Featured

On September 1, 2022, President Katalin Novák appointed Professor László Dux as rector of Gál Ferenc University for the next five years. In the introductory interview given to Toronyirány magazine, the new head of the institution emphasized that he wants to lead the university on the same path as before: he wants to strengthen its role in the region, but also to improve its international visibility. The geographical fragmentation is also an advantage: it strengthens the cities of the diocese by keeping the young people in place and by further training the adults challenges require you to move out of your “comfort zone”. It is necessary to get closer to the students, to address those who are studying while working. In rural towns, each university faculty is a very important social organizing factor.

Rector Professor Dr. László Dux said the following:

“Today, there is almost no profession where you can say that someone learns his tricks in his twenties and can make a living from it for forty years. Demographic reasons, the decrease in the number of the younger age group also have an effect in the direction of higher education institutions also participating in adult education. This is also important for the region’s economic operators, since if they want to provide their employees with up-to-date knowledge and further training, not only in-company trainings, but also traditional educational operators can provide assistance. I have already received such requests, and we will be happy to play a role in this in the future as well. All of this requires a strong, dedicated teaching staff, for whom an important task is the continuous strengthening, expansion, and support of doctoral degrees. If we maintain the attractiveness of the university, people who want to participate part-time or full-time in the life of the institution will continuously apply.

I already have a personal relationship with the University of Szeged: I have a good relationship with Rector László Rovó, Chancellor Judit Fendler and most of the faculties. We can build on the cooperation that started earlier – in the fields of teacher, social, and health training, I would also like to strengthen and accelerate this. It is important to emphasize that the Szeged- Csanád Diocese of Szeged has also received tasks that have a national scope – the higher education leg of these is provided by Gál Ferenc University. The spiritual center of the networks with national coverage is in Szeged, the seat of the diocese. I think that Gál Ferenc University has serious prospects in the fields of health, social care, pedagogy, and child education.

The framework is given, we want to grow together with the diocese and – we hope – with Hungary. We want to appear as an institution that is even more visible than at present and attractive to many. As a university whose training programs have an impact not only on the Southern Great Plain, but also on Vojvodina, on the southern part of Partium, i.e. on the territory of the old Diocese of Szeged-Csanád. We want to cooperate with as many domestic and international Hungarian higher education institutions as possible, and at the same time we want to strengthen the international visibility of Gál Ferenc University, as this is in the interest of both the students and the teachers. I am confident that most of these goals will be achieved in the next five years.”