The Hungarian parliament has passed a law tightening regulations for foreign universities operating in the country that will effectively close down Budapest’s Central European University, which is funded by Hungarian-American billionaire philanthropist George Soros. Whether it will succeed will depend on the legal challenge the university is planning to test the constitutionality of the law.
Diane Stone argues that the avowedly liberal university has become the latest battleground in the country’s “war of ideas” as the government consolidates state power by taking away the independence of public institutions and maximises the wealth and power of particular groups rather than serving the public interest.
|
A rally protests against a new law that could force the Soros-founded Central European University out of Hungary.
Laszlo Balogh/Reuters
Diane Stone, University of Canberra
The Central European University will challenge a law just passed by the Hungarian parliament that could force the closure of the school founded by billionaire philanthropist George Soros.
|
Environment + Energy
|
-
Cecilia Tortajada, National University of Singapore; Sanchita Talukdar, National University of Singapore
India is trying to clean up its water. But in arid, industrial Gujarat state, it will take a long time – and many more protections – for rivers and lakes to recover from decades of heavy pollution.
-
Vittoria Estienne, Max Planck Institute
New, fascinating observations about the behaviour of wild chimpanzees showed that they can apply a complex technique to access honey.
|
|
Politics + Society
|
-
Brett Edwards, University of Bath; Mattia Cacciatori, University of Bath
The use of chemical weapons will put even more pressure on fragile peace talks.
-
Camille Boutron, Universidad de los Andes
Colombia's FARC guerrillas are in the midst of a profound transformation. Do all members share the same vision for – and opportunities within – the group's political future?
|
|
Business + Economy
|
-
Mzukisi Qobo, University of Johannesburg
The best chance South Africa has of recovering from sub-investment grade credit rating status is to have leaders who are prepared to break rank with the small-mindedness of the ruling party.
|
|