"THE UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY CAN DEFINE ITS OWN VISION"

"The positive effects of the University of Miskolc's foundation operation are already visible, for example, thanks to the fact that it is once again among the world's top 450 universities in the category of Engineering", said Dr. Judit Varga, President of the Universitas Miskolcinensis Foundation and Minister of Justice, who was interviewed by Nord-Magyarország.

Interviewer: You are the chairman of the board of trustees of the Universitas Miskolcinensis Foundation, which maintains the University of Miskolc. Are the benefits of the foundation already visible nationally? What are they?

Dr. Varga: The foundation allows the university community to define its own vision for the future. It is not an easy task, since it has to compete not only in the higher education sector, but also for industrial and corporate partnerships and joint research grants. Funding for foundation universities is based on a framework agreement, with part of the funding provided by the state linked to performance. We have to meet strict performance indicators, such as continuous improvement of our international ranking, active participation in research, and research activities with real added value.

Interviewer: How is the University of Miskolc doing in this respect? 

Dr. Varga: I am happy to say that in the category "Engineering Sciences", the University of Miskolc was again ranked among the world's top 450 universities by the British Quacquarelli Symonds ranking of higher education institutions this spring, and this promotion has given the institution quality support under the funding contract with the Hungarian state. For generations of Hungarian technical intellectuals, the University of Miskolc is one of the most patriarchal alma maters, and decades of work have created an educational culture that has made the University of Miskolc a centre of national economic importance. In this context, tradition has value, but tradition is not "stagnant water".

Interviewer: How much renewal is needed?

Dr. Varga: Everywhere we look, we find that there is no tradition without renewal. But innovation had to be reflected in the institutional structure. With a knowledge base, the institution can strengthen its own competitiveness. This autumn, the University of Miskolc was invited to a national exhibition focusing on manufacturing and automation as one of the "most innovative universities" in the country. It is an assessment that honours our achievements, which inevitably come with a lot of work.

Interviewer: What role can the University of Miskolc play in the development of the region?

Dr. Varga: It has an important role to play in the development of the region, in training young people, in training workers and in serving the needs of industry. For this reason, the Office for Regional Development of the Prime Minister's Office has concluded a strategic partnership agreement with the university, under which the institution participates in the elaboration of the region's strategic development concept and programmes and in the opinion and evaluation of the programmes prepared.

Interviewer: What do you think about the fact that you a language certificate is no longer needed to get a degree?

Dr. Varga: Language skills are of paramount importance. Not only because of the increasing number of English-language bachelor's and master's programmes available at the University of Miskolc, but also because of the international environment in which our students can study. They can participate in international research projects, scholarships and study abroad, and the number of international students is constantly increasing. There is also an English language club at the University of Miskolc and a separate Language Teaching Centre, where students can attend free courses twice a week. Foreign language skills are a priority. The University's management is expanding language training with intensive courses and targeted preparation for internal professional language exams. Students need to be able to use the language during their training, and the University of Miskolc wishes to strengthen this training opportunity for students.

Interviewer: - Will having a language exam be worth extra points for admission in the future?

Dr. Varga: Yes, it will.

Interviewer: The salary of university lecturers increased both last year and the year before. What can they expect this year?

Dr. Varga: The Board of Trustees of the Foundation, together with the management of the institution, is unanimous in its view that high performance is based on quality work, delivered by talented, motivated and committed staff who contribute to the quality of the university. To ensure safe operation and in line with the University's business strategy and objectives and the long-term interests of the organisation, we have implemented a uniform 10 per cent increase in basic salaries from 1 January 2023.