ELTE's African partnerships may further grow
The delegation was received in ELTE’s Senate Hall by Rector László Borhy, Vice-Rector for International Affairs Imre Hamar, Ferenc Takó, Head of the CHARM-EU Office, and Eszter Knyihár, Head of the International Strategy Office. At the meeting, László Borhy gave a brief overview of the history and mission of Eötvös Loránd University, as well as its role in Hungarian higher education. Imre Hamar presented the university’s Africa Strategy, adopted in 2022, which aims to establish long-term, sustainable, and active partnerships with higher education institutions in the region, particularly in research and student mobility.
Eszter Knyihár spoke about ELTE’s educational and research programs and its international collaborations, emphasizing the university’s commitment to global partnerships and cooperation at both individual and institutional levels. She also noted that South African institutions are welcome to join these programs. Ferenc Takó introduced the opportunities offered by CHARM-EU, founded in 2019, for innovative and inclusive education, highlighting the European university alliance’s master’s program on global sustainability challenges. Marutla Khomotso Shibe, a master’s student in Cultural Anthropology at ELTE’s Faculty of Social Sciences, shared his experiences of university life and the multicultural environment that supports international students.
During the closing Q&A session, participants discussed the Erasmus International Credit Mobility partnerships and possibilities for expansion, career and employment opportunities for ELTE graduates, and the university services available to support international students. The participants agreed to explore student exchange programs and joint research opportunities between ELTE and members of the Universities of South Africa (USAf) at the faculty and disciplinary levels.
Based on its Africa Strategy, ELTE is continuously expanding its relationships with higher education institutions across the continent. The effectiveness of the strategy is reflected in the fact that ELTE has already signed a total of 23 cooperation agreements with 16 African countries, six of which involve Erasmus partnerships. The ELTE-Africa Partnership Forum held in May 2023 also aimed to strengthen this network. In June 2024, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Angola visited the university, as the southern African country intends to send not only Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship recipients but also self-funded students to Hungary—particularly in the fields of mathematics, chemistry, and physics. In parallel, since 2022, the ELTE Bárczi Gusztáv Faculty of Special Education has been operating a joint school development and methodological project in Kenya with the ADRA Adventist Development and Relief Agency, supported by the Hungary Helps program.