Serbia has made a significant move towards ensuring learning spaces are safer and more inclusive by launching the findings of its biggest ever national research on peer violence, bullying, and students’ well-being. This comprehensive study provides analysis of critical areas such as student well-being, peer violence and bullying, digital- and gender-based violence, school climate, predictors of victimisation, and programme effectiveness, parenting styles and family dynamics, teacher and staff insights, and school-level comparisons.

The findings, presented at a high-level conference in Belgrade, provide a critical evidence base to inform future education policy and guide schools towards more focused interventions.

Policymakers, representatives of diplomatic corps and international organisations, national and international experts and researchers gathered for a pivotal conference unveiling the findings of Serbia’s most extensive national research on peer violence, bullying, and students’ well-being in schools. Conducted in late 2024 within the project “Prevent bullying and peer violence in schools“, the research drew the participation of over 5,000 students, their parents and school staff across 77 primary and secondary schools, offering a landmark foundation of evidence to guide education policy at the national scale.

The results came to life through the perspectives of Council of Europe national experts Dobrinka Kuzmanović, Dragan Popadić, and Zoran Pavlović, who not only traced the critical trends in peer and adults’ dynamics but also patterns in students' emotional well-being and school climate.

Putting a human face to the statistics, Principal Ms Dušica Tričković and secondary school teacher Stela Šarović highlighted the strength of transforming policy into practice - reminding everyone that meaningful change starts in the classroom, from the trust between teacher and students and small moments of care, the courage to listen, and the unshakeable belief that every child deserves to feel safe, seen, and supported.

The full report, offering valuable insights and detailing all aspects of the research and its key findings will be released to the public in June.

This project is implemented by the Council of Europe and funded by Germany. It is carried out in co-operation with the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Republic of Serbia from January 2024 to December 2025.