As part of a career orientation day, primary school students visited Széchenyi István University, where they participated in lab tours, lectures, creative workshops, and even a Chinese language class. Due to the significant interest, the institution has developed a comprehensive service package that school groups can register for, even as an enriching class excursion programme.

Széchenyi István University hosts numerous events targeting high school students who are about to choose their future careers. Within the framework of its “Path to Higher Education” programme, the University provides preparatory courses for admissions and training courses that award institutional points, assisting young people in their preparation. Furthermore, the University emphasizes the importance of being open to primary school pupils as well.

Through the services of the University Library and Archives, primary school students can get to know   Széchenyi István University.

“We have already welcomed children to several programmes, and we are seeing a significant level of interest in our institution even among primary school pupils. This year, we have hosted hundreds of students in our library classes. Seeing the increasing demand, we developed a service package that allows us to present the University's diverse and engaging activities in a way that is exciting even for younger students,” explained Csilla Tóth, Director of the University Library and Archives. She added that within this framework, students can not only attend library and archival activities but also get a glimpse into the operations of the University’s Road Construction and Materials Testing Laboratories and the Vehicle Industry Research Center, join University campus tours, and even attend a special language class. Plans include expanding partnerships to enable young students to discover the Győr Innovation Park, the Design Campus, the Faculty of Design and Performance Arts, the Digital Development Centre, the Architecture Studio House, and to participate in physics experiments and astronomy demonstrations.

According to Csilla Tóth, the Director of the University Library and Archives, University visits are popular among schoolchildren. (Photo: József Csaba Májer)

Recently, University staff organized a Chinese language lesson for the students visiting the Győr campus, in addition to library and lab tours. “Our University has a long-standing tradition of offering Chinese language education, and we even have students who started as complete beginners but have now passed their language exams. With this opportunity, we have opened another door for the people of Győr, offering a valuable service funded by our institution. Considering the economic significance of the 1.4 billion-strong population of China, the value of knowing the Chinese language has increased in the job market. As a result, we have launched five groups this year, with participants ranging from school pupils to university students and even retirees,” said Réka Orosz-Barczi, Head of the Language and Cultural Center and one of the instructors of the language courses.

She mentioned that during the career orientation day organized by the library, she taught a class for pupils who had not previously been introduced to the Chinese language. “We not only had discussions about the culture of the Far Eastern country but also explored many linguistic curiosities. The different characters are fascinating and exciting to the children, and we teach them in a playful manner. My goal was to spark their interest in the language, and for those who wish to pursue it more seriously, the University’s funded courses offer an excellent opportunity,” she emphasized.

Réka Orosz-Barczi, Head of the Centre for Language and Culture at Széchenyi István University, teaches children Chinese in a playful manner. (Photo: András Adorján)

The centre director highlighted that Széchenyi University has numerous educational and research collaborations with Chinese institutions, and the student community, which includes young people from about eighty different countries, has many Chinese members. She added that the interest in learning Chinese extends beyond Hungarian students to international ones, and the University’s extensive programme offers provide opportunities for young people to learn about each other's cultures and customs.