Around 400 students started their studies at the Albert Kázmér Mosonmagyaróvár Faculty of Széchenyi István University in September. This year, the number of first-year students has grown by nearly 65 percent, building on last year's 43 percent increase. This surge occurred despite the fact that programme entry thresholds remained unchanged or, in many cases, they were even raised. Students were welcomed at the Faculty's opening ceremony, where prestigious awards were also presented.

Speaking at the ceremony, Dr Tamás Tóth, Dean of the Faculty, said that the predecessor of the Faculty opened its doors 206 years ago as Europe's first agricultural institute of higher education, a fact of which they are justly proud, but they are equally proud of the present. “By mastering state-of-the-art knowledge, automated solutions and precision tools, and by taking advantage of a multidisciplinary approach, project-based education, our own Smart Farm and the synergy of our corporate networking background, we let our graduates go home with their diploma in their hands, thus asking them to serve the Hungarian agricultural and food production and to stay in eternal alliance with the Albert Kázmér Faculty of Széchenyi István University in Mosonmagyaróvár.”

The former students received their honorary diplomas at the opening ceremony of the Albert Kázmér Mosonmagyaróvár Faculty of Széchenyi István University.
(Photo: András Adorján)

The Dean also welcomed the former students of the Faculty: "Fifty, sixty, seventy or even eighty years ago, farmers graduating from their alma mater in Mosonmagyaróvár, with pen in hand, mostly used analogue tools and then desktop computers to manage their professional work, while today's young farmers are building Hungarian agriculture using tablets, touch pens, smartphones, sensors, drones and automated tools, using data-based and precision technologies", he said. He also added, “In the past, and still today, it was and is only possible to carry out effective professional work with the right professional knowledge and practical experience”.

The first-year students were sworn in and became citizens of the University (Photo: András Adorján)

Dr Mariann Bodó, Honorary Notary of Mosonmagyaróvár, said in her welcome speech that tens of thousands of people have graduated from the institution over the past two centuries, and have brought the good reputation of the city to the whole country and the world. He encouraged the young people to get to know Mosonmagyaróvár as an open, welcoming and lovable city, because they are now part of the life of the city, not just of the university.

Before the students took the oath, Dr Eszter Zsédely, Vice-Dean for Educational Affairs, presented the "Farmer's Bible", which was given to each first-year student as a gift and which summarises in a nutshell everything a farmer should know about the life of the institution. Zsolt Kovács-Csomor, President of the Association of Óvár Farmers, also welcomed them. "Although the world changes, some things are eternal. And that is the atmosphere of the University, the spirit that makes an institution a true alma mater," he said. He added that it was the joint responsibility of past and present students to continue to enhance the reputation of the faculty.

The Dean welcomed an Honorary Doctor of Széchenyi University, retired Minister Dr Frigyes Nagy, who recently celebrated his 85th birthday. He graduated as an agricultural engineer in 1961 in Mosonmagyaróvár. He served as Minister of Agriculture from 1996 to 1998, and was the founding president of the Association of Óvár Farmers from 2004 to 2012.

On the occasion of his 85th birthday, Dr Frigyes Nagy was greeted by Dr Tamás Tóth, Dean of the Faculty. (Photo: András Adorján)

It is a long-standing tradition of the opening ceremony of the academic year in Mosonmagyaróvár to present honorary diplomas to agricultural engineers who graduated decades ago, in front of the students starting their studies. This year's special event was the presentation of a sapphire diploma to Dr Miklós Bercsényi, who received his diploma 80 years ago, in 1944. On behalf of the honorary graduates, Dr Antal Szabó, an agricultural engineer with a gold diploma, thanked the institution and welcomed the first-year students. 

Dr Miklós Bercsényi received his diploma in 1944 and his sapphire diploma in 2024 in Mosonmagyaróvár (Photo: András Adorján)

As the final act of the ceremony, on the recommendation of the General Assembly of the Association of Óvár Farmers, the Antal Wittmann Award was presented to former Dean of the Faculty, Dr Éva Szalka, and Dr Rezső Schmidt, Professor Emeritus. The prize is awarded in recognition of the work of farmers from Óvár who have set an example to others through their professional activities and their role in public life, and who have been outstanding in the cultivation of farming traditions.