First diplomas for students in the "Emergency Exit" cooperation program

In her welcoming speech, Rector Elisabeth Gutjahr spoke of a "historic moment" and thanked the Hungarian colleagues and students for their courage and commitment to democracy. The President of the Senate of the Mozarteum University, Christoph Lepschy pointed out that the " solidarity in this cooperation is mutual and that we urgently need such alliances in view of the endangerment of democratic values in Europe. " "Emergency Exit" is a cooperation between Freeszfe (former students and teachers of the Budapest University of Theatre and Film Arts (SZFE)) and five European universities (University Mozarteum Salzburg, Academy of Performing Arts Baden-Württemberg, Aleksander Zelwerowicz Theatre Academy Warsaw, Accademia Teatro Dimitri and Film Academy Vienna (mdw)). The aim of the program is to promote international cooperation of students and to enable SZFE students to graduate from other European universities after the autonomy of the university was destroyed by a so-called "model change"  and its decision-making powers were taken over by a board of trustees close to the government. The Freeszfe Association then made it its mission, in cooperation with other European universities that recognize students' previous achievements, to enable students and teachers to continue studying together even after leaving SZFE and to obtain an official European degree at the end of their studies. The "Emergency Exit" initiative was also awarded the European Citizens' Prize of the European  Parliament in July. Since 2008, the prize has recognized initiatives that contribute to European cooperation and the promotion of shared values. The prize goes to individuals or organizations that promote mutual understanding and closer integration between people in the EU, cross-border cooperation that creates a stronger European spirit, and initiatives that value the EU values  contained in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU. On October 13, the cooperation between Freeszfe and the Mozarteum University will continue in a series of workshops at the Thomas Bernhard Institute, where students from Salzburg and Budapest will work together.