Palkovics noted that Hungary was the only country apart from German-speaking states to offer a “full cycle of education in German” from kindergarten to university. Andrássy University focused on education in its first twenty years, while “research, innovation, and development will be in its focus in the next twenty,” the minister said.

Palkovics noted that in 2021 some 30,000 Hungarians were employed in R&D, twice as many as earlier, adding that 1.6% of Hungary’s GDP was spent on the sector, twice as much as in 2016.

He also pointed to the crucial position of German firms in the Hungarian economy, which in turn could increase the university’s role in vocational training.

Zoltán Pállinger, the rector of the university, said that Andrássy was a European pilot project, “an international university in Budapest with a strong European focus”.

He said the university was committed to its purpose of “serving as a bridge between old and new European Union states, between theory and practice, between university and labour market, a bridge within the scientific community and between citizens”.


MTI Photo: Zoltán Máthé