The history of the Order of Academic Palms dates back to the time of Napoleon. The French emperor established the award in 1808 in recognition of the work of those who play a prominent part in promoting and spreading the French language and culture throughout their careers.
For more than thirty years, the professional career of Andrea Nagy has been connected to the French language in Hungary and specifically at the University of Debrecen. She started out as a student, then served as an instructor, a researcher, and a deputy department chair responsible for teacher training and talent development. At present, she works as the head of the French Department of. Her doctoral dissertation, which was written on the topic of indefinite pronouns in modern French and defended with summa cum laude honors, followed by her habilitation, which she earned with distinction in 2015, established her as a widely recognized expert in the fields of text linguistics, semantics and translation studies. Her academic work, monographs and regular presence at academic events across Europe provide a significant degree of visibility for Hungarian research in the field of French studies.
- Andrea Nagy plays a key part in the training of French teachers, the development of innovative educational resources (including digital ones) and the support of her younger colleagues. In the field of international relations, her collaboration with INALCO and the Jules Verne University of Picardy, as well as the impressive amount of student exchange and scholarship opportunities secured over the years, have all contributed to how Debrecen has firmly established itself within the Francophone academic community- said Jonathan Lacôte in his laudation at the awarding ceremony on February 20.
In his address, the French Ambassador to Hungary underlined that Debrecen is a particularly active hub today for promoting the French language and culture in Hungary. Due to the efforts of the French Department of the university, the local branch of Alliance Française and a network of dedicated teachers and cultural figures, the French language is experienced and passed on with a special enthusiasm in this city. A recent conference hosted to mark the 100th anniversary of the founding of the French Department also clearly indicates the region’s commitment to strengthening the appeal and future of the French language.
- This distinction is of particular significance for me. The Order of Academic Palms embodies the values that I have always considered the most important throughout my career, including high expectations in the transmission of knowledge, intercultural dialogue, and the traditionally humanistic ideals of French culture- said Andrea Nagy in her acceptance speech.
The head of the Department of French Studies at the Faculty of Humanities of the University of Debrecen noted that this honor is also a recognition of the work of her colleagues, since they all pull together to keep the French language and culture alive in Debrecen and throughout the northeastern region of Hungary.
- We would definitely like to make sure that the younger generations should receive from us not just the command of a language but also a worldview, which is based on openness and respect for cultural diversity- said Andrea Nagy in her response.
This coming April, the French Department at the University of Debrecen is going to hold a regional conference as part of a larger series of events dedicated to the French language, the closing ceremony of which is scheduled for June 11 in Budapest.
Press Center – BZs