In an interview with public media on Tuesday, the Press Chief of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade stated that “The Hungarian Act on Higher Education does not impose unattainable requirements on foreign universities”.

Tamás Menczer said that “One indication of this is that the ambassadors of three of the four countries affected – China, Thailand and Malaysia – are in essence handling the new legislation as a technical issue, and none of the institutions involved have raised any objections to the Act”.

“In relation to the three American universities affected by the new legislation, negotiations with McDaniel College are progressing most positively. The institution’s leadership is cooperating fully and is adopting an attitude of partnership; the college is in compliance with the Act, and has a campus in the United States, in Maryland”, he added.

“Prime Ministerial Commissioner Kristóf Altusz is expected to travel to Maryland in the second half of June to discuss the future activities of McDaniel College in Budapest with local leaders”, Mr. Menczer said, stressing that a date for talks with New York State are also being finalised, and both parties are open to negotiations.

The third American institution of higher education affected by the Act is based in Boston, Massachusetts. According to the Press Chief, there has also been cooperation in this case, and the Ministry is in the process of identifying those people in the state leadership who the Commissioner needs to meet in order to discuss the issue.

With regard to cooperation between the U.S. federal government and the State of Hungary, Mr. Menczer said that the text of the legislation is clear: a statement of support and authorisation is required for American universities to operate in Hungary and Budapest.

“In the recent past the American and Hungarian governments have concluded three agreements on education, and accordingly, if the U.S. government supports the operation of American universities in Hungary it will inform the Hungarian government of this support via the usual diplomatic channels”, he added.

With regard to the CEU, the Press Chief stressed that the Hungarian government is also open to negotiations with the State of New York. “A message has been received from the Governor, Commissioner Altusz is happy to travel to the United States to meet him, and the parties are currently in the process of agreeing a date for that meeting”, he said.

“The legislation is clear: the conditions apply to all colleges and universities, and all institutions – including George Soros’s university – must comply with the provisions of the Act”, Mr. Menczer stressed.

The Dean of McDaniel College László Frenyó told public media that significant progress had been made on concluding a cooperation agreement between Hungary and the State of Maryland. The formal agreement has been drawn up, preparatory work in Hungary has begun, and Commissioner Altusz has already spoken with the Governor’s Office, he said.

The negotiations are in progress, and the Dean said that, as upcoming negotiations involving the Prime Ministerial Commissioner will have been preceded by detailed preparations, he thinks that no obstacles to the agreement will arise.

Mr. Frenyó said that he doesn’t think the U.S. federal government will prevent the parties from conducting bilateral negotiations on the issue.

When asked whether the conditions laid down in the new legislation can be met, Mr. Frenyó said that in his institution’s case the issue is simple, as it is the Budapest campus of an institution which has stable operations in the United States.

The critical question, the Dean said, is what kind of agreement can be concluded with the federal government, adding that in his view the parties involved will soon resolve this issue. The federal government has no objection to the Hungarian government coming to an agreement with individual U.S. states, Mr. Frenyó added.

According to the Dean, the institutions involved must certainly be treated as representing added value. The culture of education in the United States is different to that in Europe, Mr. Frenyó said, and although this does not necessarily mean that it is better, it does add value to the system. He stressed that the institutions in question must continue to exist and operate, because they add diversity to the Hungarian higher education system.

In reply to a question on whether the autumn deadline provides sufficient time to solve the issue, the Dean said that this is dependent on the will of the parties involved, and an institution itself cannot act alone.

Mr. Frenyó said that he feels both parties are approaching the issue in a spirit of goodwill, however, and are striving to find a satisfactory solution.

“If a solution is found to the question of how exactly to begin negotiations with the federal government, there can be no obstacle to the Budapest institution continuing to operate as a sister campus of McDaniel College”, Mr. Frenyó told reporters.

(Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade/MTI)