Altogether 55.5 billion HUF for higher education25 July 2008
7 higher education institutions across the country can now start to develop their projects.
The preparation of major infrastructure developments and investments representing a total of 26.6 billion HUF in value can now be launched in 7 higher education institutions across the country pursuant to the most recent government decision. Together with this amount, this year alone the government approved EU funding of 55.5 billion for higher education development within the framework of the New Hungary Development Plan.
The last government decision regarding the two-round EU tender procedure targeting the infrastructure development of higher education institutions was made in the middle of April. The following universities conditionally received a share of the nearly 29 billion HUF that was dispersed back in April: Széchenyi István University in Győr, University of Pécs, University of Miskolc, Eszterházy Károly College in Eger, College of Dunaújváros and Károly Róbert College in Gyöngyös. The development and detailed elaboration of these projects for the second round – which is currently still in progress – could begin in accordance with the government decision of April.
The higher education institutions of Bábolna, Baja, Debrecen, Győr, Kaposvár, Kecskemét, Keszthely, Mosonmagyaróvár, Szarvas, Szeged, Székesfehérvár, Szombathely, Veszprém and Zalaegerszeg can now begin to develop their projects and compile the documents, studies and plans required for implementation, i.e. the second round, as an outcome of the present government decision. If these development concepts are approved in the second round, investments representing a total of 26.6 billion HUF in value can effectively be launched in seven universities and colleges across the country.
The government would have originally made a decision on the fate of 21.7 billion HUF; however, having also approved the application submitted by the University of Debrecen aimed at raising the standard of science and technical/technological education, the available framework was eventually increased by 4.8 billion HUF. Consequently, at the University of Debrecen, it is now possible to begin to prepare, among others, the establishment of an Inter-Regional Technological-Agricultural Consultancy and Training Centre, the construction of the new building of the IT Faculty, the reconstruction of the „theoretical quadrangle”, as well as the renewal of the laboratories where electrical engineering, materials engineering, pharmaceutical engineering and bio-engineering courses are held in the hope of being granted EU funding of 4.9 billion HUF in value.
In accordance with the government decision, this time round the University of Szeged can count on receiving the highest amount of EU funding to develop the higher education infrastructure of the South Great Plain Knowledge Centre. If the University’s application is approved in the second round, it will be possible to invest over 6.4 billion HUF in developing the technological and natural science course portfolio at the University of Szeged, the Tessedik Sámual College in Szarvas and the Eötvös Lóránd College in Baja, construct the new building of the Engineering Faculty of the University of Szeged, renew university and college multi-functional laboratories and lecture and seminar rooms and set up the regional knowledge transfer and service centre building.
The preparation of investments tying in with the „Green University” Programme can now be launched at the University of Western Hungary in the hope of being granted EU funding of nearly 5 billion HUF in value. If the application submitted by the University is approved in the second round, it will be possible to launch major technological developments at the Győr, Szombathely, Mosonmagyóvár, Bábolna and Székesfehérvár campuses, which equally covers info-communication developments connecting to these investments.
The Pannon University is also preparing to launch major developments in the transdanubian region; the government has just conditionally approved EU funding of 4.3 billion HUF in value in connection with the application submitted by the University. If the application is approved in the second round, the University will be able to set up an education and research centre, a student service centre, an experimental centre for technology and research and a development centre at the Veszprém campus on a total area of nearly 6100 square meters. The construction of a centre for bio-technology education and research and a riding school is also envisaged at the Keszthely campus of the university as an integral part of this investment package, whilst a 3700 m2 new campus would be set up in Székesfehervár with the help of EU funding.
The University of Kaposvár aims to establish a modern research university that provides services; the government conditionally approved 2.9 billion HUF in connection with the application submitted by the University. If the application is approved in the second round, the University primarily envisages developing the research and development and innovation capacities that tie in with the agriculture and food industry.
Pursuant to the present government decision on approval, investments of over 2.4 billion HUF in value are currently being prepared at the College of Kecskemét with the aim of developing the technological and natural sciences knowledge base infrastructure of the institution. Within the framework of these developments, it will be possible to renew the laboratories and seminar rooms of the College, create an interactive learning environment and multifunctional spaces and extend and develop buildings used for technology, agriculture and science courses.
The Budapest Business School would like to develop its higher education institution in Zalaegerszeg into a faculty with the help of EU Funding of nearly 600 million HUF; the government has already approved the preparation of this development concept in the first round of the tender procedure. If, following the detailed elaboration of the tender documentation the application is approved in the second round, it will become possible to set up an info centre in Zalaegerszeg by implementing a brown field investment and major IT developments.
Within the framework of the National Development Plan running during the 2004-2006-period, 19 institutions have already been granted funding of 13.7 billion HUF in value for setting up modern education and training conditions and facilities, thanks to which funding the institutions managed to implement infrastructure developments on over 60 000 square meters, which improved education and research conditions for nearly 110 000 students. Therefore, during the 2004-2008-period, a total of nearly 70 billion HUF has been made available with the help of EU funding for raising the standard of the infrastructure of higher education institutions.