2026-01-31 09:48
Ambassadors and diplomatic representatives accredited to Hungary arrived at John von Neumann University in Kecskemét, representing Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Uzbekistan, and Azerbaijan. Higher education institutions in Central and Eastern Europe are currently one of the most attractive destinations for students from the East and Central Asian region, who view Hungary as a disciplined, financially strong country that also shows outstanding interest in national scholarship programs.
The program of the international delegation visiting John von Neumann University clearly demonstrates that this higher education institution in Kecskemét is playing an increasingly important role in international scientific and economic relations, which has a direct impact on the global reputation of the region and increases international attention. At the university, the ambassadors attended a professional meeting to learn about the institution's academic, and research and development directions, its training structure, and the structural transformation that has taken place over the past five years. The meeting also covered past, and planned infrastructure developments aimed at expanding educational and innovation capacities. The high-ranking international delegation will also be received at the Kecskemét City Hall, and as part of the program, Sándor Lezsák, Vice President of the Hungarian National Parliament and member of the board of trustees of the John von Neumann University Foundation, will meet with the delegation in Lakitelek, Hungarikum Liget.
Industrial innovation is also a prominent topic at the professional consultation, with a particular focus on economic areas related to developments in energy, the machinery industry, raw materials and processing, agriculture, and the food industry, which are also key sectors in the countries represented by the delegation. These areas of focus fit well with the three main pillars of the university: engineering, finance and economics, and agricultural education.
The international activities of John von Neumann University in Kecskemét have grown significantly over the past period. A recent higher education conference in Samokov, Bulgaria, was also launched from Kecskemét, which clearly demonstrates the institution's leading role in international scientific dialogue. The number of foreign students now approaches 500, which is an outstanding achievement in the region. Interest from Asia and the Middle East is particularly strong, as confirmed by the fact that the annual meeting of universities in the Asia-Pacific region, the AUAP Conference, will be held in Kecskemét in May, bringing nearly 300 high-ranking foreign academic leaders to Kecskemét.
The willingness of university students to study abroad is also growing dynamically. Encouraged by the Pannonia Program, more and more students are taking advantage of opportunities to study abroad, while interest in the Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship has reached record levels nationwide. Applications to Neumann János University have increased several times over, with nearly 2,500 applicants currently listing the institution as a potential study destination. One of the explicit goals of the current ambassadorial meeting is therefore for the university to further strengthen its visibility in the countries concerned with the help of diplomatic representations, as these regions produce a group of students who are highly regarded in international education and have outstanding academic averages, which represents a significant long-term value for Hungarian higher education.
