In keeping with tradition, Debreceni Egyetem Hallgatói Külügyi Bizottsága [Student Foreign Affairs Committee of the University of Debrecen], Erasmus Student Network (ESN) Debrecen, and the International Office at the university have entertained all the 200 new Erasmus and Stipendium Hungaricum students enrolled in Debrecen for the fall semester with a Welcome Dinner. The majority of the students are from member states of the European Union but there are also individuals amongst them from other European countries such as Albania, Serbia and Ukraine. In addition, some other continents are also represented in the overall record number of current semester arrivals from Turkey, China, South Korea, Kazakhstan, and the United States.
“The University of Debrecen is unique in the respect that it offers more than 40 different programs in English, which makes it very easy for international students to find the right courses for themselves to sign up for in the semesters they spend here, and it also explains why we are so popular with them,” said Orsolya Jánosy, Head of the International Office of UD.
For the night of September 21, tables were neatly laid in the festive venue of the Main Building called Aula for a reception, where the dinner guests had a chance to properly familiarize themselves with Hungarian red and white wines as well as pálinka [fruit brandy] during the course of the evening. The bill of fare designed for the international students contained stuffed cabbage in two varieties: one with turkey and the other with soy and mushroom stuffing while, for dessert, they were treated to the ever-popular somlói galuska [sponge cake covered with chocolate rum sauce and whipped cream]. Following the dinner, Szeredás Hagyományőrző Egyesület played Hungarian folk music for an authentic dance-house cultural program which proved to be very popular with the international students.
“This evening has been about Hungarian culinary specialties and a small slice of our culture. I am happy that our institution can extend its hospitality to so many international students this semester and I hope that the current Erasmus team is going to continue to participate in the upcoming events in the program schedule during this term as energetically and cheerfully as they have enjoyed tonight,” said Réka Jakab, President of ESN Debrecen.
After classes, international students will get a chance to take part in coach trips and organized excursions, the events of SocialEramus Week, pair-work in the language-instruction framework of what we call Tandem program, and another International Dinner, among other entertainment possibilities arranged for them during the Fall 2016 semester.
DEHDK PR and Press Office
