State power grab threatens autonomy of Hungary's leading arts university

The Hungarian Government has stripped the management of Hungary’s University of Theatre and Film Arts of its powers, depriving it of its right to decide on budgetary, organisational and personnel issues. Parliament passed a law earlier this year transferring the ownership of the state-run theatre school to a private foundation, and the government has now appointed five trustees to the board, rejecting members proposed by the university. The management team has resigned, as have several leading theatre directors who had teaching positions there.