Project proposals for the future

The Bridge Student and Lecturers' Club, which was renovated this year and is located on the Győr campus, in the embrace of the River Mosoni-Danube, hosted a ceremony on Saturday to give  participants an overview of the environmental, developmental and sustainability opportunities opened up by the river's water level regulation.

Széchenyi István University's Bridge Student and Lecturers’ Club was packed for the event.
Dr László Palkovics, Minister of Technology and Industry, during his presentation.
(Photo: MTI/Csaba Krizsán)

On behalf of the host, Széchenyi István University, Dr Erzsébet Knáb, Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Széchenyi István University Foundation, thanked the government, members of parliament and experts for the recently completed Gönyű estuary project, which has restored water to the riverbed. He then stated that Szigetköz and Csallóköz are Europe's largest land deltas, a unique asset, and the conservation and development of this landscape of unparalleled beauty is only possible through comprehensive thinking, through the implementation of plans that build on and complement each other.

"That is why we are proud that our institution is a key player in the Insula Magna complex water management and sustainable development programme, which is part of a cross-border European partnership, where our researchers, together with our partners, have developed project proposals that will determine the future of the region. These will enable the Szigetköz and Csallóköz to become a world-class model development area, using innovative methods and nature-based solutions," said Dr Knáb.

Exploiting opportunities in a sustainable way

Minister of Technology and Industry, Dr László Palkovics said, "The vision of the Insula Magna programme is to make the ecosystem of this region like it was in the early 1800s, but with a different functionality. The Minister stressed that this land delta is a wonder in the world and its potential should be exploited in a sustainable way, whether in sports, tourism, innovation or research. He stressed that the programme is supported by the European Union and the Hungarian government, and there is excellent cooperation with the Slovakian side in this field, with "absolute political support" from the neighbouring country.

The minister also said that one of the MTI's central activities is to contribute to technology, and the other is to develop industry, as the way in which a country develops is not a matter of indifference. "That is why this also includes environmental protection and climate policy," he noted.

Sándor Széles, Government Commissioner of Győr-Moson-Sopron County, said that the fact that the water level of the Moson-Danube is now adequate is a decisive development for Győr, but that there are still challenges for Hungary. He underlined that with three or four artificial reservoirs, the Old Danube basin could become the largest freshwater reservoir in Hungary, which would bring with it the "smart development" of agriculture, tourism and industry.

On the Insula Magna programme, he pointed out that researchers from Széchenyi István University, together with their partners, had used state-of-the-art scientific methodologies to identify development opportunities that could be breakthroughs for the region in the next five to ten to fifteen years. "If we can keep working together, and if we have the government behind us, the Szigetköz will be even more beautiful, even more exploitable and we will find even more treasures," he said.

Imre Pintér-Péntek, President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Győr-Moson-Sopron County, presented the concept they have developed, called the Big Blue Island, which aims to develop Szigetköz by focusing on family, eco and adventure tourism, in cooperation with Csallóköz, bringing nature, society and the economy into harmony.

The highlight of the evening was when Father Kelemen Sárai-Szabó (right), Prior of the Saint Mór Benedictine Priory of Győr and member of the Board of Trustees of the Széchenyi István University Foundation, blessed the Mosoni-Duna.

Long-term cooperation agreement

At the ceremony, Minister László Palkovics, Dr Erzsébet Knáb, Chair of the Board of Trustees and Dr Bálint Filep, President of Széchenyi István University, signed the long-term cooperation agreement between the Ministry of Technology and Industry, the Széchenyi István University Foundation and Széchenyi István University.

As stated in the document, the strategic goal of the University is to become an entrepreneurial institution with a strong research and development, infrastructure and service portfolio, competitive in the European higher education space. The cooperation will focus on the development of the industrial, technological and related ecosystem, and on the establishment of joint research and technological development programmes with industry, bearing in mind the vision of the innovation parks to be established at the base of the institution in Győr, Zalaegerszeg and Mosonmagyaróvár.

The cooperation agreement was signed by Dr Bálint Filep, Dr Erzsébet Knáb and Dr László Palkovics
(Photo: József Csaba Májer)

Dr Csaba András Dézsi, Mayor of Győr (centre) and István Láng, Director General of the National Water Directorate (right)
spoke to participants in the event about what water means to them and the region.