Corvinus freshmen have taken their oath
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The students, faculty, and other guests were first welcomed by Rector Bruno van Pottelsberghe, who expressed pride that Corvinus admitted over 2,300 new students this year, 25% more than last year. He noted that the university now has 8,500 students, taught by a total of 470 faculty members across its four campuses, and he also highlighted the continuously growing alumni community.
He then presented the key elements of the university’s new strategy, adopted over the summer: the institution’s redefined mission, vision, and values, as well as the main pillars of the strategy, including operational excellence as its foundation, multidisciplinarity, internationalization, student-centeredness, and enhancing research performance.
He also highlighted that Budapest is a great city, offering numerous opportunities for both Hungarian and international students, and drew the freshmen’s attention to the extracurricular activities available at Corvinus.
The guest of honor, György Bacsa, a member of the board of the Maecenas Universitatis Corvini Foundation (which oversees the university), CEO of MOL Hungary, and Executive Director of Strategic Operations and Business Development at the MOL Group, expressed in his ceremonial speech that, as an alumnus, he returned to the university with fond feelings. Representing the foundation, he emphasized that thanks to the current ownership structure, the financial framework for the university’s operations and development is securely ensured. He also stressed that the ongoing goal is for Corvinus to become one of Europe’s most attractive universities in the fields of business, economics, and social sciences.
Gergely Mészner, president of the Corvinus Student Union (HÖK), spoke about how university life is not just about studying, but that community is an equally important part of the experience. He emphasized that what makes Corvinus special is its student community—with more than 40 student organizations—where students can make friends, discover new skills, and gain experiences that are valuable in the long term, both for their careers and personal development. He added that the opening ceremony of the academic year is one of the most important events for the new students, the freshmen of Corvinus, and encouraged them to build new connections, join a student organization or a college for advanced studies, and take advantage of the many opportunities offered by Corvinus.
After the welcome speeches, the first-year students took their oath in both Hungarian and English. The ceremony was enriched by a performance of the Corvinus Crescendo Choir and a performance by one of our current students, Dorottya Pintér. Following the ceremony. Just like last year, informal programs and a party began for the university community.
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