New Strategic Agreement in Higher Education Concluded by the Ministry of Defence

The agreement is of paramount importance both from the aspect of the Government and that of the higher education: the Ministry of Defence and the University add up their knowledge – among others in the fields of education, research, further education, developments, recruitment, and the voluntary reserve service. Thanks to the document setting out partnership, the parties will co-operate in a well organised and orderly manner in the future. The instrument was initialled by István Szabó, the Defence State Secretary of the Ministry of Defence and Vassné dr. Figula Erika, the Rector of the University of Nyíregyháza.

At the signing ceremony István Szabó emphasized that the just created contract is a milestone, the co-operation agreement concluded with the university is part and parcel of the endeavour to further strengthen the social recognition, support of the Hungarian Defence Forces. “Our key target is to stimulate the interest in the Hungarian Army of those young people, who pursue studies in civilian universities. The signing of the document is equally favourable for the university, the students and the national army" – he pointed out. István Szabó noted that the town has always been proud of her soldiers. “Nyíregyháza could rightly call herself a military town. “I am especially pleased that the conclusion of the agreement takes place in a settlement, where the army has played an increasingly important role from the second half of the 19th century in the social and economic life of the town" – he said.

Vassné dr. Figula Erika highlighted that in the framework of the agreement the institution will do everything to enrich the already existing, well-functioning partnership with the Hungarian Defence Forces. “Under the Agreement the specialists of the Hungarian Defence Forces – among others – will promote the contracted and the reserve military service via informational presentations given for the university students" – the rector stated. “For the attainment of the objectives of the agreement, we shall encourage professional consultations, share our experiences in education and recruitment with each other, and we shall participate mutually in each other’s research." At the university a course with the title “Basic military studies" will be announced for those, who take an interest in national defence, military technology and the soldier’s life.

As part of the strategic co-operation, the students can take part in scholarship-based voluntary reserve training, thus they may later serve as the soldiers of the Hungarian Defence Forces.