Assistant Professor Brano Hadži Stević, LL.D:
From the 5th to the 12th of June 2026, I had the privilege of visiting the University of Vienna within the CEEPUS mobility network named “Bioethics: Crossing Disciplinary Boundaries.” As one of the professors within this academic exchange I gave lectures on ethical challenges at the Catholic Theological Faculty. Namely, regarding legal aspects of the right to life of an unborn child and the case law of constitutional courts in Europe related to this issue. Students and professors from various countries participated in this exchange.
The mobility in Vienna was an extraordinary experience for me in many facets. It was a chance to meet new people, to establish new connections, and to learn numerous new things on bioethical issues. It was a wonderful idea to organise the exchange on ethical issues and invite lecturers from different disciplines, such as law, theology, medicine, etc. In my opinion, the chosen topics were extraordinarily important and controversial issues at the same time; for instance, artificial intelligence, palliative care, reproductive autonomy, and the joy of life. Without any doubt, everyone – student or professor who attended one or more lectures – had a chance to learn a lot. Briefly, this summer school exceeded my expectations. Although participants had quite different opinions, discussion was very polite and supported by different valid arguments.
For future participants, I would like to highly recommend the idea of visiting the United Nations Headquarters in Vienna. Beyond the fantastic tour of the building, we also attended an insightful presentation on environmental protection and sustainable development. To experience the atmosphere of a global organisation firsthand was truly inspiring. Our UN tour guide was exceptionally knowledgeable, providing comprehensive insights into the organisation's structure and day-to-day operations.
The hosts from the Catholic Theological Faculty and the employees of Austria’s Agency for Education and Internationalisation (OeAD) were very hospitable during the stay in Vienna. And the students too, as they were really involved and interested in gaining new knowledge and expressing their opinions.
My stay in Vienna was also a great opportunity to have a meeting with Professor Clemens Jabloner (Faculty of Law, University of Vienna) who is a famous legal philosopher. We discussed research possibilities and several important legal-philosophical issues that are the object of my own as well as the professor's interest. The conversation with him was pleasant and full of mutual respect; the recommendations he gave me are invaluable. This demonstrates that CEEPUS mobilities hold invaluable significance.
In conclusion, I enjoyed my mobility in Vienna, achieved all goals, and would like to cordially express my gratitude to everyone who made this opportunity possible for me.
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Short CV: Assistant Professor Brano Hadži Stević, LL.D was born in 1997. He graduated from the Faculty of Law of the University of East Sarajevo in 2019 and won the award as the best student of his generation. In 2020 he completed master's studies at the Faculty of Law of the University of Belgrade (legal theory module). He received his doctorate in December 2024 at the Faculty of Law of the University of Belgrade, in the scientific field of the theory of the state and law, sociology of law, and philosophy of law, defending his doctoral dissertation on the topic “Legal Reasoning and Judicial Activism – the Case of the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina.” From 2019 on, he has been working at the Faculty of Law of the University of East Sarajevo. The main fields of his interest are legal reasoning, judicial activism, constitutional courts, and legal argumentation.
