CEU Confirms Closure of Budapest Campus
The Central European University (CEU) has announced that its licence in Hungary will be revoked, signaling the end of its presence in Budapest. The university council informed former students of this decision, stating that CEU will no longer be able to operate as a university in the capital.
The decision to revoke CEU’s licence was justified by the fact that the institution has not admitted students to its Hungarian-accredited programmes for a significant period of time. The university council’s letter to former students highlighted that the last students enrolled in such programmes will graduate in July 2024, leading to the conclusion that CEU does not meet the necessary conditions to continue its operations in Budapest.
Despite the closure of its Hungarian university entity, CEU will maintain its research institutes in Budapest and continue offering non-degree programmes. The decision to cease higher education activities in Hungary comes after years of political pressure from the Orbán government, culminating in the withdrawal of accreditation for both US and Hungarian courses at the Budapest site.
Facing challenges imposed by the Hungarian government, CEU previously attempted to establish a partnership with Bard College in the United States. However, this cooperation was rejected by the Orbán government, prompting CEU to relocate its US-accredited courses to Vienna.
The university council’s decision to move most of CEU’s operations to Vienna comes after unsuccessful attempts to resist political interference in its operations in Hungary. Despite the closure of its Budapest site, CEU’s legacy will live on through its research institutes and non-degree programmes in the city.
