(JTA) — A private university founded by philanthropist George Soros opened a new campus in Vienna.
The Central European University had to leave Budapest last year after the government of Prime Minister Viktor Orban passed legislation last year that made it impossible for the university to remain in Hungary. The law passed in April 2017 made it impossible for the university to issue American-accredited degrees.
Soros said Friday during the official opening that his charitable foundation will commit $830 million to the university.
Founded by Soros in 1991 and chartered in the US state of New York, the liberal university that has attracted students from some 100 countries around the world was a threat to Orban, who is a nationalist.
Orban routinely decries the Hungarian-born Soros, a Jewish billionaire philanthropist, as a sinister interloper in terms some have described as anti-Semitic.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
