South East European University

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South East European University

Universiteti i Evropës Juglindore Универзитет на Југоисточна Европа
University's logo
Type	Private-public nonprofit university
Established	2001; 23 years ago (2001)
Rector	Abdylmenaf Bexheti[1]
Students	1,849 (2018–19)[2]
Location	Tetovo , North Macedonia 41°59′09″N 20°57′40″E / 41.98583°N 20.96111°E / 41.98583; 20.96111
Campus	Tetovo and Skopje
Website	www.seeu.edu.mk

South East European University (SEEU), informally also known as the Max van der Stoel University, is an internationally recognized private-public nonprofit higher education institution established upon initiative of OSCE's High Commissioner on National Minorities Max van der Stoel and is located in Tetovo, North Macedonia, with a branch campus in Skopje.^[3]

The university is an associate member of the European University Association^[4] and the Balkan Universities Network,^[5] and a member of the International Association of Universities.^[6]

In the early 1990s, Dutch diplomat Max van der Stoel, who was then OSCE's High Commissioner on National Minorities, became involved in efforts to resolve the issue of Albanian-language study at the university level, between Macedonian and Albanian political leaders. Albanians protested against the failure of the Macedonian state to provide Albanian-language study in universities. Two public universities, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University of Skopje and St. Clement of Ohrid University of Bitola, only offered courses in the Macedonian language. In 1994, an illegal Albanian-language university was established in Tetovo, which led to increased tension between Macedonians and Albanians. With Van der Stoel's efforts, a compromise solution was reached between Macedonian and Albanian political leaders. On 25 July 2000, under recommendations of OSCE, the Macedonian parliament adopted a Law on Higher Education, which permitted the establishment of private universities in the languages of the minorities.^[7] It resulted in the establishment of the university in Tetovo in 2001.^[8][9]

South East European University (SEEU) offers courses and programmes leading to internationally recognized higher education degrees at bachelor, master and doctorate levels in several areas of study.^[10][11]

Study programmes are offered in three languages: English, Albanian and Macedonian.^[8]

The university is constituted of seven faculties:^[12]

• Law^[13]
• Contemporary Social Sciences^[14]
• Business and Economics^[15]
• Languages, Cultures and Communications^[16]
• Contemporary Sciences and Technologies^[17]
• Health Sciences^[18]
• Technical Sciences^[19]

South East European University (SEEU) has a selective admission policy based on students' previous academic record and grades.^[20][21]