Dr László Vasa has been appointed the head of the Doctoral School of Regional and Economic Sciences at Széchenyi István University as of 1 March. Based on his publication performance, Dr Vasa is considered one of the leading economists in Hungary and internationally. Since 2018, he has served as a research professor at the institution, and in 2021, he was appointed a full professor. Additionally, Dr Vasa is the leading researcher and senior advisor at the Hungarian Institute of Foreign Affairs, maintaining exceptionally close relationships with numerous overseas universities. His primary research areas include Central Asia, the Caucasus, foreign trade, international agricultural economics and the economics of natural resources.

“My main goal is to increase the visibility of the doctoral school, strengthen its international relations, and enhance its scientific performance, making it more visible through scientific programmes and attracting international students. In my experience, doctoral students are an enormous resource: if we properly motivate them and provide adequate support and training programmes, they are capable of producing high-quality publications. This can be further facilitated by encouraging them to spend time at universities and research institutes abroad, thanks to the Pannonia Scholarship Programme. The network of connections available to them spans not only Central Europe but also extends from China to the United States," emphasized Dr Vasa.

He added that this could contribute to doctoral students conducting their research within international networks, and he plans to take advantage of the opportunities offered by visiting lecturers and researchers at the University. "The network of relationships this forms can have a positive impact on their entire careers, and through this, they can achieve research results that benefit not only themselves and the institution but also the entire region," he stated.

Dr Vasa also mentioned that in agreement with the University's leadership, he hopes as soon as possible to introduce a more flexible, less research-intensive Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) programme at the doctoral school. This programme would attract business leaders who wish to obtain a doctoral degree and later carry the University’s good reputation worldwide.

Professor Dr László Vasa, Director of the Doctoral School of Regional and Business Administration Sciences at Széchenyi István University