The acting students herald a so-called experimental school republic.

There is growing resistance from students and professors to the reduction of the autonomy of the University of Theater and Film Arts (SZFE) due to the government’s decision to continue the university as a foundation under Attila Vidnyánszky. More and more world-famous artists are joining the solidarity movement around SZFE, but the Vidnyánszky family is not expanding. You can follow the latest developments in the SZFE scandal in our article series.

The Student Self-Government of the University of Theatrical and Cinematographic Arts, as well as the leaders and professors of the university, held a press conference on Monday morning in front of the institution’s building on Vas Street.

László Upor, the vice-rector of SZFE who left at the end of September, began by starting the school year according to the rector’s decision last week. At the same time, the protests continue and they do not renounce their previous demands. The university community continues to insist on autonomy. He also said that they are promoting a pilot school republic whose activities will include traditional educational units, closed and open courses and actions that reflect the situation of the university.

We are an open, free, constantly changing university and we want to continue like this, ”said Upor.

Eszter Novák, a university professor, spoke after the deputy rector. She said they would open a school year marked by an epidemic and an attempted forced march and forced model change. She said there were certainly three things missing from the process: experience, integrity, and humanity. The government, through Gergely Gulyás, said that the university’s affairs were not its responsibility. The head of the Ministry of Innovation, László Palkovics, also said that it was not his responsibility, but Novák also added that the head of the board of trustees must do the same. Who should we send a message to? I ask.

Viktor Orbán is asked to go back in time and listen to university leaders, students and artists. He also listens to the 400 artists who called for a fair trial for the university before the decision was made. Hear the message of the resigned Senate in defense of autonomy, ask legislators to create autonomy guarantees in the Higher Education Law. She also asked the prime minister to suspend the patronage of the foundation that maintained the university and to start over.

One of the student representatives spoke about maintaining the blockade, not accepting new leaders and decisions made above them. He also said that they would establish a republic out of the traditional framework of education. “The currency of the republic will be the ‘occupation’ that everyone can decide how to use. The classic units of education, closed and open courses, creative actions and social reflection, or work in the organization of a community will be equally valuable activities ”. He said.

He also added that his job is to seize the tools at his disposal and reinterpret what is the stage, the camera, the light, the curtain, the scenery, the costumes, the puppet, the applause in the auditorium, and his own voice. . “Because by its very nature, art is a mirror of the current system – it is definitely current.”

He also said that his republic was an attempt to create together in the spirit of academic freedom, without the ties of institutes, careers and classes.


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