For the tenth time, the Tempus Public Foundation, which coordinates the Erasmus+ programme in Hungary, has recognised the most outstanding Erasmus+ projects with an Award for Excellence at a recently held ceremony in Budapest. Széchenyi István University also received this prestigious award for its successful international mobility project.

In keeping with a nearly decade-long tradition, the Tempus Public Foundation, responsible for coordinating the programme in Hungary, recognised the best Erasmus+ projects at a grand award ceremony. At the recently held “New Opportunity, New Perspective” event in Budapest, participants had the opportunity to meet the representatives of the Foundation’s partner organisations as well as the implementers of the award-winning projects. Széchenyi István University’s Centre for International Programmes and Alumni also received an Erasmus+ Award for Excellence for its outstandingly successful higher education mobility project.

The Centre’s Mobility and Scholarship Unit launched the project with the aim of increasing student and staff mobility following the downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. “The level of success is evident in the fact that, in cooperation with nearly one hundred partner institutions, we implemented more than 400 inbound and outbound study, professional, teaching and skills development mobilities through joint courses, workshops and seminars based on international cooperation,” explained Márta Mészáros, Head of Unit.

“Thanks to the programme, participating students and teachers not only gained professional knowledge but also had the chance to familiarise themselves with different cultures and enrich their international networks,” she added. The project enabled mobility programmes with 26 countries within and outside Europe, with the most popular destinations being Spain, Romania, Italy, Portugal, Germany and Thailand. The high quality of the initiative was ensured by the significant overachievement of participant targets, the facilitation of study recognition, and the inclusion of students with fewer opportunities.

The Erasmus+ Award for Excellence for Széchenyi István University’s Centre for International Programmes and Alumni was received by Márta Mészáros, Head of the Mobility and Scholarship Unit, from Dr Károly Czibere, President of the Board of Trustees of the Tempus Public Foundation, and Richárd Bodrogi, Director-General of the Foundation. (Photo: Tempus Public Foundation)

The award-winning initiative of the Centre’s staff not only contributed to increasing the University’s international visibility and expanding foreign collaborations but also greatly supported the strategic objectives of Széchenyi University. “We have expanded our partner network, increased the number of international students and lecturers, and developed our English-language programme offerings. Perhaps most importantly, we have strengthened our international academic and training collaborations. We have built a sustainable network of relationships that will continue to provide mobility opportunities for students and staff in the future,” detailed Márta Mészáros.

The Head of Unit emphasised that winning the award is important feedback for them, as it confirms that their project has achieved outstanding results in the fields of mobility and international cooperation. “The recognition reflects not only the hard work of our Centre’s staff but also the success of our University’s international ambitions and its commitment to quality,” she stated.

The success of the project was greatly contributed to by the colleagues of the Mobility and Scholarship Unit. Pictured: Ildikó Nagy, Márta Mészáros, Kinga Kerpics and Kinga Kocsis. (Photo: András Adorján)

This year’s award ceremony and conference, organised by the Tempus Public Foundation, focused on digitalisation. Alongside the presentation of the Awards for Excellence, the event featured roundtable discussions and presentations. Topics included the relationship between international partnerships and digital innovations, competencies gained through international experiences, institutional changes brought about by Erasmus+ projects, and digital education. Representing Széchenyi István University, Márta Mészáros took part in the roundtable discussion titled “On the Road: From Mobility to Internationalisation,” where participants discussed the benefits, importance, impact and future plans related to mobility.

Thanks to Széchenyi István University’s award-winning project, several hundred young people have gained international experience.