President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova addressed the ceremony marking the start of the new academic 2026/2027 at Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje today.
She urged the freshmen to study from their very first day, to cultivate a critical mind and to uphold principles and values.
In her opinion, the university, which enjoys autonomy for good reason, should nurture young people capable of independent thought and of courageously standing up against injustice, falsehood and brute force, echoing the advice Faulkner once gave to students.
Deeply convinced that artificial intelligence should serve humanity rather than replace it, she highlighted the value of natural and emotional intelligence.
Siljanovska-Davkova encouraged the students not to be mere encyclopedias that memorize facts, but to exercise their minds by developing original ideas and apply their knowledge for the common good.
According to her, UKIM, as the country’s oldest and best university, must lead the way in societal change and development, drawing upon the scientific and intellectual potential embodied by generations of its graduates, master’s degree holders and doctoral alumni.
She highlighted the urgent need to specifically engage the Macedonian scientific community, scattered across the globe, in charting the path toward the future.
The President encouraged students to remain constructively rebellious, to ask questions and challenge the status quo and urged professors not to forget that, alongside building their academic careers, they must dedicate themselves to their pedagogical work with students.
Drawing on her own experiences as both a student and a professor at UKIM, she conveyed that the university, as a shared home for both professors and students, is a place where it is truly worthwhile to study, teach and live.
Speeches were also delivered at the ceremony by the Minister of Education and Science, Prof. Dr. Vesna Janevska, the Rector of UKIM, Prof. Dr. Biljana Angelova, and the President of the University Student Assembly, Angela Vasilevska.
