At first glance, it might seem like an additional requirement, but the "Mathematics 0" course introduced by Széchenyi István University in several degree programmes from the spring semester serves to fill gaps in fundamental numeracy skills, thereby facilitating successful completion of foundational and professional subjects. Essentially, the institution offers free tutoring to students, allowing them to earn their degree in three and a half years with greater confidence, without incurring extra costs for themselves or their families. 

As part of its curriculum development reforms, Széchenyi István University has launched new learning support courses to assist students in meeting university requirements. One of these is "Mathematics 0," designed to teach the basic mathematical skills required in fields such as engineering, IT, and economics.

"Completion of the subject is compulsory in all but one of the engineering, IT and economics programmes, but anyone who scores at least 50 per cent in the assessment at the beginning of the year has already completed the subject. The test consists of sub-tasks from the intermediate secondary school-leaving exam, such as solving first and second-degree equations, operations with brackets and fractions. It provides a mirror for students: those who did not do well are made aware of their shortcomings. It is very important that these are filled in, because without them - according to the experience of our colleagues in the department over many years - they would certainly not be able to complete the ‘Mathematics 1-2-3’ courses, but would probably find it extremely difficult or impossible to complete their professional subjects later on. In ‘Mathematics 0’, we improve the necessary basic skills in ten topics. Those who attend the classes - which are guaranteed to be free of appointments for first-year students - and prepare regularly have a good chance of passing the end-of-semester final exam, for which we offer two opportunities. We organise it in such a way that after a successful ‘Mathematics 0’ they can also write the ‘Mathematics 1’ midterm examinations and final examinations; we are convinced that the latter are easier to complete after "Mathematics 0", summarised Dr Zoltán Horváth, Dean of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Informatics and Electrical Engineering, Head of the Department of Mathematics and Computational Sciences.

"Mathematics 0 is actually a free service of the University to help students catch up. It also provides not only mathematical knowledge, but also a way of thinking, especially necessary in technical disciplines, which can be mastered to complete professional subjects as smoothly as possible. This is good for students in two ways: they can get their degree sooner and more confidently, and they don't have to spend their own money or their parents' money on extra lessons. Instead, they can prepare together with their fellow students within the University, and they can ask their teachers questions after class," explains Dávid Vályi Nagy, President of the University Student Union.

Dániel Biczi, a second-year Tourism and Catering student, completed the "Mathematics 0" course last semester. "I'm not naturally strong in mathematics, so I struggled in the initial assessment. However, with the help provided throughout the spring semester, I acquired the necessary skills. I attended the preparatory classes, practised the exercises available on Moodle, and progressed steadily. By the time the midterm exam came, I passed easily with a good grade," he shared. Biczi praised "Mathematics 0" for its ability to help students catch up, noting that continuing studies without the proper foundation wastes time for both students and teachers. He added that although "Mathematics 1" was challenging at first, the content from "Mathematics 0" was perfectly aligned with its requirements, allowing him to apply the knowledge immediately.

For Dániel Biczi, a Tourism and Catering student, the "Mathematics 0" course was a great help in making up for his shortcomings