On November 28, 2025, students of the Faculty of Organizational Studies “Eduka” carried out a study visit to the Correctional Facility Sremska Mitrovica, the largest institution of its kind in Serbia and the Balkans. This visit was one of the most significant field events of the academic year—not only because of the specificity of the environment, but also because of its educational and professional importance for future psychologists, managers, security experts, and social science professionals.

The delegation of FOS “Eduka,” led by Assistant Professor Dr. Dragana Mitrić Aćimović, was welcomed by the prison warden, Dragan Racković, who introduced students to the historical role, organizational structure, and social importance of this institution. In a safe and professionally guided atmosphere, Racković emphasized the importance of a multidisciplinary approach in working with inmates—from security to psychosocial support.

With expert guidance from the Deputy Chief of the Security Service, Milorad Stoleski, students toured the closed ward and learned about the daily functioning of the institution.
The focus of the visit was not on sensationalism, but on professional procedures, security protocols, work organization, and the challenges that such an environment entails.
This approach allowed students to gain a realistic, ethically grounded, and educationally valuable insight into the delicate system of enforcing criminal sanctions.

The key part of the visit consisted of expert lectures by psychologists Marijana Papić and Miroslav Stanivuk, who introduced students to:

  • the process of psychological assessment of inmates,
  • types of interventions and treatments aimed at resocialization,
  • multidisciplinary cooperation within the prison,
  • ethical dilemmas and professional challenges,
  • specifics of communication and work in a highly structured environment.

Through concrete examples from practice, students gained an extremely valuable insight into the work of psychologists in the criminal justice system—a role that is highly responsible, complex, and deeply humane.

As part of the visit, students also toured the institution’s museum section, where they were able to learn about the rich, layered, and often turbulent history of the Sremska Mitrovica Correctional Facility.
This segment of the visit offered a broader social and cultural context of the institution’s work, which is essential for fully understanding contemporary penological approaches.

The study visit to the Sremska Mitrovica Correctional Facility represents an example of best educational practice:

  • student experience extends beyond the classroom,
  • theoretical knowledge is connected with real professional situations,
  • critical thinking about the functioning of socially significant institutions is developed,
  • understanding of the complexity of human behavior, systemic organization, and the responsibilities carried by future professionals is encouraged.

Such visits are not intended to fascinate, but to develop knowledge, empathy, and professional maturity. For students of psychology, management, economics, and security, this was a unique opportunity to observe on the ground the challenges—and the importance—of working within systems that balance security, law, ethics, and humanity.

The Faculty of Organizational Studies “Eduka” continues to build an educational environment focused on practice, quality, and professional development. Study visits like this contribute to the creation of competent and socially responsible experts who will one day work in various segments of the system—from education and social protection to justice and security.

Our mission is clear: to offer students experiences that shape knowledge, broaden perspectives, and build the foundations of expertise.