These early figures from the application process for autumn 2013 - ahead of the main deadline in January - show a further downward fall.

BBC: University applications down by 8%

The UN is planning to launch talks on the status of Kosovo this autumn, while Serbia - of which Kosovo is still nominally a part - will be celebrating five years since the fall of Slobodan Milosevic.

BBC: NEWS | Europe | EU leaders cautious on enlargement