Effective August 1, Széchenyi István University has assumed the management of the Győr Dance and Visual Arts Primary School, Vocational Secondary School and Dormitory. This transition presents numerous advantages, aligning the institution's training portfolio closely with the University's Faculty of Performance Arts' existing design programmes and the Dance and Rehearsal Director bachelors programme offered in cooperation with the Hungarian Dance University.

Over a year ago the community of the Győr Dance and Visual Arts Primary School, Vocational Secondary School and Dormitory initiated the request, seeking to come under the University's management. The proposal received overwhelming support from the teaching staff, employees, parent-teacher association, and student council. Following this, the University's Senate unanimously agreed to the takeover, which was subsequently approved by the Ministry of Interior based on the professional arguments presented jointly by both institutions, effective from 1 August.

"Our entire school community unanimously agreed that this change opens new opportunities for us. Most importantly, by building on the University's existing design and dance programmes, we can now offer our students a comprehensive career model from primary and secondary education through to higher education and a degree. As a result, supplemented by the inclusion of musicians, we can become part of an artistic hub that is unparalleled in the region. We also aim to maintain our good relationship with the Apáczai Csere János Faculty of Pedagogy, Humanities, and Social Sciences, which has frequently provided exhibition space for us, while we have served as a training site for their teaching candidates," explained Tibor Derczó, the school's principal. He expressed gratitude to the University's leadership and staff, as well as the previous managing body, the Győr District Education Centre, for ensuring a well-prepared and seamless transition. "It is crucial that our school retains its character, all its programmes and its staff," emphasized the principal.

With around 300 students, the school offers a variety of educational programmes. In the primary school, lower grades focus on ballet specialization, while upper grades and vocational school students (grades 9-12) receive classical ballet training. Additionally, for students in grades 9-13, the secondary school provides contemporary modern dance and various visual arts courses — including graphic design, painting, film and animation, and sculpture.

Concert Exam at the Győr National Theatre for Students of Győr Dance and Visual Arts School

Dr Zsolt Kovács, Vice President for General Affairs and Education at Széchenyi István University, emphasized that taking over the high school significantly advances their strategic goal of establishing a university that provides high-quality education and substantially contributes to the region's development. "The school's entire training portfolio aligns closely with our Faculty of Performance Arts' design programmes—such as graphic design, industrial design, and architecture at both undergraduate and master's levels—as well as the dance and rehearsal director bachelor's programme offered in partnership with the Hungarian Dance Academy. As a result, we can offer students new opportunities, including a higher education career model and access to the modern infrastructure at our Design Campus in the Győr Science and Innovation Park. Additionally, we can facilitate teacher and instructor mobility between the school and the University, which will contribute to their professional development and the enhancement of educational standards. Our goal is the continuous development of the school to establish it as the regional centre for education in the arts," he detailed.

The Vice President highlighted that the University has extensive experience in managing educational institutions. Since 2016, they have been responsible for the Öveges Kálmán Primary School, which plays a significant role in the high-quality teacher training at the Apáczai Csere János Faculty of Pedagogy, Humanities, and Social Sciences. In recent years, the school has undergone substantial professional and infrastructural development. Similarly, the Szent-Györgyi Albert Health and Social Vocational School, closely linked to the Faculty of Health and Sports Sciences, and the Veres Péter Agricultural and Food Industry Vocational School and Dormitory, aligned with the Albert Kázmér Mosonmagyaróvár Faculty's profile, are both operating successfully and continuously evolving.