The Directorate of the Merényi Clinical Block was established, a title of Professor Emeritus was conferred, and several management and teaching applications were reviewed.
The Board approved the management’s budget concept for 2024 as presented by the Chancellor. The constancy of the budgetary principles in the institution’s annual budget ensures its stability, on the other hand, principles allowing flexibility in dealing with changes in the life of the organization are also essential, pointed out Chancellor Dr. Lívia Pavlik. Such a change is the current expansion of the Clinical Center of Semmelweis University, as from November 1, 2023 the Merényi Gusztáv site of the South Pest Central Hospital National Institute of Hematology and Infectology has been taken over by Semmelweis University, including its related obligation to provide services and its performance framework. Thus, a new organizational unit has been created at the university under the name of Traumatology Clinic, which will naturally be reflected in the 2024 budget in terms of planned revenues and related costs. Other major change affecting the 2024 budget is the transfer of certain operational tasks and the provision of utility services of state hospitals to the Directorate-General for Public Procurement and Supply (KEF) from January 1, which will result in additional state funding for such state-run hospital costs. Universities maintained by public interest asset management foundations performing public duty (KEKVA) which operate a clinical center, including Semmelweis, have submitted their claims to the government for this amount of subsidy, in accordance with Article 21 of the KEKVA Act, and this amount of subsidy is planned for in the budgeting process. The budget concept also reflects the 2023 amendment to the medium-term public duty financing contract between the Hungarian State and the University, valid until 2026. The budget concept also takes into account the amendment of the Institution’s Asset Management Plan, which was approved by the Senate at its last meeting. The Chancellor pointed out that the 2024 budget plan places a strong emphasis on performance management in addition to liquidity management. The expected revenues of the institution in 2023 approach HUF 230 billion, while the framework foresees revenues of HUF 237 billion in 2024. This year’s expected expenditure is HUF 216 billion, while by 2024 this amount will rise to HUF 232 billion, according to the framework plan, which will increase both on the revenue and expenditure sides as a result of the investments and refurbishment projects adopted in previous years and continuously implemented in 2024.
The Study and Examination Regulations of the Organizational and Operational Rules have been amended to launch two new degree programs (MSc in Health Data Science and MSc in Health Quality and Patient Safety Management) by the Health Services Management Training Centre of the Faculty of Health and Public Administration. The amendment specifies the previously approved programs, the admission interview and the scoring. The amendment of the special rules of the Study and Examination Regulations for the practice placement period and practical training at the András Pető Faculty was also approved, with the primary aim of reducing the drop-out rate.
The senators decided to amend certain provisions of the Organizational and Operational Rules related to the establishment of the Directorate of the Merényi Clinical Block. This new organizational unit is needed because as of November 1, 2023, the Merényi Gusztáv site of the South Pest Central Hospital National Institute of Hematology and Infectology was taken over by Semmelweis University. In accordance with the decision of the Clinical Center, the financial, technical and maintenance tasks at the new site will be performed by this new unit.
The Board decided to introduce new elective courses in the medical interpreter and translator postgraduate training. In order to meet the growing interest for the course and the increasing number of students, new electives offering marketable knowledge such as Career Launch or Translation Market Skills will be introduced.
The amendment of the Constitution of the Doctoral Student Association was approved, which was necessary due to the merger of doctoral schools and the establishment of the joint Semmelweis University Doctoral School, voted by the Senate at its March 2023 meeting. The changes mainly concern provisions on the composition of the electoral board and lay down statutes that will ensure that meetings can be joined via telecommunication.
The Senate decided on conferring a title of Professor Emeritus, and also reviewed current applications for senior management and teaching posts.
As part of the Miscellaneous agenda item, Rector Dr. Béla Merkely confirmed press reports that the Hungarian government has decided to further support research led by Nobel Prize laureate Dr. Ferenc Krausz since 2019, which will be of particular importance for Semmelweis University in the future.
Ádám Szabó
Translation: Judit Szabados-Dőtsch
Photo: Attila Kovács – Semmelweis University (illustration)
