Information for Current Students

Dear CEU Undergraduate Students,

Following a series of discussions with students, faculty and administrators from the CEU Business School, I am writing to provide further clarification about the present situation and plans for the future with regard to undergraduate education at CEU.

Since its creation less than 20 years ago, CEU has become an innovative institution promoting a new model of education, combining successfully academic excellence and civic commitment, a regional base and a global reach. The university chose a specific institutional model to support these ambitions: the model of the U.S. graduate school. CEU?s profile as a graduate, research-intensive university is reflected in the fact that, at present, we offer about 40 degree programs at both the master?s and doctoral level, and only two undergraduate programs, both in the area of business management education. The decision to start the two undergraduate programs was taken at the proposal of the management of the Business School. As you may know, CEU established a Business School by integrating a pre-existing institution, with its own specific characteristics.

As the university is contemplating to move into a new period of growth and development, the Board of Trustees came to the conclusion that the graduate school model is the exclusive model to be followed in the future. The Board decided that CEU should strengthen its profile as a graduate institution and disengage progressively from its undergraduate activities. As a consequence, no new students will be enrolled in our two undergraduate programs, beginning with the next academic year.

I understand that there is some concern among students and alumni about the value of your degrees and about the level of institutional commitment towards currently enrolled students and alumni. To dispel these concerns, I would like to clarify the following:

• It is normal practice in any university to discontinue degree programs. CEU itself has discontinued a number of degrees in the past, outside the Business School. The formal value of those degrees and the value attributed to them by outside employers were in no way affected.
• The value of the diplomas already awarded or to be awarded to students graduating from these two undergraduate programs will not be affected in any way by the decision to discontinue them. The diplomas are not delivered by an "undergraduate department" of the Business School (such a department does not exist), nor by the Business School itself. Your diplomas will be awarded by Central European University, as in the cases of all other students graduating from CEU, in all of our other departments and schools. CEU is here to stay, and the value of your degrees, once again, is guaranteed by CEU.
• As explained above, the decision to disengage from undergraduate activities at CEU is linked to a strategic option regarding the institutional model to be followed. I would like to make it clear that the quality of the two undergraduate programs was not a factor in this decision. The Board and the administration appreciate that both programs provide excellent academic quality. I was pleased to hear that students share this assessment.
• The Board of Trustees and the management of the university are committed to ensure that all current undergraduate students will continue to benefit from a high-quality educational environment, including high-level instructors and efficient administrative structures and processes until their graduation. Moreover, I have instructed my colleagues in the CEU administration to pay special attention to strengthening the existing administrative capacity, or creating new capacity where necessary, to facilitate transition to a successful post-CEU career of our graduates. More specifically, CEU will pay special attention to integrating Business School students, in particular undergraduate students, in our career advising activities and, after graduation, in those activities aimed at providing services to alumni, including networking with other CEU alumni and friends of CEU. You will receive separately more details about ongoing efforts in this area.

Let me also say that I understand fully that many current and former students are unhappy about the fact that their degree program is being discontinued. I very much appreciate the considerate, mature and constructive manner in which the students have approached this situation, as reflected, for example, in the petition I have received a couple of days ago. I remain personally committed to making sure that this process proceeds as smoothly as possible, with transparent and timely communications. I would like to thank those undergraduate students who took the time to explain to me their concerns. Together with my colleagues in the central administration, we remain open to discuss with you any additional concern or proposal that you may have.

With best wishes,
John Shattuck
President and Rector
Professor of Legal Studies
Central European University

Adult Education Registration Number: 01-0516-04
Institutional Accreditation Registration Number: AL-0515