From ecological economics and grassroots initiatives to career opportunities in sustainability management, first-year students showed great curiosity and engagement when visiting the Office of the Dean for Sustainability’s information stand.  

Our primary objective was to ensure that newly admitted students encounter our sustainability efforts and projects at the very beginning of their university journey. In addition, we presented the community-based activities of the Corvinus Science Shop and highlighted a range of volunteering and professional engagement opportunities available to students.  

The conversations we had were both motivating and encouraging. Many first-year students were eager to learn about university pathways and career prospects in sustainability, while they already had some prior knowledge of the subject from their high school studies. Students emphasized how important it is that sustainability plays an active role at Corvinus, and they expressed interest in joining or even initiating projects themselves.  

One particularly inspiring encounter was with a student who already had a clear ambition to study and conduct research in the field of ecological economics—a remarkable level of awareness at such an early stage.  

Adding a creative element to the event, students could mark their hometowns on a map using natural, plant-based inks produced by an elementary school student enterprise, made from plants grown in the Színeskert Foundation’s permaculture school garden in Lakitelek. This symbolic activity aimed to reinforce the idea of “think globally, act locally” from the very first moment of their Corvinus journey.  

The social mission of the Science Shop was also presented during the day. One highlighted example was our #LOESS – Soil Health in Education project, in which the Színeskert Foundation is a key community partner. This allowed us to demonstrate the interconnection between sustainability and community-based learning. Furthermore, students who successfully completed our sustainability quiz received useful prizes purchased from civil society partners—making the activity both enjoyable and supportive of local initiatives.  

Supporting bottom-up initiatives is a strategic priority for the Office of the Dean for Sustainability, and this resonated strongly with many students. Several indicated that they would be interested in launching their own projects addressing environmental or social issues. We are delighted to support such initiatives from across the Corvinus community, and we welcome inquiries at dean.sustainability@uni-corvinus.hu .  

The Freshmen’s Camp concluded with conversations full of energy, optimism, and hope. Meeting so many enthusiastic, conscious, and action-oriented first-year students reassured us that sustainability will continue to be a driving force within the Corvinus community. We hope that our presence reinforced the importance of sustainability and active hope and also sparked the first impulse for a truly green and regenerative university and carreer journey.  

Written by: Máté Kovács