The Serbian Ministry of Education and the International School of Belgrade (ISB) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to develop a new campus in Belgrade, marking a significant step in the school’s long term expansion. The planned project is expected to bring the school’s educational facilities together at one location, replacing its current arrangement across separate sites in the Senjak area.
The memorandum was signed on July 28 at the residence of the United States ambassador in Belgrade by Education Minister Dejan Vuk Stanković and ISB Principal Sherry Marshall. U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Aleksandar Titolo described the agreement as a sign of a new stage in U.S.-Serbia relations, giving the project an importance that extends beyond the school itself.
The International School of Belgrade has a long history in the Serbian capital. It was founded in 1948 by Lady Peake, the wife of the British ambassador, initially operating with a small staff and parent volunteers. The institution later expanded and adopted its current name in 1952, while its facilities gradually developed over the decades.
Today, ISB operates as an independent, co educational international school serving students from early childhood through Grade 12. The school is authorized to offer International Baccalaureate programs and is also accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. According to ISB, around 500 students currently attend the school, with English serving as the language of instruction.
New Campus Would Bring ISB Facilities Together
The new campus would address an issue created by the school’s gradual growth. ISB currently operates primary and secondary facilities in Senjak, with the two campuses located only a short distance from one another. While the existing facilities have developed over many years, the planned project is intended to provide a single, purpose built environment capable of supporting the school’s educational needs in one location.
For ISB, the project also represents an important moment in its institutional history. Marshall said the new development would be the school’s first purpose built facility since its establishment in 1948, highlighting the scale of the planned change after decades of gradual expansion and adaptation.
The project comes at a time when Serbia is also placing greater emphasis on modernizing its education system. The Serbian government has recently highlighted the importance of improving teaching quality, updating educational processes and developing students’ critical thinking and practical skills. Those priorities form part of a broader effort to make education more responsive to the needs of contemporary society.
The new campus could therefore provide ISB with an opportunity to bring its facilities, academic programs and wider school community into a more unified setting. For students and staff, a single campus could simplify day to day operations while creating more opportunities for shared activities and interaction between different age groups.
The agreement also carries a wider international dimension. ISB has historically maintained links with diplomatic and international communities in Belgrade, while its curriculum is designed for a multinational student body. The participation of Serbian education authorities and U.S. diplomatic representatives in the memorandum signing underlines the school’s role within the city’s international educational environment.
The signing of the memorandum does not itself represent the completion of the campus, but it marks an important step toward turning the long term vision into a concrete project. Further planning and implementation will determine the eventual design, location and timetable.
For a school founded nearly eight decades ago, the proposed campus represents a major new chapter. If realized, the project would give the International School of Belgrade a modern, unified home while allowing it to build on its long history of international education in Serbia. It also reflects the growing importance of educational institutions that connect local communities with international academic standards and global perspectives.
