U srijedu, 28. ožujka 2017., mađarska je vlada predložila amandmane Nacionalnog zakona o visokom školstvu koji su ušli u hitnu proceduru parlamentarne rasprave (za ponedjeljak 3. travnja) kako bi isti bili što prije izglasani (već u utorak 4. travnja). Njime bi se od sljedeće godine međunarodnom sveučilištu Central European University (dalje CEU) u Budimpešti onemogućio daljnji rad jer ono ne bi moglo ispunjavati nove tražene uvjete za koje postoji opravdana sumnja da su direktno usmjereni protiv opstanka ovog i drugih međunarodnih sveučilišta na teritoriju Republike Mađarske.
Malobrojni domaći mediji (Index.hr, narod.hr, advance.hr) koji su popratili ovu vijest uglavnom su se usredotočili na činjenicu da je sveučilište 1991. godine osnovao američki milijarder mađarskog podrijetla George Soros te da je sveučilište kolateralna žrtva napada mađarskog premijera Viktora Orbana na Sorosa, odnosno da se radi o srazu dviju suprotstavljenih političkih ideologija. U svemu tome potpuno se zaboravlja - ili se nedostatno govori - o samome sveučilištu, kao i o tome što bi ne samo Republika Mađarska, nego i cijela srednjoistočna Europa kao i brojni znanstvenici u svijetu koji se bave ovom regijom izgubili njegovim gašenjem.
CEU je najbolje svjetski rangirano sveučilište srednjoistočne Europe u disciplinama koje pokriva (društvene i humanističke znanosti). Na njemu su se obrazovali ili predavali brojni znanstvenici, gospodarstvenici, političari i razne struke iz Hrvatske i drugih zemalja, tj. čitava plejada ljudi različitih nacionalnosti, religija i političkih uvjerenja (npr. sam glasnogovornik trenutno vladajuće Fidesz stranke, Zoltan Kovacs, na CEU-u je doktorirao 2002. godine, a od hrvatskih znanstvenika, primjerice, prof. dr. sc. Ivo Banac ondje je držao Katedru za jugoistočnu Europu od 1994. do 1999. godine).
Glavna je značajka CEU-a oduvijek bila akademska sloboda, potom akademska izvrsnost te poticanje pluralizma. Načela njegove misije izrijekom uključuju “traganje za istinom u kojem god ona smjeru vodila, poštivanje različitosti kultura i naroda, te predanost da se razlike [u mišljenju] rješavaju debatom, a ne poricanjem”. Budući da ove vrijednosti zajedno s visokim znanstveno-istraživačkim kriterijima nisu samo nominalno proklamirane na CEU-u, već su i u potpunosti provođene u praksi, oko 150 hrvatskih studenata, sadašnjih i bivših, profesora, korisnika CEU istraživačke infrastrukture (iznimno bogate knjižnice), projektnih suradnika te ostalih simpatizera sastavilo je zajedničko pismo u kojem daju bezuvjetnu potporu ostanku CEU-a u Budimpešti i koje su naslovili na mađarskog ministra za ljudske kapacitete Zoltána Baloga, ured premijera Viktora Orbana, mađarsko i američko veleposlanstvo u Zagrebu, Europsku komisiju i Europski parlament.
Na ovaj način želimo pozvati medije da prikažu i našu stranu priče o CEU-u i o značenju koje ono ima za hrvatske znanstvenike i stručnjake koji su ondje prošli znanstvenu formaciju. U ovom našem nastojanju pozvali bismo i cijelu hrvatsku akademsku zajednicu da nam se pridruži u davanju potpore opstanku ove jedinstvene institucije koja je kao malo koja druga uvijek bila spremna dati priliku i surađivati s hrvatskim kandidatima, znanstvenicima i ostalim stručnjacima na području društvenih i humanističkih znanosti.
Popis 150 bivših i sadašnjih studenata CEU-a te profesora koji podržavaju svoju alma mater:
CEU Institute for Advanced Study
Tatjana Buklijaš (Thyssen Senior Fellow, 2015-2016), Senior Research Fellow, Liggins Institute, University of Auckland, New Zealand
CEU Department of History
Teodora Shek Brnardić (PhD 2004), Senior Research Fellow, Croatian Institute of History, Zagreb
Nataša Štefanec (MA 1997, PhD 2004), Associate Professor, History Department, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb
Damir Agičić (MA 1993), Professor, History Department, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb
Domagoj Madunić (MA 2003, PhD 2012), Assistant Professor, Department of Humanities, University of Dubrovnik, Croatia
Suzana Leček (MA 1994), Scientific Advisor, Croatian Institute of History, Department in Slavonski Brod Mario Jareb (MA 1994), Scientific Advisor, Croatian Institute of History, Zagreb
Valentina Gulin Zrnić (MA 1997), Senior Research Fellow, Institute of Ethnology and Folklore Research, Zagreb
Drago Roksandić (CEU Associate Recurrent Professor 1995-2002), Professor, History Department, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb
Magdalena Najbar-Agičić (MA 1993), Assistant Professor, University North, Koprivnica, Croatia
Zoran Velagić (MA 1996, PhD 2003), Associate Professor, Department of Information Science, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Osijek, Croatia
Dubravka Mlinarić (MA 1997) Senior Research Fellow, Institute for Migration and Ethnic Studies, Croatia
Meri Kunčić (MA 2000), Research Associate, The Miroslav Krleža Institute of Lexicography, Zagreb
Sanda Kočevar (MA 1996), Senior Curator, Karlovac Town Museum, Croatia
Ivona Savić (MA 1999), Editor for History and Geography, Profil Klett d.o.o., Croatia
Maja Brkljačić (PhD 2009), Head of Educational Programs, Algebra, Croatia
Jelena Lakuš (MA 1998, PhD 2005), Associate Professor, Department of Information Science, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Osijek, Croatia
Marko Zubak (PhD, 2013), Post-doc/Research Associate, Croatian Institute of History, Zagreb
Ana Šilović (MA 1010)
Vedran Duančić (MA 2011)
Goran Miljan (MA 2009, PhD 2016) Postdoctoral Research Associate, Department of History/The Hugo Valentin Centre, Uppsala University
Lovro Kralj (MA 2015), Doctoral Candidate, Central European University, Budapest
Stevo Đurašković (MA 2007), Assistant, Faculty of Political Science, Zagreb
Anita Buhin (MA 2012), PhD researcher, European University Institute, Florence
Saša Vejzagić (MA 2013), PhD researcher, European University Institute, Florence
Filip Novosel (MA 2012), Research Associate, Croatian Institute of History, Zagreb
Juraj Balić (MA 2015), Research Associate, Croatian Institute of History, Zagreb
Lana Krvopić (MA 2015)
Zrinko Novosel (MA 2015), External Associate, Croatian Institute of History, Zagreb
Katarina Kraljić (MA 2012)
Ida Ljubić (MA 2006), History Teacher, Zagreb Klara Volaric (MA 2014), Doctoral Candidate, Loughborough University, UK
Iva Jelušić (MA 2015), Doctoral candidate, Central European University, Budapest
Nikolina Rajković (MA 2012)
Arnela Alihodžić (MA 2002)
Tomislav Kevo (MA 2013)
CEU Department of Medieval Studies
Neven Budak (CEU Associate Professor 1995-2001), Professor, History Department, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb; Former Special Adviser for Research to the Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia; Former Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Damir Karbić (MA 1994, PhD 2000), Research Coordinator, Head of the Department of Historical Research of the Institute of Historical and Social Sciences, Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Zagreb
Gordan Ravančić (MA 1997), Senior Research Fellow, Assistant Director of the Croatian Institute of History, Zagreb, Croatia
Stanko Andrić (MA 1994, PhD 1998), Scientific Advisor, Croatian Institute of History, Head of the Department in Slavonski Brod
Ivan Jurković (MA 1995, PhD 2004), Professor, Department of History, Faculty of Humanities, Juraj Dobrila University of Pula, Croatia
Borislav Grgin (MA 1994), Professor, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb
Zoran Ladić (MA 1994; PhD 2002), Scientific Advisor, Department of Historical Research of the Institute of Historical and Social Sciences, Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Zagreb
Castilia Manea-Grgin (MA 1994), Senior Research Fellow, “Ivo Pilar” Institute of Social Sciences
Rozana Vojvoda (MA 2001, PhD 2011), Museum of Modern Art, Dubrovnik
Marina Miladinov (MA 1996, PhD 2003), Protestant Theology Program, University of Zagreb
Lovro Kunčević (MA 2003, PhD 2012), Researcher, Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts, The Institute for Historical Sciences in Dubrovnik
Zrinka Nikolić Jakus (MA 1998, PhD 2004), Associate Professor, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb
Trpimir Vedriš (MA 2004, PhD 2014), Assistant Professor, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb
Irena Benyovsky Latin (MA 1995), Scientific Advisor, Medieval Department, Croatian Institute of History in Zagreb
Ana Marinković (MA 2001, PhD 2013), Research Associate, Department of Art History, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb
Robert Kurelić (MA 2005, PhD 2013), Postdoc, Department of History, Faculty of Humanities, Juraj Dobrila University of Pula, Croatia
Luka Špoljarić (MA 2008, PhD 2013), External Associate, Department of Classics, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb
Kosana Jovanović (MA 2009, Medieval Studies), Teaching Assistant, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences University of Rijeka
Vedran Bileta (MA 2010), Doctoral Candidate, Central European University, Budapest
Mišo Petrović (MA 2015), Doctoral Candidate, Central European University, Budapest Kristian Bertović (MA 2014), Doctoral Candidate, Central European University, Budapest
Josip Banić (MA 2016), Doctoral Candidate, Central European University, Budapest
Igor Razum (MA 2014), Doctoral Candidate, Central European University, Budapest
Matea Laginja (MA 2015), Doctoral Candidate, Central European University, Budapest
Nirvana Silnović (MA 2014), Doctoral Candidate, Central European University, Budapest Ines Ivić (MA 2016), Doctoral Candidate, Central European University, Budapest
Sara Katanec (MA 2014, Medieval Studies)
Antun Nekić (MA 2015, Medieval Studies)
Marta Cuculić (MA 2014, Medieval Studies)
Franka Horvat (MA 2014, Medieval Studies)
Marija Krnić (MA 2014, Medieval Studies) PhD student, University of Warwick Judita Uremović (MA 2016, Medieval Studies)
Davor Salihović (MA 2016, Medieval Studies) Marino Kumir (MA 2016), Documentalist, Museum of Croatian Archaeological Monuments, Split
Mihaela Vučić (current MA student) Ante Vučić (current MA student)
Tea Hlača (current MA student)
Sanja Fritz (MA, Medieval Studies)
CEU Department of Economics
Ivo Bičanić (Recurrent Visiting Professor 1995-2008; Professor at the CEU Center for Southeast European Studies from the establishment until 2008), Professor, Department of Macroeconomics and Economic Development, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Zagreb Matija Jancec (MA 2007), Economist Amazon
Vanja Malašić (MA 2009), Senior Adviser, Agency for Mobility and EU Programmes, Zagreb
CEU Department of Legal Studies Dalida Rittossa (LL.M CCL 1999), Assistant Professor, Faculty of Law, University of Rijeka
Vlatka Butorac Malnar (LL.M IBL 2001, S.J.D. 2005), Assistant Professor, Faculty of Law, University of Rijeka
Davor Babić (LL.M 1999, Visiting Professor 2015-), Associate Professor, Faculty of Law, University of Zagreb
Ivan Novosel (MA HR 2013), Director of Programs, Human Rights House Zagreb
Matija Miloš (LL.M CCL 2012), junior faculty member, Faculty of Law, University of Rijeka
CEU Department of Political Science
Goran Čular (MA 1997), Assistant Professor, Faculty of Political Science, University of Zagreb
Neven Petrović (PhD 2006), Assistant Professor, Faculty of Philosophy, The University of Rijeka
Marko Grdešić (MA 2006), Assistant, Faculty of Political Science, University of Zagreb
Ana Balković (MA 2014), Researcher, Faculty of Political Science, University of Zagreb
Daniela Širinić (MA 2009, PhD 2016), Researcher, Faculty of Political Science, University of Zagreb
Nikola Baketa (MA 2011), Researcher, Institute for Social Research in Zagreb
Marko Kovačić (MA 2011), Researcher, Institute for Social Research in Zagreb
Vjenceslav Rupčić (MA 2016) Tamara Kolarić (MA 2009) Doctoral Candidate, Central European University, Budapest
Dijana Eraković (MA 2010) Doctoral Candidate, Philosophy Department, University of Rijeka
David Kukovec (MA 2016)
Leda Sutlović (MA 2008), PhD Student, University of Vienna
Melina Mohorić (MA, 2011)
Zorica Siročić (MA 2010), PhD Student, University of Graz
Ana Matan (MA, 1995) Assistant Professor, Faculty of Political Science, University of Zagreb
Marko Kukec (MA 2013), PhD Student, Humboldt University in Berlin
Milica Vučković (MA 2010) Teaching and Research Assistant, Faculty of Political Science, University of Zagreb
Ela Genc (MA 2014), Marketing director, Splendor d.o.o, Zagreb
Sanja Badanjak (MA 2006), Postdoctoral Research Fellow, School of Law, University of Edinburgh
Vedrana Baričević (MA 2007), Research Fellow, Faculty of Political Science, University of Zagreb
CEU Department of International Relations
Avis Beneš (MA 1997, IRES), The Kosovo Specialist Chambers, The Hague, the Netherlands
Sarita Bukovčan (MA 1997, IRES), Line Manager, Site Acquisition, Ericsson Nikola Tesla Servisi d.o.o.
Sanja Hajdinjak (MA 2010) Doctoral Candidate, Central European University, Budapest
Tomislav Leko (MA 2014, IRES)
Antonia Banović (MA 2014, IRES), OuiShare
CEU School of Public Policy (incl. former Department of Public Policy)
Ana Laća (MA 2011) European Parliament, Bruxelles, Belgium
Željka Tutić (MA 2011) Ministry of Finance, Republic of Croatia
Mario Munta (MA 2014), Doctoral Candidate, Central European University, Budapest
Karlo Kostanjevec (MA 2014)
Valentina Jug (MPA 2016-2018)
Gorana Mišić (MA 2011) Doctoral Candidate, Central European University, Budapest
Branimir Đukić (MA 2016)
Andrija Višić (MA 2015), Vaccines Europe, Brussels
CEU Department of Sociology and Social Anthropology
Drago Župarić-Iljić (MA 2007), Research Associate, Institute for Migration and Ethnic Studies, Croatia
Mihaela Bogeljić (MA 2010), Campaigner & Communications Officer, Greenpeace Croatia
Dona Danon (MA 2006), independent researcher and journalist at Ha-Kol, Jewish Minority Newsletter in Croatia.
Dražen Cepić (MA 2008), Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Zadar, Croatia
CEU Department of Gender Studies
Sandra Prlenda Perkovac (MA 1999 Department of History), Doctoral candidate, Central European University, Budapest
Josip Šipić (2005), Researcher, Institute for Social Research in Zagreb
Tihana Bertek (MA 2014)
Maja Gergorić (MA 2014), Program coordinator at Youth Organisation Status:M, Zagreb
Jana Kujundžić (MA 2014), Program coordinator at NGO Brave Phone, Zagreb
Tom Novak (MA 2008) Milja Špoljar (MA 2008)
CEU Department of Philosophy
Ksenija Puškarić (PhD 2010), Post-doctoral fellow, Seton Hall University, USA
Daria Vitasović (MA 2015), Doctoral candidate, Centre for Philosophy of Time, Universita degli studi di Milano
Nino Kadić (MA 2016)
CEU Nationalism Studies Program
Jelena Mitrović (MA 2008), Administrative Assistant, Faculty of Law, University of Rijeka,
Petra Jurlina (MA 2008, Nationalism Studies/Jewish Studies)
Viktor Ivanković (MA 2013), Doctoral Candidate at DSPS, Central European University
CEU Business School
Rasti Nikolić (BUS 2013) Washington DC Chapter Leader
CEU Department of Environmental Sciences and Policy
Antonia Bebić (MA 2016)
CEU Fellows, CEU Library Users, CEU Project Collaborators
Marija Karbić, Senior Research Fellow, Croatian Institute of History, Department of History of Slavonia, Syrmia and Baranya, Slavonski Brod
Suzana Miljan, Researcher, PhD, Department of Historical Research of the Institute of Historical and Social Sciences, Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Zagreb Željko Dugac, Scientific Adviser, Institute of History and Philosophy of Science, Department for the History of Medicine, Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Zagreb
Snježana Koren, Research Fellow, History Department, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb
Zrinka Blažević, Associate Professor, History Department, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb
Ivana Horbec, PhD, Senior Research Fellow, Croatian Institute of History, Zagreb
Tvrtko Jakovina, Full Professor, History Department, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb
Zdenka Janeković Römer, Scientific Adviser, Institute of Historical Sciences, Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Dubrovnik
Ljiljana Dobrovšak, Senior Research Fellow, Institute of Social Sciences “Ivo Pilar”
Marko Jerković, PhD, Senior Assistant, University of Zagreb - University Department for Croatian Studies
Robert Skenderović, PhD, Senior Research Fellow, Croatian Institute of History, Zagreb
Nenad Vekarić, PhD, Full member of Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Dubrovnik, Scientific Adviser, Institute of Historical Sciences, Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Dubrovnik
Ivana Lazarević, PhD, Research Fellow, Institute of Historical Sciences, Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Dubrovnik
Irena Ipšić, PhD, Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Dubrovnik, Croatia