As a matter of course, the traditional Hungarian language and culture course will continue to introduce the Hungarian language to the participants. From beginner to advanced level, all categories are represented, and the level assessment and placement was done in the weeks before the course. There is also a course called “Modern Hungary,” which introduces students to Hungarian history in English. Thirdly, the institution has added a new theme to its offer, the idea for which was born out of a collaboration.
“One of the top managers of Harding University in the US is of Hungarian descent, and his son studied Hungarian with us. It was practically because of this that we found out that a lot of people would probably be interested in a course discussing not only Hungary, but also its broader environment, i.e., Eastern Europe. Accordingly, we will look at the culture and politics of the region, but also examine the countries from the perspective of religious history. I do believe that our classes will be very exciting, with lots of activities, such as visits to museums and churches, film screenings and Hungarian humor,” said director Péter Szaffkó.
There will be a total of 106 students from 30 countries coming to Debrecen Summer School, the oldest of which is 85 and the youngest is 15. This year, for the first time ever, there will be participants present from the Philippines and Botswana. The United States continues to be in the leading position from the aspect of the largest number of participants, with 30 students altogether from the Anglo-Saxon countries. They are followed by Slavic speakers and speakers of Germanic languages, while the fourth place goes to students from Asia. There is also a long-standing trend of increasing numbers of second and third-generation Hungarians, who are learning the language mainly because of their lineage or because they are from a mixed marriage where one of the parents is Hungarian.
“One of the oldest and most prestigious summer universities in Hungary is also part of the history of our city,” said Deputy Mayor István Puskás at the press conference held before the opening ceremony. “The cultivation of educational and cultural relations with foreign universities was always very significant not only for the university, but also for its legal predecessor, the institution called Reformed College. As regards the visitors to our city, they enhance the reputation of Debrecen far and wide, which is now also very important for workers coming here from abroad.”
Vice Rector for Academic Affairs László Csernoch also stressed that the fundamental aim of the University of Debrecen is to be actively present on the international stage, and that is why it is important to know if the almost 8,000 international students who are enrolled here leave our institution with a feeling of satisfaction.
Péter Csatár, Deputy Dean for Strategic and Economic Affairs at the Faculty of Humanities, said that today there are not only BA but also MA degree international students who, as Hungarian majors, can work as interpreters in our city. The goal of the Faculty of Humanities is to offer even more courses on Hungarian history, culture and literature to foreign students. At the same time, they also want Hungarian students to have a good chance of entering the international job market, which is why more and more foreign languages can now be studied in the various institutes.
As regards the program of the Summer School, the highly successful thematic folklore evenings, where summer students can learn about the songs, dances, food and costumes of a particular region every Monday, will continue to be offered. Optional activities include the popular evening sightseeing tour and a visit to the Jewish quarter, but the organizers have also come up with new activities added to the program. If you feel like it, you can visit the exhibitions at the Reformed College or try your hand at felting in Tímárház [Tanners’ House].
During the classic Hortobágy excursion, visitors can hop on a cart and ride to visit the wildlife park. As a new option, they can also go to Sáránd, where they can take part in a real “village day”: picking fruit, cooking their own lunch and learning how to bake homemade bread. In the afternoon, they would also be able to sing and dance on the estate, and learn how to appreciate folk music and folk songs.
There are also some lucky students this year, too, who do not have to bear the cost of the course themselves. Twenty-six students have been awarded Tempus scholarships, and seventeen have received other scholarships, such as the Rector's, the Dean's, the Bishop's grants or the ones offered by Debrecen Summer School or the City of Debrecen. Several other partners of Debrecen Summer School, both in Hungary and abroad, also facilitate the language learning efforts of the students at the Hungarian Language and Culture course.
EP
