The 49th EFOTT (National Meeting of University and College Students) recently concluded, with Széchenyi István University serving as the host. Held on the shores of Lake Velence in Sukoró, the festival provided a dynamic platform for the Győr-based institution to bring its academic offerings, student opportunities, and the unique Széchenyi campus experience closer to young attendees. This was accomplished through a street-like exhibition space and numerous engaging programmes and activities.

EFOTT is the country’s largest student-focused event and, over nearly five decades, has grown to become Hungary’s third-largest festival, all while maintaining its strong ties to higher education. A distinctive feature of the event is the Universum area, a separate section that for years has hosted exhibitions from universities, businesses, and civil organizations, along with venues for sports activities and a beach. This year, visitors to the Universum were immediately greeted by the presence of Széchenyi István University. The institution created a nearly 50-metre-long street-style setup lined on both sides with booths showcasing its educational programmes and corporate partners. The area also included the Jövőkép (Future Vision) stage, organized in collaboration with the National Conference of Student Unions (HÖOK) and the Student Loan Centre. This stage offered a variety of themed talks and presentations for attendees.

Part of the organizing squad of Széchenyi István University. (Photo: Kristóf Németh)

"When we submitted our application to become the host institution, it was clear that HÖOK and the EFOTT organisers envisioned this role differently from previous years. They wanted to give the main organiser more space and a more prominent presence. As a result, we let our imaginations run free and envisioned a significantly bolder setup. For the first time in the history of the Universum area, an entire section was uniformly dedicated to one university and its partners. We are proud to have been the first to be given the opportunity to present ourselves in this way at the festival, and we did our best to make the most of it," explained Gergő Lőrincz, Director of Services and Branding at the University.

The University brought the best of what it has to offer to EFOTT. At the joint exhibit of the Audi Hungaria Faculty of Automotive Engineering and the Faculty of Architecture, Civil and Transport Engineering, visitors had the opportunity to try out a 3D scanner and 3D printer. The Alumni and Wellbeing Centre, together with the Faculty of Health and Sports Sciences, offered a first aid demonstration, while the Albert Kázmér Mosonmagyaróvár Faculty and the Digital Development Centre focused on precision and drone technology. In addition, several student teams were present — including SZEnergy, SZEngine, the Arrabona Racing Team, SZEnavis, and the SZESE E-Sport division. Among the corporate partners represented were Audi Hungaria, E.ON, the Student Loan Centre, Waberer’s, and MÁV.

"We wanted to highlight the connection between sport and higher education, so we invited two of our outstanding athletes – swimmer Dalma Sebestyén and canoeist Kincső Takács – to take part in a discussion. We also held a presentation on the manufacturing technologies of the future, to give everyone an insight into the skills that future engineers will need. In addition, we addressed the topic of road safety. Financial awareness was also an important part of the programme," said Klaudia Söller, Head of the University Event Management Centre.

"Nearly sixty students from the Student Union, one hundred representatives from various University departments, and around one hundred and fifty from our corporate partners – in total, around three hundred people – contributed to making our presence as successful as possible. We also took part in organising the sport programmes. Our ice hockey team competed in a street hockey tournament, and students from the ETO men’s and women’s football teams joined us as well, offering festival-goers a chance to compete in a keepie-uppie contest," added Eszter Pajor, Project Manager at the Directorate of Services and Branding.

The University also came prepared with gifts for festival-goers: visitors to the SZE stand received sunscreen and canvas tote bags. Everyone had the chance to sample the University’s very own cheese and craft beer (Photo: András Adorján)

Even Balázs Hankó, Minister for Culture and Innovation, pulled a pint of Széchenyi University beer himself
(Photo: Máté Dudás)

Festival-goers could relive their childhood in a ball pit coloured in SZE’s signature shades (Photo: Alexandra Bakcsi)

We asked some of the University’s student volunteers how they experienced the festival. Dominik Kozelka, from the Albert Kázmér Faculty in Mosonmagyaróvár, was mainly responsible for logistics at EFOTT. “We have built a great team. We stayed even when we weren’t scheduled to be there, simply because we were enjoying ourselves with the Széchenyi crowd,” he noted.

Nikolett Orbán, a member of the Student Union’s communications committee, created videos for the University’s social media platforms during the event. She felt EFOTT stands out from other festivals of similar scale. “People here are mostly from our age group – mostly students – so I find it very easy to connect with others. It’s a great place to make new friends,” she emphasised. Barbara Tóth, a community organisation student, was responsible for several activities, including henna painting and mock festival weddings. “We set up our tents with the organisers around the same area in the campsite, which created a very warm, family-like atmosphere,” she said.

 

 

 

Gallery of the daytime programmes (Photos by András Adorján, Alexandra Bakcsi, Kristóf Németh)

Széchenyi István University provided free admission for registered staff members for the first two days of the event.

"I wanted to take advantage of this opportunity to relive the experience I once had as a student. Fortunately, some of my colleagues joined me, so we visited the festival together. I'm glad I could be part of it — it was an excellent benefit provided by the University," said Adél Gellén, who works at the University's HR Directorate and previously earned degrees in judicial administration and human resources consulting from the institution. "We tried to make the most of the evening programmes as well. Admittedly, we didn’t get very far, because the Halls of Residence Studio created such a fantastic atmosphere at the SZE Bar that we simply couldn’t tear ourselves away," she added.

 

 

 

Gallery of the evening programmes (Photos by András Adorján, Máté Dudás)

Benedek Németh, a recent graduate in Business Informatics, was pleased with the diversity of musical acts. "I play drums in a band myself, so I'm open to all kinds of music, and I was glad to see that the line-up was clearly geared towards young people. This truly is a festival for university students," he remarked.

Martin Weisz, an Electrical Engineering student at Széchenyi University, highlighted the daytime activities. "What makes EFOTT special is the chance to connect with other universities, companies, and civil organisations," he summarised. "I really enjoyed exploring the Universum area, and the Széchenyi street exhibit was absolutely impressive."