Urgent Call to show support for the Central European University in Hungary.

Urgent Call to show support for the Central European University in Hungary. The closure of CEU will also affect many colleagues and students in Middle Eastern studies.

Dear colleagues,

On Monday, the Hungarian government will vote on legislative changes to Central European University’s status in Hungary. If implemented, the changes would make CEU’s continued operation impossible and strike a blow against the academic freedom that enables all universities, including those in Hungary, to flourish.

As concerned students and faculty of the History Department at CEU, we encourage our colleagues around the world to stand in solidarity with our institution in the face of this serious infringement on the principle of academic freedom and attack on the very existence of our university.

Please sign the following petition: https://www.change.org/p/hungarian-national-assembly-save-t…

Also, please send letters of support (see http://www.ceu.edu/istandwithCEU/letter), disseminate this information, and mobilize your departments, universities, and scientific associations to issue statements of support on behalf of CEU.

For more information on CEU's situation and the proposed legislation, see for example the following links:
https://www.ceu.edu/…/ceu-responds-proposed-amendments-hung…
https://www.timeshighereducation.com/…/central-european-uni…

Also, see the following manifesto signed by an impressive number of Western academics:
http://budapestbeacon.com/…/exclusive-western-academi…/45459

Marieta Bazinyan

<marieta.bazinyan@gmail.com>