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Boston Globe
6 days ago
- General
- Boston Globe
What's happening to Harvard happened in Hungary first
Shattuck, currently a professor of the practice of diplomacy at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, has deep experience in and knowledge of politics, diplomacy and academia. In the 1980s, he was a vice president at Harvard, responsible for the university's relations with government, and taught at Harvard Law School and the Kennedy School. He was an assistant secretary of state for democracy and human rights in the Clinton administration, served as the US ambassador to the Czech Republic, and from 2001 to 2009 was chief executive of the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation. In 2009, he became the fourth president of Central European University in Budapest, which was founded by billionaire philanthropist George Soros in the heady days after the Soviet Union and communism collapsed, with an ambitious mission to help revive academic freedom in eastern Europe. Advertisement Shattuck's tenure as the president of CEU coincided with that of Hungary's prime minister Viktor Orban, the authoritarian whom Trump has described as his favorite European leader. The As Vice President JD Vance put it, when it comes to reshaping higher education, 'I think his way has to be the model for us.' Advertisement Shattuck said Orban's attacks on universities in general, and CEU in particular, was in keeping with his populist ideology. 'His principal appeal was to a rural constituency, an anti-elite appeal,' Shattuck said. 'The elites were in Budapest. They were running the universities.' Because Hungarian universities rely on government funding, Orban was able to control them with relative ease. Privately funded by the Hungarian-born Soros, a bogeyman in right-wing circles whom Orban accused of importing left-wing ideology, CEU presented a more difficult challenge. While the Trump administration has framed its 'He certainly didn't do everything at once the way Trump has been doing,' he said. 'Orban did this over a number of years. He didn't use a series of executive orders. He used various pressures from accrediting agencies. As time went on, it became clear he wanted to shut down parts of the university.' In CEU's case, Orban demanded action in three specific areas of academic disciplines: he wanted to abolish gender studies, end the study of immigration issues, and to dramatically alter the way the Holocaust was taught. Shattuck said gender studies and research into immigration conflicted with Orban's vision of Hungary as a Christian nation. Orban rose to power as a vocal opponent of immigration, especially that from Muslim nations. 'Most disturbing,' Shattuck said, 'was that Orban began to characterize the Holocaust as having been caused by outside forces in Germany whereas history and scholarship demonstrated quite clearly that Hungarian participation in the Holocaust was local, not imposed by Hitler. You can imagine how controversial that was.' Advertisement One of Shattuck's earliest clashes with Orban was over CEU's Institute of Advanced Study, a post-graduate program in collaboration with other universities. The Hungarian government had supplied a building for the program, but the Orban administration abruptly ended that. 'They made it clear they wanted to shut it down. We wanted to keep it,' Shattuck said. 'But there were no government funds used, so the institute continued.' A few months later, Shattuck said, he was summoned to the education ministry, where he said officials told him if he didn't shut the program he would be accused of stealing state assets. But there were no state assets involved, and the Obama administration intervened, asserting that the US government backed CEU's autonomy and independence. But if CEU won that battle, the war continued. To hold off Orban, CEU tried to emphasize its value to Hungary. Shattuck said school provided a platform for diverse points of view, including ministers from the Orban government. 'We explained the economic value of the university to Hungary, taking no taxpayer dollars in our case,' he said. 'We increased the number of Hungarian students. We worked with other Hungarian universities.' But, Shattuck said, he drew a red line. 'If they wanted to work with us, fine, but we would not allow the government to make or mandate academic decisions,' he said. 'So we defended gender studies, immigration studies, history.' Harvard President Alan Garber is trying to draw a similar red line as the Trump administration tries to dictate the university's business. Shattuck said he has talked to Garber, offering advice to him and other Harvard officials framed by his experience with the Orban government. Advertisement He gives Garber high marks for 'He's reforming and changing the model, the way Harvard operates, providing broader access and diversifying the political opinions of faculty. These are things a university can and should do,' Shattuck said. 'My advice has been, draw the red line and stick with it. But also be very reasonable about ways to operate the university in the community. He (Garber) is doing that. Once the government starts making decisions about what can be taught and learned and discussed, that's when we've crossed into an authoritarian world.' In Hungary, despite CEU's best efforts, Orban kept up the pressure, eventually Shattuck doesn't believe Harvard will be forced to relocate to another country in its showdown with the Trump administration. But he said it's important that other universities and civil society in general stand in solidarity with Harvard and academic freedom. He notes that 'Two things to say about rising authoritarians,' Shattuck said. 'The only way to defeat them is to come together, and bring together people who are otherwise competitors. The second thing is to take Maria Ressa's advice.' Paraphrasing Ressa, the Filipino journalist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Shattuck said: 'You have to stand up now, because now is when your strength is greatest.' Advertisement Kevin Cullen is a Globe columnist. He can be reached at


GMA Network
21-05-2025
- Business
- GMA Network
Vision Express partners with 3 universities to help train, develop optometry students
Eye care brand Vision Express has partnered with three universities to further develop and train optometry students in the country. According to a statement on Wednesday, the company donated 200 pairs of frames and 1,000 pieces of contact lenses to Centro Escolar University (CEU) in Manila, Lyceum Northwestern University (LNU) in Pangasinan, and Southwestern University (SWU) PHINMA in Cebu to be used by Optometry students in classrooms. CEU Optometry Clinicians Club president Jamie Oo noted that the initiative would allow optometry students to further their learning experiences and develop their skills with the use of provided resources. 'Our future colleagues are giving us a helping hand and investing in our growth today,' Oo said. Meanwhile, Vision Express said that they aimed to 'shape the minds and sharpen the skills' of aspiring Filipino optometrists with the donation project. — Jiselle Anne C. Casucian/BM, GMA Integrated News

Associated Press
29-04-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
iCIMS to Host Virtual Event Empowering Recruiters to Drive Strategic Change and Define Future of Recruiting
Register for iCIMS Next on June 17 to earn CEU credits HOLMDEL, N.J., April 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- iCIMS, a leading enterprise hiring platform, is hosting iCIMS Next, a free virtual user conference for global customers and talent acquisition professionals, on June 17. The event is designed to help the modern recruiter lead through this new era of work, where change is constant and technology innovations are rapid. Attendees will leave with cutting-edge strategies and best practices that can elevate their impact with iCIMS. The half-day event will include expert-led sessions from iCIMS customers, industry analysts from The Hackett Group and Lighthouse Research & Advisory, as well as iCIMS executives. Sessions will showcase strategies for scaling hiring, embracing innovation and leading through change. Attendees who join live will be eligible to earn SHRM and HRCI Continuing Education Unit (CEU) credits. 'Recruiting is undergoing a seismic shift with AI, evolving regulations and business demands rewriting the rules of talent acquisition,' said Nikki Grigsby, chief customer officer, iCIMS. 'These continuous changes call for fearless leadership, so we're empowering our global community to flex their skills and embrace this era as architects of change. With bold strategies, creative thinking and conviction, we're building a future where recruiters and technology move in lockstep to drive hiring success and strategic impact.' Highlights from the agenda include: Live attendees of iCIMS Next can also explore two breakout tracks led by iCIMS executives, customers and partners. Attendees will have the option to learn how they can shape the future of talent acquisition as change agents and lead AI transformation, and elevate their everyday impact with practical, day-to-day techniques. Register for iCIMS Next and join the event live to earn SHRM and HRCI CEU credits. Registrants will have access to on-demand sessions post-event. About iCIMS, Inc. iCIMS empowers organizations to attract, engage, hire and advance the right talent that builds a diverse, winning workforce. iCIMS accelerates transformation for a community of nearly 6,000 customers, including 40% of the Fortune 100, that collectively employ more than 33 million people worldwide. For more information, visit Contact Carlee Capawana Director of Corporate Communications, iCIMS [email protected] 9089476572 View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE iCIMS, Inc.

Miami Herald
08-04-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Amber Book Hosts Free Live Webinar: Alec Yuzhbabenko, AIA, Shares Bold Urban Design Insights From Atlantic Park
Learn actionable strategies for creating vibrant, sustainable spaces with Amber Book's new CEU catalog. BLACKSBURG, VIRGINIA / ACCESS Newswire / April 8, 2025 / Amber Book, a leading AIA-approved provider of continuing education (CE) for architects, invites architects and design professionals to a live CEU webinar featuring Alec Yuzhbabenko, AIA, Design Principal at Hanbury. This free event will occur on April 16, 2025, at 2 p.m. EDT, and participants will explore the evolution of a bold new urban design concept. Register now. As a recipient of the AIA Virginia Emerging Professional Award, Alec brings a community-focused approach to architectural innovation. In this 60-minute AIA-approved webinar, he will share insights from his work on the Atlantic Park development in Virginia Beach-a vibrant public destination featuring a wave park, music venue, and public green spaces created with support from Pharrell Williams. Participants will gain practical knowledge on: Overcoming complex site urban and natural elements to promote health and well-being through biophilic sustainable mixed-use projects that resonate with local culture. Event Details Live CEU Webinar with Alec Yuzhbabenko Topic: Atlantic Park: A Hybrid Mixed-Use TypologyDate/Time: April 16, 2025 | 2 p.m. EDT[Register Now] Quotes Alec Yuzhbabenko, AIA, Design Principal at Hanbury:"Atlantic Park is a human-made ecosystem-an interweaving of various building typologies that merge into one dynamic, multi-block urban neighborhood. It is not just a place, but a cultural organism, shaped by the DNA of what came before it, and reimagined for the future. Something unexpected, yet deeply familiar," said Alec Yuzhbabenko, AIA, Design Principal at Hanbury. "I'm excited to partner with Amber Book to reflect on my personal journey, share the design thinking, and propose how we can reshape the dialogue between people, nature, and the built environment." Matt Young, AIA, Director of Product at Amber Book:"This partnership with Alec Yuzhbabenko exemplifies Amber Book's commitment to delivering fresh perspectives from some of today's most compelling architectural voices," said Matt Young, AIA, Director of Product at Amber Book. "Our goal is to deliver engaging continuing education, like this free webinar, that centers around practical, real-world applications - empowering architects to tackle the challenges they face with greater knowledge and inspiration." About Amber BookAmber Book is a professional education company specializing in innovative learning experiences for architects and design professionals. Committed to advancing licensure success and professional growth, Amber Book offers flexible, self-paced learning with visually engaging, interactive content with real-world applications. As a leader in Architect Registration Exam® preparation and continuing education, Amber Book empowers architects at every stage of their careers-from licensure preparation to lifelong learning. With over 39,000 learners enrolled, over 1,000 firms partnered, and an average ARE® 5.0 pass rate of 81 percent, Amber Book is a trusted resource for architects and architecture firms. For more information, visit Amber Book is part of the Career Certified family of educators. Learn more at