Eighteen students have graduated from the Health Services Management Training Centre’s (Faculty of Health and Public Administration) cross-border Executive Health Services Management programme in Bratislava. Held in Slovakian, the postgraduate programme was organised jointly with the Slovakian Health Management Academy. The first students of the programme commenced their studies in 2010.

In his ceremonial address, Dr. Miklós Szócska, state secretary for Health and former dean of the Faculty of Health and Public Administration, told the graduates that they had made the right choice, for if they listen to the news coming from the European Union and the United States, then they know that health care is a highly controversial area. There are many problems while at the same time, healing is such a satisfying mission, that the new graduates have a lifelong of rather intensive work ahead of them.

Dr. Péter Gaál, dean of the Faculty, spoke about the history of the collaboration between the Health Services Management Training Centre (HSMTC) and the Health Management Academy (HMA). As he recalled, the HSMTC’s brochures always start the introduction of their institution with the following: “In 1990, we had an idea…and we established health services management education in Hungary.” It is, however, a lesser known fact that it had been our goal from the beginning to include the experts from neighbouring countries in this mission, to share our experiences, and help one another, he added.

The diplomas were presented to the new graduates by Peter Pažitný on behalf of the HMA, and by Dr. Péter Gaál on behalf of the HSMTC.

Pálma Dobozi

Translated by Gina Varga-Gönczi

Photos by Balázs D. Kiss