On Friday 26 October, the European University Association (EUA) denounced the intervention of the Hungarian government in the autonomy of universities. Its denouncement came the day after the announcement by the Central European University (CEU) of its relocation of a large part of its activities to Vienna, Austria, notably for US students (see EUROPE 12125).
This decision of the CEU, a university founded by billionaire George Soros, was taken due to a Hungarian law directly targeting the CEU. The law, which was contested by the European Commission before the European Court of Justice (see EUROPE 11921) requires all foreign universities to provide teaching in their countries of origin.
The CEU therefore developed a programme at Bard College in New York. However, the EUA says that although the CEU has come into line with the new arrangements of the law, the Hungarian authorities are reportedly delaying in approving the agreement between the two higher education institutions. The CEU has thus decided to relocate some of its activities.
In a press release, the EUA says that this announcement comes against a backdrop of growing and serious concern as to the negative trajectory of the autonomy of universities and academic freedom in Hungary. The EUA gives the examples of the ban on study programmes on gender, the establishment of an "exceptionally high" tax framework on programmes intended for refugees and asylum seekers, and the intimidation of universities by Hungarian media.
The European Parliament triggered the so-called Treaty Article 7 procedure on 12 September, regarding respect of the rule of law in Hungary (see EUROPE 12094). Budapest immediately contested this initiative before the European Court of Justice (see EUROPE 12125). (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)