Official: sustainability features in 50 courses of 17 Hungarian universities

Attending a roundtable discussion along with Katalin Czippan, member of the Hungarian National Commission for UNESCO, Balazs Hanko said the mission of universities is to be future-compatible.

“If we want to shape the future at universities,” then the students should be able to act, should be able to shape the future. “Our students should be able to move the world in a good direction, and this only works if we are sustainable,” Hanko said.

In the spirit of sustainability, researchers at Hungarian universities are working on the replacement of PET bottles and paper, among other projects, the state secretary said.

Hanko said a paradigm shift was necessary in research, where the previous view distinguishing between basic and applied research was now outdated. Currently all research responds to real social and economic challenges, he said, adding that this is why they have reorganised Hungary’s research network.

Hanko highlighted the Janos Neumann Programme launched this year, which focuses on green transition as one of its most important areas. Of the research and development tenders worth 35 billion forints (EUR 92m) that have just been announced, 10 billion forints will be spent on tenders promoting green transition, he said.