The place Where Cultures Meet

“One of our central projects of international dimensions at hand is to expand the Faculty’s foreign network by conducting negotiations with Brazilian and Argentinean universities," says Dr. Ferenc Pál, Vice-Dean for International Affairs, Faculty of Humanities, ELTE.

Unlike any other university in Central Europe, the Faculty of Humanities of Eotvos Lorand University offers some of the best academic courses in a staggering 60 foreign languages. “While a great deal more can be said about the scholarly excellence of Hungary’s top-ranking faculty, it is undeniably our motley selection of foreign language programs that has appealed to a growing number of students from all corners of the world,” says Dr. Ferenc Pál, Vice-Dean for International Affairs, who has been committed to further strengthening the Faculty’s diverse and wide-ranging network of international relations. “In addition to a multitude of Erasmus students arriving from EU member states, our Faculty boasts a unique mix of foreign students, especially from European countries (Cyprus, Portugal, Russia and others), South America, Pakistan and some African countries, who engage in full- or part-time studies at our institutions at BA, MA and PhD levels,” adds the Vice-Dean, who is positive that there will be a substantial increase in the ratio of Far Eastern and South American students in the near future. It seems all the more plausible as the foreign language departments of the Faculty are in constant scientific dialogue with the universities and research institutions of the target cultures.

Visits

Equally important is the fact that the objectives of the Faculty are devotedly endorsed by the Hungarian embassies and consulates throughout the world. “One of our central projects of international dimensions at hand is to expand the Faculty’s foreign network by conducting negotiations with Brazilian and Argentinean universities. Dr Csaba Polyi, Hungary’s Ambassador to Brazil, and Dr Pál Varga Koritar, Hungarian Head of Mission in Argentina are going to undertake preliminary talks with perspective partner universities. If all goes according to plan, the co-operation with the new institutions can start as early as this autumn,” comments the Vice-Dean.
“One of our recent initiatives was to sign an agreement for a joint degree programme with the Faculty of Humanities of the University of Florence. We are proud to say that our participation in the Erasmus Mundus student mobility, launched by the University of Bologna, has greatly contributed to the Faculty’s international recognition. Also, central to our carefully elaborated strategy is the future establishment of Departments of Hungarian Language and Literature at Harbin Normal University (China), and the Faculty of Philology “Blaze Koneski” University of the Ss. Cyril and Methodius University (Skopje),” says the Vice-Dean, who is always on the lookout to establish the best possible connections with foreign institutions. Introducing other languages and cultures to the students has always been among the Faculty’s top priorities. Cultural institutions, such as the Budapest Language Centre of the Portuguese Camoes Institute, the Galego Language Centre, the Inter-university French Centre or the Confucius Centre, aim to complement the academic and educational work of the Faculty with their diverse cultural programs.

Flourishing as our international relations may appear, Professor Pal was not hesitant to add that the Faculty’s effectiveness in building and maintaining close ties with foreign institutions and diplomatic missions is also attributable to the Faculty’s excellent management and the know-how of an actively functioning public relations team. “Dean Tamás Dezsõ, who gave an interview to the previous issue of DT, and I myself are particularly content with the large number of well-qualified foreign students applying to our Faculty. It is also refreshing to see that an increasing number of high-ranking foreign politicians and dignitaries have paid a visit to the Faculty (Mongolia, Estonia, India, São Tomé and Príncipe) with the aim of fostering advancement in the field of education and strengthening the educational relations between Hungary and the countries they represent,” concludes the Vice-Dean.