SEEU celebrated its 14th anniversary

On Friday, 20 November 2015, South East European University (SEEU) marked the 14th anniversary of its establishment in the presence of the Minister of Education and Science of Macedonia, Abdilaqim Ademi; the Minister of Justice of Macedonia, Adnan Jashari; the Mayor of the Municipality of Tetovo, Teuta Arifi; Rectors from collegial universities; business representatives; the Head of the OSCE Mission, Nina Suomalainen; the French Ambassador, HE Laurence Auer; students and many other guests.

During the celebration of this jubilee Prof. Dr. Michel Bourse was awarded the title Honorary Member for his contribution to quality enhancement at the University.
The President of the Board of South East European University, Prof. Dr. Dennis Farrington, spoke about the importance of this day for the University.

“We are what Max van der Stoel, the former High Commissioner for National Minorities of the OSCE, said we should be: open to everybody and forward-looking. We are identified in the Law on Higher Education as a private-public not-for-profit university, and Max van der Stoel’s request for some government funding, first made in 2002, was answered last year, and very welcome that response was”, said Prof. Dr.Farrington.

The Minister of Education and Science, Abdilaqim Ademi, said that South East European University represents an institution of public interest for the state, on the basis of quality criteria and standards, irrespective of its ownership status.

“Financial support is a sign that the Government and MES evaluate the work and the vision that this university has in increasing standards in higher education and I express my unreserved support for the optimization of higher education in Macedonia”, said Minister Ademi.

“We were gratified to see the University expand and open up a branch campus in the capital: already it is proving to be highly conducive to supporting the University’s inclusiveness and attractiveness to all communities, thus safeguarding its unique model and history”, said the Head of the OSCE Mission in Skopje, Nina Suomalainen.

The SEEU Provost, Andrew Goodspeed, while presenting the candidate for honorary member of the University, noted: “For us Michel is the Frenchman on the Campus--lunch time is a 'must', and he is always ready for endless discussions and always makes them as positive as possible. He is a man who was so devoted to driving that he set off by car all the way from France only to have to turn back somewhere in the former Yugoslavia when we cancelled his interview during the 2001 conflict. Finding a mountain road from Elbasan to Korca through Gramsh, he decided to take it without hesitation. He is definitively a larger than life figure in many respects, an alumnus of the French spirit of '68, and a man who never wore a tie.”

The Laureate and Honorary Member, Prof. Dr. Michel Bourse, said that he was very honored with this title.

“As a conclusion I may say that staff and students can be proud to be SEEU members and must feel happy to be part of this huge project. I firmly believe that SEEU as an institution has achieved so much on so many issues. I am firmly convinced that despite problems SEEU is an excellent and successful project”, said Prof. Bourse.

For the artistic part of the ceremony the Choir of Tetovo was engaged, as was a well-known quartet from Skopje.