Most of us have sat through conference talks that never seem to end. Back in 2003, two young Japanese architects came up with the PechaKucha format as a cure for exactly this: presenters show 20 images and speak about each for 20 seconds, keeping the full presentation to 6 minutes and 40 seconds. The idea is to replace slow and tedious talks with fast-paced and engaging ones. 

On 21 November, the University’s Centre for Foreign Language Education and Research organised a PechaKucha competition in English for Corvinus students. Competitors could choose freely from twelve current topics. They could explore the gig economy and how this expanding form of work affects the labour market, personal security and career paths. Environmental protection and sustainability were also high on the list, and proved popular. Other topics touched on personality formation, digital diplomacy and the ways digitalisation shapes global communication for governments, NGOs and citizens. Students could also speak about the life of digital nomads and what this lifestyle means for travel, daily life and cultural exchange. 

Any Corvinus student with at least B2+ English could enter. Toastmasters International supported the competition by delegating jury members and offering the first prize. 

When I arrived, a strikingly elegant student was presenting her story: how her Bolivian roots, her studies in Hungary and her time at Corvinus have shaped her identity. Her slides showed family and friends, and she spoke about her dual sense of belonging. Music plays an important part in her life; she calls the piano her best friend. If I didn’t know where I was, I might have thought a Vogue photoshoot was underway, given her stylish orange jumpsuit and matching shoes. 

‘I actually came for the experience’ 

Szőllőssy Fanni presented on a similar theme, exploring how personality is shaped by heredity, family environment, curiosity and our private digital worlds. 

She was followed by Maryam Tlepbergenova from Uzbekistan. Her English was outstanding. She later told me she studies Business Information Systems and learnt English back home. 

After all 16 contestants had finished, the jury withdrew to deliberate. During the break I spoke with Fanni, a first-year International Relations student who previously attended a bilingual school. She said that planning the flow of her talk was harder than choosing the images. She practised at home, making sure she stayed within the time limit and that her transitions worked smoothly. She added that she joined because presentations are required in almost every subject. “Whatever the result, I’m going home happy. I actually came for the experience,” she said. At that moment neither of us knew she would receive one of the shared third prizes. 

Tailored feedback for everyone 

The winner was the Uzbek student, who received a semester-long membership in a Toastmasters club worth 60–70 USD. All participants received a certificate and a small Corvinus gift. More importantly, anyone can request a personalised evaluation of their performance. As former Toastmasters board member Zorán Henter said at the awards ceremony, the field was exceptionally strong this year, which is why the jury awarded shared second and third places. 

We also sat down for a short feedback session with the Toastmasters representative and József Erdei, head of the Centre for Foreign Language Education and Research. He explained that the scoring focused on structure, content, visuals, delivery, creativity and how well the presenter connected with the audience. Any student who writes to him will receive tailored comments and advice. Toastmasters International has a long history, dating back to 1924, and today Hungarian and English-speaking clubs can be found in Budapest and other cities. The ‘Toastmaster’ is essentially the host who assigns topics for members to speak on. Some speeches are prepared, others are improvised with only a brief moment to think. 

I asked Erdei whether public speaking can be taught. He said yes: good speakers are rarely born, and mostly develop through practice and conscious training. Interestingly, most contestants this year were international students, although Hungarian students will also need these skills in their future careers, including presenting confidently in a foreign language. 

“We plan to make this competition a regular part of every autumn, just as we already run spring competitions for the so-called ‘small’ languages—Italian, French, Russian, Spanish and German—as well as for our English for Academic Purposes students at different levels,” he added. “The term ‘small’ refers only to the number of learners, not to the size of the language community.” 

It was also heart-warming to see Corvinus language teacher Andrea Domján in the audience. She came to support the three students she teaches, a gesture they appreciated very much. 

The competition was supported by Budapest Toastmasters, a member club of Toastmasters International. 

By Katalin Török