South East European University

South East European University (SEEU), informally also known as the Max van der Stoel University, is a private-public nonprofit higher education institution. It was 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.

The university is an associate member of the European University Association and the Balkan Universities Network, and a member of the International Association of Universities.

Background and foundation

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. It resulted in the establishment of the university in Tetovo in 2001.