History of Mensa Serbia

The history of Mensa Serbia encompasses the period from the first testings in the late eighties, through the re-establishment of operations in complex social circumstances, to the development of a modern organization with a strong network of members, local initiatives, and national projects.

Mensa Yugoslavia was officially founded on December 16, 1989, in Zagreb, while the first testings were held in Belgrade in September 1988. During 1989 and 1990, testings were also organized in other major cities of the then Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, including Sarajevo, Ljubljana, Zagreb, and Novi Sad. In that period, Mensa Yugoslavia had about 1,100 members and ranked fourth in Europe by membership numbers.

Due to political instability and the dissolution of existing structures, the work of Mensa Yugoslavia weakened, but in Novi Sad, a regional Mensa for the Vojvodina region was formed, relying on a large local member base. The work hiatus lasted from 1992 to 1996, when, on the initiative of Ranko Rajović and Ljubomir Kustudić, preparations for the relaunch of Mensa Yugoslavia began. Media presence and the interest of former members contributed to the successful reactivation of the organization.

In April 1997, talks began with Mensa Slovakia regarding the organization of testing in Yugoslavia, and on November 8, 1997, the Mensa Yugoslavia Initiative Committee was formed. With the approval of the Executive Director of Mensa International, the first testing after a six-year hiatus was held on November 22, 1997, in Novi Sad, under the supervision of Mensa Slovakia.

The constituent assembly was held on March 7, 1998, in Novi Sad. On that occasion, new leadership was elected, a draft statute was adopted, and the work of the renewed organization commenced. Ranko Rajović, who was the main initiator of the renewal process, was elected as the first president. By mid-1998, Mensa Yugoslavia already had nearly 300 members. In 2004, the organization changed its name to Mensa Serbia and Montenegro, and in 2005, it recorded significant growth from about 700 to over 1,000 members, which earned it the right to two votes within the Board of Directors of Mensa International. By the end of 2006, it had more than 1,300 members, while since 2007, it has operated under the name Mensa Serbia.

Through the development of the organization, bodies and working groups were formed to ensure continuity of work, conduct elections, resolve internal issues, and provide support to members. Below is an overview of the current compositions and historical editions where data is available.

The current term of office runs from April 1, 2025, to April 1, 2027. The Presidency consists of Boris Projović, President; Jasna Bulajić Stepanović, Vice President; Aleksandra Borović; Nataša Aćimović-Knežević; Bojan Kostandinović; Ilija Kujović; Momčilo Stepanović.

The current term of office runs from February 19, 2026, to February 19, 2029. Ivan Nikolić serves as the ombudsman.

The current members of the Election Commission in 2026 are Snežana Živković, President; Nikola Janković; Dušanka Kastel; Milan Blagojević; Miloš Đokić.

By the adoption of the Statute in February 2016, the Supervisory Board was abolished as an organ of Mensa Serbia.

The activities of Mensa Serbia rely on the enthusiasm of its members. There are no employed staff in the organization who plan and implement programs; rather, elected officials and numerous engaged members volunteer to take responsibility for the realization of events, projects, communication, and member support.

A large number of members support the organization through membership fees, while a smaller percentage of members carry out the majority of operational activities. In recognition of this contribution, titles for the most active member are awarded each year, and since 2015, also for the most active appointed office holder in Mensa Serbia.