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“The University of Debrecen was chosen as the University of the Year in the student-friendly operation category at the first-ever awards gala, where Chancellor Zoltán Bács’ professional work was recognised with a special ministerial award,” unideb.hu reported.
The Ministry of Culture and Innovation organised the celebration of higher education institutions in the capital for the first time on Thursday evening. At the University of the Year awards gala held in the Várkert Bazár, the nominated institutions were awarded based on their outstanding sports activities, innovativeness, family-friendly and student-friendly operation, building international relations, successful admission campaigns, charitable deeds, and achievements in the field of culture and art sponsorship. The winners of the categories can use the 10 million forints awarded for student purposes.
The University of Debrecen was nominated in five categories: innovativeness, family-friendliness, outstanding sports activities, and student-friendliness, in addition to culture and arts promotion. The University of Debrecen has been awarded the University of Debrecen University of the Year in 2025 in the category of student-friendly operation.
“Modern dormitory rooms, state-of-the-art libraries, a multifunctional learning centre serve the learning and comfort of their students, and their transport is supported in an environmentally friendly way by a university community bicycle system. The opening show, yoUDay, is a huge hit every year at the Nagyerdei Stadium. And the “Sárgulás” is a celebration of graduating students who parade through the streets of Debrecen in traditional folk costumes and on horseback.
The university has an active and regular cultural life, with the aim of helping everyone to find their own community,” the institution said in its commendation.
Upon receiving the award, Zoltán Bács, Chancellor of the University of Debrecen, pointed out that the University of Debrecen is a community that always focuses on people.
“The first thought is to thank someone for inventing the award. I would like to say thank you to the university community as well. The community of our university lives, works, and achieves results in a way that seems to be visible from afar, as we have been nominated in five categories. The second is to congratulate, which is also due for this gala, as the values of higher education will be more visible through this. I would like to congratulate all higher education institutions, all nominees and awardees. At the University of Debrecen, although we have now received a student-friendly award, we are friends of everything, especially of people. Higher education is a large human resources factory, we produce human resources even with artificial intelligence, but people are always at the center and thus higher education, universities are the largest multipliers of the economy. They do not produce economic results themselves, but determine everyone else’s economic results. In our decisions, value-based always precedes utilitarianism, which is why we thank you for this award. Being the most student-friendly university in Hungary is the most wonderful feeling” the Chancellor said.
Soon afterwards, the university leader was called to the stage again, and received a special ministerial award in recognition of his efforts and sacrifice for the institution and for higher education in Hungary.
In his welcome speech, Balázs Hankó, Minister of Culture and Innovation, highlighted the Chancellor’s versatility and the high level and conscientious work that has made the University of Debrecen the flagship university of Hungarian higher education institutions.
“Debrecen is the forerunner of the renewed university model. Professor Zoltán Bács is the driving force behind the university’s economy, and is committed to sport, especially DEAC, and culture. His excellent singing voice also fills the Nagyerdei Stadium, and he is an ally and friend in the development of Hungarian universities,” the Minister said in his welcome speech.
Zoltán Bács was moved when he accepted the award and said that he had not achieved his successes alone, but that it was the joint achievement of the University of Debrecen.
“I would like to send a message to Debrecen and to the whole country, where the University of Debrecen is located, that we have achieved this together and that this is not mine, but ours,” the Chancellor emphasised.
The University of Debrecen also played an important role in the programme of the gala, with the DEAC cheerleaders and the singing and music students of the Institute of Light Music of the University of Debrecen, as well as their teacher Kati Wolf, taking to the stage.
Source: dehir.hu Photo credit: Facebook (debrecenvarosa)
