After the successful “pilot project” the Central Directorate for Foreign Affairs decided to organize a new staff week in May 2016. We accepted 6 participants from 4 different countries last year. It seems the first year’s experiences and good feedbacks have helped to spread the good reputation: this year we’ve received 4 times more applications (around 60) and welcomed 19 participants eventually.
The week was really multicultural as the participants were from France, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom, all together from 15 different universities. Following a warm welcome speech the international team of PPCU introduced our University and all the participants had the chance to do the same with their own institutions. We’ve also had the possibility to present the PPCU not only in theory but in practice as well: the participants visited the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences’ Laboratory for Psychological Research and Faculty of Law and Political Sciences’ Conference Hall on a campus tour. The first day was completed with an international dinner. Our guest brought some delicious food and snack as a small taste of their culture which we consumed together. This was a great chance to get to know each other informally.
The second day was the day of Hungarian culture. After the introduction to Hungarian history, culture, sociology and language we embarked on a city tour in the Buda Castle district. In the evening our guest could enjoy a Hungarian dinner on a boat sailing on the Danube.
Main topics were international relations on the third day: the PPCU’s international projects, international /joint/dual degrees, international partnerships and the promotion of staff mobility. The participants had the chance to attend on a free guided tour in Pest later in the evening.
The focus was put on students on the fourth day. We discussed international traineeship and its main strengths and weaknesses. We also presented how our local students are involved in the life of our incoming foreign students. In the afternoon we visited the Faculty of Information Technology and Bionics and some of its laboratories which offered a really interesting view on science.
We summarized the impressions of the week and sharing our best experiences on international field on our last day. Among the words of farewell many good feedbacks came back to us. We were glad to welcome so many great colleagues from all around Europe and we hope that everyone had something to take home with him or herself.
Great thanks to every participant and organiser involved in the PISTW 2016!
