Viennese university excluded from Erasmus programme due to links with Hungarian government

Austria's Modul University, which came under the 90% ownership and maintenance of Matthias Corvinus Collegium (MCC) in 2023, has been dropped from the Erasmus exchange programme, an exceptional move in the history of Austrian universities, writes Austria's Der Standard, as highlighted by the Academic Employees Forum.

The decision comes after the European Commission and the Council of the EU imposed a funding ban on Hungary at the end of 2022, which means that universities run by Hungarian public interest trusts cannot participate in EU-funded programmes.

According to the EU objections, the foundations' conflict of interest rules are inadequate, posing financial and corruption risks.

As a result, Modul University is not eligible for EU Erasmus funding, as the owner of the institution, MCC, is one such organisation.

However, the measure affects not only Erasmus grants, but also Horizon Europe research grants, which have also been frozen for the university.

As soon as the Austrian Agency for Education and International Affairs (OeAD) became aware of the change of ownership, it immediately suspended the approval of new grant applications for the Modul University. According to Ernst Gesslbauer, the programme director, financial support for students to study abroad will continue to be provided, but this will no longer be from EU funds. The university's management considers the decision unlawful and unacceptable and will take all possible steps to have the sanctions changed or lifted.

The Hungarian government recently tried to settle the Erasmus issue with the European Commission last December, but the newly proposed conflict of interest rules were deemed insufficient by the Brussels body. They complained that the Hungarian cabinet had split the rules and would have introduced stricter rules only for institutions receiving EU funds.

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