The Hungarnet Association held the 34th edition of Hungary’s most prestigious conference on computer networks and IT applications in higher education, public education, research, and public collections. This year’s Networkshop took place between 13–15 May and was hosted by Széchenyi István University, which plays a leading role in IT education.

Organised in cooperation with Pro-M Zrt., Széchenyi István University and the HUN-REN Hungarian Research Network, the aim of the Networkshop conference was to provide a platform for experts in the field to review international development trends and directions in the sector.

“Over the course of the three-day event, participants can attend ninety-four presentations in six thematic sessions, as well as eleven plenary lectures, six poster presentations, two mini-workshops and two tutorials,” said Dr József Tick, President of the Hungarnet Association, in his opening remarks. He added that the presenters are offering a near-comprehensive overview of developments in computer networks and their applications, as well as the digital transformation achieved in higher education, research, and public collections. In addition, they provide an in-depth look at the latest achievements of the Hungarian IT sector.

Dr József Tick, President of the Hungarnet Association, welcomed the participants of the conference (Photo: Bettina Korinek)

Dr Ferenc Friedler, Rector and Vice President for Scientific Affairs of Széchenyi István University and Chair of the Conference, stated in his welcome address that this is the fourth time the University has hosted the event. He highlighted that the institution’s achievements are reflected in student success stories, such as the results of the SZEnergy Team, which builds electric vehicles. “Our young people break world records year after year at Europe’s largest energy efficiency competition, outperforming teams from the continent’s most prestigious technical universities. Their performance is not only due to the high quality of our education but also to the teamwork of students from a wide range of disciplines,” he emphasised. He added that Széchenyi University aims to provide well-prepared professionals in every academic field it represents, including informatics, to meet the challenges of the modern era.

Dr András Levente Gál, mentor of Networkshop and patron of the conference, joined the opening ceremony online. He noted that while the achievements of artificial intelligence and digitalisation are indeed impressive, it is equally important to focus on the human element. “This conference has paid attention to this balance since its inception, as technology is ultimately only a tool. The goal is to cultivate happy, successful individuals who take responsibility for themselves – both in higher education and in research systems,” he said. He remarked that the host institution, Széchenyi University, is a key knowledge hub in the region, providing highly skilled professionals in various fields to the country.

Networkshop is a prestigious forum for ICT professionals (Photo: Bettina Korinek)

In his presentation, Csaba Gódor, Deputy State Secretary for E-Government and Electronic Communications at the Ministry of Energy, reflected on the journey of the ICT sector and described in detail how its sectoral governance has evolved. He specifically addressed the network consolidation strategy formulated in 2023, in which Pro-M Zrt. will play a key role from 2025. “Beyond these initiatives, the Ministry is also engaged in infrastructure and IT network capacity-intensive projects such as the Digital Citizenship Programme. The success of these efforts greatly depends on the experts whom this conference also targets,” he underlined.

Csaba Gódor, Deputy State Secretary at the Ministry of Energy, gave a presentation on the development and current state of the sector (Photo: Bettina Korinek)

Dr Ferenc Balla, CEO of Pro-M Zrt., praised the significance of the event and highlighted that Networkshop has followed the evolution of digitalisation in Hungary from its earliest steps. He noted that while in the 1990s people were only just becoming familiar with computers, today life is almost unimaginable without smart devices. “No other field has experienced such explosive development as infocommunication,” he stressed. He added that education and R&D continue to receive special attention in the context of network consolidation as well.

Following the opening ceremony, the programme continued with presentations focusing on the development and impact of artificial intelligence in virtually all areas of life, changes taking place on the internet, and the digital transformation of research, public collections, higher education and public education. The three-day event was further enriched by the “Without Barriers” sensitisation programme of the HUN-REN Institute for Computer Science and Control, where participants had the opportunity to experience navigating with a guide dog on the University’s Győr campus.