This year the welcome event was even more special, as the Stipendium Hungaricum Scholarship Programme celebrates its 10th anniversary with a series of events. More than 150 new scholarship holders took part from various universities both from the capital and the countryside. Freshmen were welcomed with the encouraging words of Miklós Lengyel, Deputy State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, who officially opened the event. After his speech, Gábor Dobos, the Director of the Directorate for Internationalisation of Higher Education, Tempus Public Foundation welcomed the new scholarship holders and highlighted the international relevance of the Stipendium Hungaricum Scholarship Programme.
The speeches were followed by the presentation of the Stipendium Hungaricum Student Excellence Award, which was given to those scholarship holders who have achieved outstanding academic performance and contributed the most to the development of the Stipendium Hungaricum community. This year was the first time for presenting the Hungarian Excellence Award for students who studied on a full-degree program in Hungarian language or completed a preparatory course in Hungarian. The awards were presented by Miklós Lengyel and Gábor Dobos.
After the lunch break, students were assigned to smaller groups and had the chance to take part in an intercultural workshop and an interactive Hungarian Folk Dance show. Both programmes offered a great opportunity for the participants to meet and get to know other scholarship holders from various countries and universities.
Straight after the welcome event, the three-day-long International Conference of Stipendium Hungaricum Partners commenced, where the representatives of the SH partner countries, diplomatic missions, and the Hungarian higher education institutions came together from all around the world and took part in various workshops, presentations, and round table discussions.
The international volunteers of the Alumni Network Hungary were also present both at the welcome event and at the conference. During the breaks freshmen could have the chance to meet and network with them. Read their insights below:
Craig V. Jonson
“This program is indeed a success story as it achieved so much within a short 10-year period, particularly when it comes to its rapid growth in student placements and sending partners, as well as the continuous development of the Alumni Network Hungary, for example. As a volunteer of this network for almost 2 years now, I am very motivated to continue contributing and giving back by helping to further develop this network and the broader SH program.”
Lucky Peter Kenda
“It was a great privilege for me to participate in the SH conference and workshop. I want to say thank you to Stipendium Hungaricum and all its partners for giving Nigerians the opportunity to study in Hungary. This has given us access to quality education and lots of experience with the people and their culture.”
Hikmat Hasanov
“I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the SH conference and share my experiences as an alumnus. Despite the virtual setting, the conference provided a platform that allowed me to showcase the adaptability of my work within the scholarship program, emphasizing the unique aspects of the Azerbaijan-Hungary Alumni Union (AHAU). Participating in the conference sparked new ideas, particularly regarding the potential for AHAU to serve as a model for other alumni unions. The virtual format did not hinder our ability to connect with coordinators, sending partners, and the embassy.”
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