Hungarian
USAf’s visit to Hungary culminates in the signing of a MoU
At the beginning of April, the Hungarian Rectors' Conference welcomed a delegation from Universities South Africa (USAf), who spent a week on a study trip to learn about the Hungarian higher education system, its institutions and possible forms of cooperation.
Led by Professor Francis Petersen, the USAf Chairperson and Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Pretoria, the USAf delegation was from 14 public universities, and comprised eight vice-chancellors, senior directors of universities’ research and internationalization portfolios, one deputy vice-chancellor, one Chief Operations Officer, the Executive Leadership of the National Research Foundation (NRF), and two USAf officials including the Director of Operations and Sector Support, Mr. Mahlubi Mabizela.
The delegation members visited several Hungarian universities and gained a detailed insight into the structure, research directions and international relations of the Hungarian higher education system. During the visits, they were hosted by Semmelweis University, Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME), Corvinus University of Budapest, Obuda University, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences (MATE) and Eszterházy Károly Catholic University.
One of the most important milestones of the event was on the 1st of April, when Semmelweis University hosted the 1st Hungarian-South African Rectors' Forum. The forum was a rich and substantive exchange of views on the structure and characteristics of the Hungarian and South African higher education systems, the objectives of internationalization strategies, the impact of digital technology transformation on education and learning, and the future directions of research and innovation. Particularly inspiring were the speeches of two South African postgraduate students studying in Hungary, who spoke about their own experiences in the Hungarian higher education system. During the forum, the leaders of the HRC and USAf presented existing cooperation between Hungarian and South African universities and identified new opportunities.
During the week, the delegation also visited the Hungarian Parliament, where they met the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly. The meeting focused on science diplomacy, knowledge transfer and strengthening the global role of universities. The parties reaffirmed the importance of bilateral relations in higher education and expressed their willingness to deepen long-term strategic cooperation.
The week-long visit of the South African delegation to Hungary is a milestone in the history of higher education relations between the two countries. The institutional visits, the Rectors' Forum and the formally confirmed cooperation agreement are clear signs of mutual openness and commitment to cooperation. The Hungarian Rectors' Conference is confident that the joint work now launched will contribute to the promotion of academic excellence, student and faculty mobility and innovation in the long term - not only in Hungary and South Africa, but also in the international higher education sector.
Photo credits: Bálint Barta - Semmelweis University
Photo credits: Judit Sárai - University of Óbuda
