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George Soros inaugurates the campus of the University of Central Europe in Vienna

Vienna today inaugurates the campus of the Central European University in the presence of its founder, the American-Hungarian billionaire, George Soros. The University had to leave Hungary, where it was installed and transfer its activities in the Austrian capital.

This English-speaking institution, known as the CEU, has existed since 1991 in Budapest, founded by financier and philanthropist George Soros, a regular target of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's speeches. The CEU, recognized as a university of excellence, awards, among other things, recognized diplomas in the United States and has trained over a quarter of a century more than 16,000 students from around a hundred countries. It is an institution that had to leave Budapest after a long standoff with the government of Viktor Orban. And it is in Vienna that the University has chosen to transfer its activities. A move that will run until 2025 and will cost, according to the CEU, more than 200 million euros.

The Austrian capital welcomes this university with open arms

Vienna, which is both a municipality and a Land led by the left, is delighted to host such a prestigious university. This year, 600 students will attend both courses in Vienna and Budapest but as soon as next academic year, most of the courses will be transferred to the Austrian capital. As of 2020, the school will offer new courses in addition to those already in existence and is currently discussing possible research partnerships with other universities in Austria.

This is a new start for the CEU, which says it does not give up Budapest. At a press conference last October, University President Michael Ignatieff explained that research activities should continue and that conferences could also be organized. According to him, " capitulating to Orban and his government is simply not an option ".

The University, become a symbol

George Soros is regularly attacked by Viktor Orban and his supporters in Hungary but also by nationalists and conspirators around the world. This is the case of the FPÖ in Austria. Last year, while the far-right party was in power alongside the conservatives, one of its members Johann Gudenus had declared that there were " rumors based " that George Soros would support " migrant flows to Europe ". But today the FPÖ is no longer in power and the one who is likely to become chancellor again, the conservative Sebastian Kurz, himself received the American billionaire last year. George Soros is again hosted today in the Austrian capital for the inauguration of the campus, which will include the Minister of Education and the Mayor of Vienna.

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