Mr. Zoltán Balog
Minister of Human Capacities
1054 Budapest, Akadémia utca 3.
Hungary
Central European University
Dear Minister Balog,
On behalf of the German Society for Philosophy, I am writing to express solidarity with Central European University and express concern at proposed legislative changes to CEU’s status in Hungary.
These changes would endanger the academic freedom vital for CEU’s continued operation in
Budapest and would strike a blow against the academic freedom that enables all universities, including those in Hungary, to flourish.
In twenty-five years, Central European University has established itself as a private international
university with a global reputation for teaching and research in the social sciences and humanities.
It attracts students from 117 countries and faculty from 40. The University as a whole is accredited
by the US Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), and its masters and doctoral
programs are registered by the New York State Education Department (NYSED). Its programs are
also certified by appropriate Hungarian authorities and it has complied in full with all Hungarian
laws.
In international rankings, some of CEU’s departments are rated among the top 50 in the world. CEU
also makes Hungary a regional leader in winning highly competitive European Research Council
grants. Several of its faculty members have won the most prestigious awards in their disciplines.
The Department of Philosophy is one of the most prestigious departments in Europe. It is internationally known for its outstanding research in contemporary philosophy as well as in history of philosophy, and it attracts students from numerous countries. There is no doubt that it is an important partner for many European philosophy departments, especially in Germany. I personally know some of the faculty members and have always been impressed by their high intellectual standards and their personal integrity.
CEU is a valued member of the international academic community and its presence in Hungary has
added to the reputation of Hungarian academic life on the international stage. The government’s
proposed legislation to alter its statute of operation in Hungary would compromise its academic
freedom and set a dangerous precedent for academic life in other countries.
We respectfully urge the government to withdraw the proposed legislation and enter consultation
with CEU, bearing in mind the damage such legislation might do to Hungary’s well-founded international academic reputation, to its relationships with its European partners and with the United
States.
Yours sincerely,
Prof. Dominik Perler
(President of the German Society for Philosophy)
CC: Viktor Orban, Prime Minister of Hungary;
Office of the Prime Minister;
Central European University