Hungary

EU’s blocking of Erasmus and Horizon Europe funds to 21 Hungarian universities over rule of law concerns has caught many unaware. The Hungarian government says it has done what it was agreed to address these issues

The move is intended to protect EU money but opposition politicians worry about its impact on Hungarian students

While the government-mandated transfer of research institutes was found not to infringe scientific freedom, it did breach the property rights of the Academy of Sciences. For researchers, that is hampering the day-to-day operation of the institutes

Hungarian and Polish academics raise concerns over academic freedom, as governments further tighten controls over universities and research institutes

Hungary is seeking €4B from the EU pandemic recovery fund to support changes to funding system that critics believe amounts to privatising public universities. This will limit academic freedom, they say

With its future in Budapest remaining uncertain, the embattled university is making back-up plans

Almost a year after an amendment to the Hungarian education law undermined its status, faculty say the Budapest-based university is still exposed - but administration sees no drop in applications

The stand-off is over, but with prime minister Viktor Orbán’s campaign against CEU founder George Soros heating up and the Commission pursuing its legal case against Hungary’s law on foreign NGOs, a deal may still be in doubt