“Hungary’s economic performance is enabling the further development of the higher education ecosystem”, Minister for Innovation and Technology László Palkovics said in a speech at the academic year opener at Semmelweis University.

In his speech, the Minister emphasised that cooperation between all of the participants involved in higher education counts towards this task.

As he explained, as a result of the performance of the Hungarian economy, the government will be providing an addition 32 billion forints (EUR 96.6 million) in funding for research & development compared to the 133 billion (EUR 401 million) provided this year, and some of this funding will also be going towards higher education.

He explained that the Semmelweis University is a kind of trademark and brand name, which has come to symbolise the highest quality education and scientific performance.

He spoke about the fact that the goal of the Semmelweis XXI development project launched in January is to raise the institution to among the world’s top one hundred universities by 2030, and in the interests of achieving this goal the government is focussing on the further development of research and medical infrastructure, fine-tuning scientific university courses to job market requirements, reinforcing innovation and increasing the quality of patient care.

He indicated that the University had won 1.75 billion forints (EUR 5.3 million) for research and development and innovation at this year’s tender.

Mr. Palkovics said that in 2010, the government had inherited a “Bologna system that had been transposed without critique”, and a higher education system that was moving increasingly further away from job market demands and operating at low efficiency. The period between 2010 and 2014 was “the time of clearing away the debris”, after which the stabilization of universities began, the maintainer and financing structure was rationalised, the chancellery system was established, and the government introduced a host of measures to support those involved in higher education, including for instance a 40 percent increase in social student grants from September 2018, an increase in the number of state scholarships available for doctorate courses from 1300 to 2000, in addition to which, in comparison to the 2010 budget, the government is now spending an additional 606 billion forints (EUR 1.83 bn) on education.

The Minister also spoke about the fact that over 4600 scholarships have been awarded within the framework of the National Excellence Programme launched in 2016, and a New National Excellence Programme has been launched this year with a budget of 4 billion forints (EUR 12 million).

Rector Béla Merkely said the jubilee academic year was one of historic significance: “based on the knowledge of history-forming lecturers, the teachers and students of today will be able to form the healthcare of the future together”.

“Over a period of two hundred and fifty years, the Semmelweis University has grown to become an internationally outstanding higher education institution and a “proud flagship of medical and health science education, innovation and healing care”, the Rector said.

He said that 36 percent of Hungarian university students, 35 percent of health sciences students, and 34 percent of foreign students, a total of some 12 thousand students, attend the Semmelweis University, which has 3800 foreign students.

He highlighted the fact that Semmelweis University is ranked in the top 2 percent among the world’s 28 thousand higher education institutions, and according to the latest list published by Times Higher Education, was ranked 41st in Europe in 2019.

Mr. Merkely said his primary goal is for the institution to be among the top one hundred universities in the world and among the top five medical universities in Europe in its specific field within the next ten years.

At the event, Mayor of Budapest István Tarlós announced that to mark the anniversary, the Municipality of Budapest and the historic university will be extending the cooperation agreement they signed in 2011.

He told those present that in spring Budapest had been awarded the Best Travel Destination in Europe award by Brussels, and just a few days ago was ranked highly prestigiously by British weekly the Economist, and awarded the title of Most Liveable Eastern European Capital. He highlighted the fact that several of the criteria for these awards, such as stability, infrastructure, transport, environment and culture, are also clear indicators of the work performed by the city’s current leadership.

Mr. Tarlós said that in addition to practical cooperation and partnership, the extended agreement is also an expression of Budapest’s appreciation of the university, and accordingly in future, when the currently ongoing refurbishment is completed, the Clinics stop of the M3 metro will bear the name Semmelweis Clinics.

He emphasised that the municipality’s Budapest 2030 long-term city development concept and the Semmelweis University’s strategic plans support the achievement of common goals. “With its diverse and high-quality professional knowledge and its education methodology, the university will continue to provide assistance towards the Municipality’s plans and programmes in future, while the Municipality of Budapest will be striving to assist the Semmelweis University with its experience in the field of public services, information, and its network of contacts”, he said.

In future, the university will be providing professional support towards nursing tasks at old people’s homes that are maintained by the Municipality of Budapest, holding professional training courses and lectures for nursing staff and carers, and psychiatric and addictology lectures for the social workers employed in institutes for the homeless that are maintained by the capital, he indicated.

The Mayor said that as a result of cooperation between the capital and Semmelweis University, a  significant increase in the quality of services aimed at improving the quality of life of children, the elderly, the disabled, people living in poverty and the homeless is to be expected, to which the Municipality of Budapest will be paying heightened attention.

At the event, István Tarlós and Béla Merkely signed the agreement, in accordance to which the Municipality and the University will be cooperating within all fields that serve to further the development of Budapest and facilitate of the institution’s operations.

3302 students will begin their studies at Semmelweis University in the 2019/2020 academic year in Hungarian, English and German.

(Ministry of Innovation and Technology/MTI)