4/6/2017 Central European University has become the battleground in Hungary's war of ideas https://theconversation.com/centraleuropeanuniversityhasbecomethebattlegroundinhungaryswarofideas75535 1/5 Author Diane Stone Professor of Governance, University of Canberra Academic rigour, journalistic flair Ignoring protest from around the world, the Hungarian government has fasttracked legislation to tighten rules governing foreign universities operating in the country. The law could force the closure of the Central European University (CEU). The new law requires foreign universities to gain agreement for their foreign operations from their home government. But US law clearly gives authority for higher education to the states. The Hungarian law also requires institutions to have a permanent educational program in their country of origin as well as in Hungary. To comply with this, CEU would have to create a new campus in the United States in order to stay open in Budapest. The university plans to challenge the constitutionality of the legislation, arguing that it’s a violation of Hungarian laws protecting the “freedom of scientific research”. An ‘open society’ institution Founded in Budapest after the unshackling of Central Europe from the USSR, the university was launched in 1991 on the principles of “open society”, which foster tolerance and transparent political institutions. It’s a private American university that delivers Westernstyle, Englishlanguage education. Its humanities and social sciences degrees have been accredited in Hungary and the United States. A rally protests against a new law that could force the Sorosfounded Central European University out of Hungary. Laszlo Balogh/Reuters April 5, 2017 4.08pm AEST Central European University has become the battleground in Hungary’s war of ideas