The University has been founded by George Soros.
On Friday, Member of Parliament Domagoj Hajduković (SDP) called on Prime Minister Andrej Plenković and the government to support his initiative and to invite to Croatia the Central European University in Budapest, which has been effectively banned by the Hungarian Parliament, reports Nacional on April 7, 2017.
“The Hungarian Parliament a few days ago adopted a law which makes it virtually impossible for the Central European University to operate. Given that it is apparently not the intention of Hungary to keep the Central European University in the country, I have launched the initiative towards Prime Minister Andrej Plenković and the government to invite the Central European University to come to Croatia,” said Hajduković in the Parliament.
He added that he was not alone in this initiative, which has already been signed by 55 MPs from SDP, HNS, HSU, SDSS, Živi Zid, and MOST, as well as national minorities’ representatives. “We want this kind of institution in Croatia to improve the prestige of the Croatian educational system, and also to enhance Croatian universities. We want the Central European University to come to Croatia,” said Hajduković.
Hungary has recently adopted a law that could lead to the closure of the Central European University, which was founded in 1991 in Budapest by American billionaire George Soros. The law provides for the denial of permission to foreign educational institutions which, in addition to Hungary, do not have a campus in the country of origin. The Central European University, which operates only in Budapest, is the only international university in Hungary which does not have campus anywhere else.
According to its website, the Central European University is a graduate-level “crossroads” university where faculty and students from more than 100 countries come to engage in interdisciplinary education, pursue advanced scholarship, and address some of society’s most vexing problems.
It offers English-language Master’s and doctoral programs in the social sciences, the humanities, law, management and public policy. It has developed a distinct academic and intellectual focus, combining the comparative study of the region’s historical, cultural, and social diversity with a global perspective on good governance, sustainable development and social transformation.
With approximately 1,400 students and 370 faculty members from more than 130 countries, CEU is one of the most densely international universities in the world. Its rare mix of nationalities, ethnicities, and cultures creates an ideal environment for examining such “open society” subjects as emerging democracies, transitional economies, media freedom, nationalism, human rights, and the rule of law. It also brings multifaceted perspective to all aspects of community life.
