In their letter sent on Thursday, the senators, led by Connecticut Democratic Senator Chris Murphy, expressed their concern over the amendments to the higher education act recently passed by parliament, saying that the new law threatened academic freedom in Hungary.

The senators stressed that the CEU plays an important role in developing cultural and academic relations between Hungary and the US.

They said the CEU had become one of the highest-ranked universities in Europe and had brought prestige and new opportunities to Hungarian citizens.

“Instead of shutting down academic institutions that expand bilateral relationships, we should be working together to strengthen them and expand their accessibility,” they wrote.

The senators also expressed concern that the law would put at risk academic institutions in Hungary in general.

They said the amended higher education law included exceptions that would apply to the other 27 international universities in the country “so that in the end it applies solely to CEU”.

Republished with permission of Hungary Matters, MTI’s daily newsletter.