The faculty, under the name EuroFaculty, was (like the CBSS) established by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs (MFAs) in the enthusiastic atmosphere surrounding the regained independence of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.
However, the CBSS as well as the EuroFaculty were decided upon without subsequent parliamentary approval, and without an official legal status, thus being, broadly speaking, based on the personal friendships which developed among MFAs during the fight for freedom of the Baltic states.
The idea about creating a “Euro-faculty” was saved by the personal engagement of Franz Peter Küpper from the European Commission, who guided the EuroFaculty to obtaining EU support in the first years.
It was also helpful that the German contribution came through Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst, (DAAD), which was efficient as donor due to its position as (relatively) independent of political changes.
However, Arild Saether was caught up in a Sisyphus fight with the many-headed donor corps composed of national states, which, good in will, but weak in action, made his job feel impossible to cope with and to implement, and consequently he decided to leave office.
The Danish economist Gustav N. Kristensen subsequently became director of a mature and successful EuroFaculty, which in spite of financial difficulties would reap the fruits of systematic work during many years.
A major reason for the success of the EuroFaculty was the fascination in Western Europe and America for the three Baltic states and the enthusiasm surrounding their regained independence.