Delegates from more than 20 higher education institutions attended the autumn general assembly of the National Conference of Student Self-Governments — NCSG or otherwise known as HÖOK. At the event, participants were able to learn about the excellent architecture, infrastructure, administrative operations, and vibrant academic / student life mix of the institution.
The HÖOK holds its General Assembly four times a year, and this autumn’s event was hosted by Széchenyi István University. The event returned to Győr after four years and provided a great opportunity for the latest generation of student governments to become better familiar with the institution, its traditions, and nuances.
The university won the opportunity to organise the event after competing with several applicants and meeting strict criteria. At the General Assembly, delegates discussed ten agenda items, including the development of higher education services, training portfolios, and an evaluation of this year’s EFOTT festival.
At the opening ceremony Prof. Dr. Ferenc Friedler, Vice Rector and Vice President for Academic Affairs of Széchenyi University said “the event is important because it serves the common goal of the institution and the student government – to prepare students for successful careers.” He went on to underline that “This requires an excellent organisation and programme,” and that “it is essential for institutions to have a constructive external overview of their organisation in which the Student Government plays a significant role”. The Vice Rector then emphasised that “[our] success is based on the fact that the Széchenyi University operates under a presidential system, with the three core activities – teaching, research and project implementation – operating in separate professional frameworks that build on each other.”
He added, “an excellent programme requires the right motivation and teamwork, as demonstrated by the example of the SZEnergy Team, a team of students from Széchenyi University, which broke its own world record this year in the world’s largest energy efficiency competition.” Here, Prof. Dr. Ferenc Friedler called the activities of the student governments “outstanding” also from the point of view that the students active on these projects learn about the process of becoming a leader in where the success of a leader is not directly interpretable by the basis of the success of the organisation he or she leads. “It’s much more complicated and revolves round team building by coaching and personal actions.”
“Hosting the assembly is a great recognition of the active role and importance of student governments nationwide. The event allowed us to showcase our university’s excellent infrastructure, service quality, and student life. The delegates were able to gain an insight not only into the Győr campus, but also into the Mosonmagyaróvár campus and our other areas of training like the ZalaZONE Innovation Park. “It was also a great opportunity for us to network,” saidDávid Vályi Nagy, President of the Student Self-Government of Széchenyi István University. During the event, participants shared their experiences with each other in order to enrich their respective university’s community and everyday life with good governance practices newly gained.
The meeting also elected new officers: the outgoing board member Dávid Tóth was replaced by Dominik Horváth, a student at the University of Pécs, while Gergely Kulyó, a student at Eszterházy Károly Catholic University in Eger, became a new member of the supervisory board. András Aschenbrenner, Vice-President of the Student Self-Government of Széchenyi University, was elected as a new member of the Board of Governors, while Viktória Varga was elected as an alternate delegate member.
“During the general assembly, new projects were presented showcasing the development of newly designed services that are becoming an increasingly important factor when prospective students choose an institution, a very important key topic of the sitting. “While visiting the institution, we have seen that the Széchenyi University is also a leader among higher education institutions in terms of services, offering a wide range of opportunities to students.” said Marcell Eszterhai, President of the HÖOK, enthusiastically.