Florence – On March 28, the Hungarian government submitted a bill to parliament which could force Central European University (CEU) in Budapest to close. For over twenty years, CEU has granted masters and doctoral degrees which are accredited in both Hungary and the USA. The legislation, which will be debated in parliament this week, would prevent CEU from issuing US-accredited degrees, force it to open a campus in New York, change its name and require non-EU staff to obtain a work permit. If passed into law the bill could force CEU to close or move abroad.
According to a press release the European University Institute wishes to express deep concern about the possible closure of Central European University as a result of the legislation to be put before the Hungarian Parliament this week.
‘In just twenty-five years of existence, Central European University has managed to gain a first-class, global reputation in social sciences and the humanities. Thanks to the academic excellence and the high level of its faculty and students, it has played a major role in connecting the Hungarian academic community to the rest of the world,’ says Renaud Dehousse, EUI President.
‘The European University Institute has enjoyed a highly rewarding and collaborative experience with CEU for many years. We strongly hope that CEU’s ability to carry on high-level research and independent teaching will be fully preserved.’
About the EUI
The European University Institute (EUI) is an international organization which produces high level research and provides doctoral and post-doctoral academic training in the social sciences. Since its establishment in 1976 by the six founding members of the then European Communities, the EUI has earned a reputation as a leading international academic institution with a European focus. The Institute hosts more than 1000 scholars from over 60 countries and counts 22 member states from the EU. Its four original departments of Economics, History and Civilization, Law, and Political and Social Sciences are now joined by the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies, the Max Weber Programme for Postdoctoral Studies, and the Historical Archives of the European Union. In the Badia, the ‘heart’ of the Institute, the EUI holds an internationally recognised social science research Library and European Documentation Centre.