Vol 11, No 2, 2012 pp. 165-175
UDC 312-057.87(497.11)
THE STUDENT-AGE POPULATION
IN THE SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC CONTEXT
OF THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA
Suzana Marković Krstić
University of Niš, Faculty of Philosophy, Niš, Republic of Serbia
Email: suzana.markovic.krstic@filfak.ni.ac.rs
Socio-demographic studies are indicating an increasing tendency for the decrease in the share of the young population and an increase in the elderly population in the overall population of the Republic of Serbia. Namely, while the share of the young population (ages 0-19) in the overall population has almost been reduced by half in the span of half a century (41,6% in 1948 and 22,4% in 2002), the share of the elderly population (60 years and over) in the same period has increased 2,5 times (8,8%:22,6%). In addition, numerous demographic indicators are pointing more and more to a process of the intense aging of the population of Serbia.
This paper presents the research results obtained by this author, which refer to the share of the student-age population, in percents, (aged 20-24) and the student population in the overall population of the Republic of Serbia. They confirm the existence of contrasting demographic tendencies in the regions of Central Serbia and Vojvodina (in the period between 1981 and 2002): while, on the one hand, one part of the student-age population is diminishing, on the other, the share of the student population in the overall population is, however, increasing. In the area of Kosovo and Metohija, contrasting tendencies can be noted, but with a completely different outcome: the share of the student-age population has continued to grow, while the share of the student population is decreasing. The noted tendencies once again confirm that demographic processes are specific in certain areas of the Republic of Serbia, considering their geographic, socio-economic, cultural and ethnic features.
Key words: age structure, student population, students, Republic of Serbia.
STANOVNIŠTVO STUDENTSKOG UZRASTA U SOCIODEMOGRAFSKOM KONTEKSTU REPUBLIKE SRBIJE
Sociodemografska proučavanja sve više ukazuju na tendenciju smanjenja udela mladog, a povećanja udela starijeg stanovništva u ukupnom stanovništvu Republike Srbije. Naime, dok se udeo mladog stanovništva (0-19 godina) u ukupnom stanovništvu skoro prepolovio u pedesetogodišnjem periodu (41,6% u 1948. godini i 22,4% u 2002. godini), udeo starijeg stanovništva (60 i više godina) u istom periodu povećao se za 2,5 puta (8,8%:22,6%). Pored toga, brojni demografski indikatori sve više upućuju na proces intenzivnog starenja stanovništva Srbije.
U radu se prezentuju istraživački nalazi autorke koji se odnose na udeo stanovništva studentskog uzrasta (20-24 godine) i studenata u ukupnom stanovništvu Republike Srbije. Oni potvrđuju postojanje suprotnih demografskih tendencija na području centralne Srbije i Vojvodine (u periodu 1981-2002. godine): dok se, na jednoj strani, udeo stanovništva studentskog uzrasta smanjuje, na drugoj strani se udeo studentske populacije u ukupnom stanovništvu, ipak, povećava. Na području Kosova i Metohije takođe se javljaju suprotne tendencije, ali sa sasvim drugačijim ishodom: udeo stanovništva studentskog uzrasta kontinuirano raste, dok se udeo studentske populacije smanjuje. Uočene tendencije još jednom potvrđuju da su demografski procesi specifični na pojedinim područjima Republike Srbije, s obzirom na njihova geografska, socioekonomska, kuturna i etnička obeležja.
Ključne reči: starosna struktura, stanovništvo studentskog uzrasta, studenti, Republika Srbija.
