Yugoslavia, offered courses lasting from 14 months to 2 years. The academy itself was transformed into the Infantry Military Institution.

The Military Academy (Land Forces)

Education in the infantry military Institution was, 1949, prolonged from two to three years. After that, the name ‘The Infantry Military Institution’ was changed to The National Active Infantry Officers School, and then in the active duty officers school. Finally, 1952, the school was named ‘The Military Academy of The National Army of Yugoslavia’. The military academy of Yugoslavia trained the officers of all arms of the land forces. The academy was in 1964 renamed in the military academy of the land forces so the name served the purpose.

The Military Academy

Education at the Military Academy the Land Forces was, in 1966, prolonged from three to four years. Alongside with the Military Academy of the Land Forces, the other military academies of branches, arms and services were developed. Until the breaking out of the civil war on the territory of former Yugoslavia, the military academies were working without major changes in organization. From 1991, the arm officers were educated at military academy, and the officers of the service at the Military-Technical Academy. The academy was intended for education of officers for the needs of all arms and services is located from 2006 with one located in Belgrade and the other at Banjica.

Educational Program

Graduating students from the academy

The following levels of studies are organized in The Military Academy:

• Graduate Academic Studies
• Postgraduate Specialist Studies
• Postgraduate Master Studies
• Postgraduate Specialized Training
• The Reserve Officers School
• Basic, applied and developing researches important for raising of quality of degree-granting education, training of scientific and teaching staff and briefing students on scientific work.

Besides above mentioned, in the system of education at the Military Academy, it is also found secondary military education at The Military High School.

Graduate Studies

A professional qualification, moral completeness and physical readiness are the basis for successful realization of tasks and command of units in positioned missions and tasks, continual development and improvement of officers. An officer is the one whose vocation is commanding. A general aim of education at the general academic studies: The aim of the education at the Military Academy is the education of students for the vocation of professional officer, training for initial duties at the level of commanding officer of platoon and preparations for intellectual and ethical challenges of officer vocation, in accordance with missions and tasks of The Army of Serbia.

There are six programs of studies at the Military Academy:

• Defense Management
• Military - Electronic Engineering
• Military - Mechanical Engineering
• Military - Chemical Engineering
• Military Aviation
• Logistic

The programs of studies have many modules which provide students with vast specialist knowledge and necessary skills which an officer of the Army of Serbia has to possess.

After graduation, students become: managers (defense managers), mechanical engineers ( engineers of military - mechanical engineering), engineers of electrical engineering and computer science ( engineers of military - electronic engineering), engineers of technology ( engineers of military - chemical engineering) and engineers of traffic and transportation ( engineers of military aviation – pilots) by profession. After their graduation from the first degree academic studies, students go into a professional military service at the rank of second-lieutenant or they can go on with their education at the master studies organized by the Military Academy.

To these students, alongside attendance of compulsory lectures, it is also enabled to acquire internationally accepted certificates: STANAG (knowledge of foreign languages) and ECDL ( computer skills).

Teaching process at the Military Academy consists of active classes ( lectures, exercises, and other forms of teaching) and special forms of teaching ( camps, military training, training in winter conditions – skiing, training for steering a motor vehicle, flight training, embarking on the ships of river units, etc.). The teaching process is organized by the teachers from the Military Academy, as well as professors from other faculties, associates from scientific institutions, The Ministry of Defense and The General Staff of the Army of Serbia. Emphasis is on the practical implementation of knowledge and skills which students acquire through lectures and exercises.

Teaching is organized in the contemporary equipped laboratories, cabinets, classrooms equipped with computers and Internet. The library and reading-rooms, with numerous publications of scientific-educational literature and fiction and possibility of using the newest publications of technical journals are at students' disposal. All programs which are organized at the Military Academy are in a complete accordance with the programs of studies which are organized at military academies in Europe.

Defense Management

The aim of this program of studies is adoption of academic knowledge and skills, and achieving competencies necessary to carry out initial branch – service officer duties, platoon leader in accordance with the missions and tasks of Serbian Armed Forces, as well as for carrying out managerial duties in the defense system. The program includes areas that are necessary for acquiring defense management system basic theoretical knowledge, such as management, economic and organizational sciences. The elected modules are:

• Infantry
• Armored units
• Artillery
• Engineers
• River Units
• Anti-aircraft Defense Units
• Air Surveillance and Reporting

The cadet is awarded a Defense management diploma.

Military - Mechanical Engineering

Military - Mechanical Engineering is the Military Academy cadets’ education for technical service officer core and mechanical engineering. Realization of this study program, enables future officers – mechanical engineers to resolve fundamental technical-technological problems in their initial command or staff duties that are in connection with maintenance and storage of arms and military equipment. The elected modules are:

• Weaponry and armament
• Combat vehicles

The cadet is awarded Mechanical engineering Diploma and Diploma’s Supplement which means competencies of officers technical for technical service (Weaponry and armament specialty or Combat Vehicles).

Military - Electronic Engineering

Military - Electronic Engineering is designed for education of cadets from the Military Academy for telecommunication and technical services officer core and computer science. Realization of this study program, enables future officers of telecommunications, technical services and computer sciences to resolve fundamental technical-technological problems in their initial duties, which are in connection with exploitation and maintenance of military electronic systems and means in its service and specialty. The elected modules are:

• Telecommunications
• Radar Systems
• Rocket and fire control systems
• Information systems

The cadet is awarded Electronic Engineering Diploma. Except diplomas, a cadet is awarded and a Diploma’s Supplement, which determines cadet competencies for professional officer service in telecommunications, technical service (radar systems and missile systems specialty and fire control system) and Informatics.

Military - Chemical Engineering

Military - Chemical Engineering is the Military Academy cadets’ education for technical branches of officer core, ordnance specialty and anti CBRN specialty, as well as technology engineers. Future officers - Military Chemical Engineers, depending on elected module, will be enabled to resolve fundamental technical-technological problems in their initial duties in the services and specialties, primarily to the platoon level, which are in connection with: Tech maintenance and ordnance storage, and technology of CBRN accidents sanitation in peace and war. The elected modules are:

• Ordinance specialty
• CBRN branch

The cadet is awarded Chemical engineering Diploma and Diploma’s Supplement which determines officer competencies for technical service professional officer ( Ordinance specialty) and CBRN branch.

Military Aviation

Military Aviation is the Military Academy cadets’ education for Air Force officers – aircraft and helicopter pilots as well as air traffic engineers. Realization of this study program enables future Air Force officers - aircraft and helicopter pilots, for work on their initial duties of pilots in air detachments, then to carry out basic flying duties, as well as for the continued advanced air squadron level training. In addition, study program provides necessary competencies for performing the duties of an engineer in military aviation.

The cadet is awarded Air traffic Engineer Diploma and Diploma’s Supplement which determines officer competencies for professional Air Force pilot.

Logistics

Defence Logistics is to acquire academic knowledge and skills, and achieving competencies necessary to carry out initial duties of logistics officers in the defence system. Core courses of the program include courses of mathematics, social science, difence science, certain fields of technical-technological sciences and defense logistics. The structure of the program includes theoretical knowledge required for successful defence logistics management (basic economics, microeconomics, logistics, organization, quality assurance, special logistic areas, military management, crisis management, resource management, financial business, material business, supply material management and electronic business). The elected modules are:

• Basic Logistics,
• Supply management,
• Finance management,
• Transportation,
• Maintenance

The cadet is awarded a Defence Logistics Manager Diploma and Diploma’s Supplement which determines cadet’s competencies for professional officer in the service of Serbian military.

Master studies

Master studies enable you to expand the knowledge you acquired at the graduate academic studies and to acquire the competence in fulfilling higher duties in your branch – service, as well as to perform the job of a graduate manager, i.e. a graduate engineer. The studies last one year or two semesters during which you obtain 60 ESPB.

After a successful graduation, you are a graduate defense manager or a graduate engineer of a certain profile. Thus, you will have gained all necessary conditions for reaching better position in your profession and specialized training.

Master studies are carried out through four programs of studies:

• Defense Management
• Military - Mechanical Engineering
• Military - Electronic Engineering
• Military - Chemical Engineering

Specialization

The building of Military Academy

After graduation from the first degree studies, and during a military career, the opportunity of postgraduate scientific and professional specialized trainings for achieving higher levels of education is offered to officers.

To officers, chosen by contest, alongside with parallel work in the units, the specialized training which represents a type of postgraduate education is enabled, and it can be done on specialized, master and doctoral studies.

In The National Defense School, command and general-staff officer education for the highest duties in The Army of Serbia and The Ministry of Defense is organized.

The forms of specialized trainings at The Military Academy are:

• general-staff specialized training and
• command specialized training

Location

The Military Academy is located in Belgrade, Republic of Serbia Address: 33 Pavla Jurišića Šturma street

External links

• Military Academy Belgrade