Almost 2500 students started their studies this September at the five faculties of Semmelweis University. The quarter of the first year students come to our institution from abroad. During the 247th Opening Ceremony first year students have taken the solemn oath in three languages. In his speech Dr. Ágoston Szél, Rector emphasized that the future of students is determined by their own skills, intentions and commitment, yet Semmelweis University will also do its best for the sake of unfolding their talents. The motto of Rector Szél’s ceremonial speech was a quotation from János Balassa, a contemporary fellow physician of Ignaz Semmelweis: “The essential of a physician is to live for others and not for oneself” („Vivere aliis non sibi, constituit essenciam medici”).
According to Rector Szél, the first year students, who are now starting their medical studies at our university in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy or other health care related fields, will soon realize that they have now entered an extraordinary school, the community of masters and students. At this institution, students are not only provided with the basics of knowledge, but also with a new approach which will guide them in unexpected situations during the practice of their profession.
“That is the reason why a university is called the alma mater, the nourishing mother, where you will always return, where you must return while practising your profession. You will need to recall the point of view, the mentality, even the new personality traits that you acquired there.”, expressed Rector Szél.
According to Rector Szél first year students are now standing at the beginning of their career and the future is still ahead of them, but in the meantime it is important to deal with the past as well, since one can learn a lot from the experiences of our predecessors, ancestors and experienced masters. During his speech he recalled the famous predecessors by making note of Ignaz Semmelweis, who is currently a celebrated obstetrician worldwide and modern medical books can never miss his doctrines, yet in his own era he was not respected. Rector Szél highlighted Semmelweis’ contemporary fellow physicians, János Balassa and Lajos Markusovszky to whom the so called first medical school of Pest is related. As Rector Szél addressed the audience during the Opening Ceremony: “In the audience there might be sitting the new Semmelweis and the new Markusovszky of the future among you. … I truly wish that the Semmelweis students enrolled before and in 2016 will be determining personalities of the Hungarian medical school in the future. … Semmelweis University will also do its best for the sake of unfolding your talents. Your future is determined by your own skills, intentions and commitment.”
On behalf of the Semmelweis students, Marcell Budai, President of the Students’ Union held a speech, who highlighted: “From the university I have received humbleness, persistence, knowledge. Besides these, I gained good experiences and everlasting friendships. University life is like biking through the north-western hills. There are uphill ramps that make the bike riders sweat, but there are comfortable downhill slopes as well. The hilltop cannot always be seen downstairs from the valley, but any of the peaks can be reached by long and persistent hard work. … What is waiting for you on top of the hill? Knowledge. … Even if the journey is hard, yet do your best to be able to look at it as a good experience.”
The foreign first year students were welcomed in German and English by Dr. Attila Mócsai, Director of the Foreign Language Secretariat. He reminded the audience that Semmelweis University has a long past of almost 250 years, and the foreign language education has started with the German language instruction 34 years ago, soon followed by the English language programme. Currently the university has several thousand students from abroad, who come to study at our institution from all over the world, starting from Norway to Nigeria, from Canada to Japan.
“First year students joined our university after a successful entrance examination, thus they have become members of the university community just as teachers and professors are so. This of course entails responsibilities as well. Those who start their studies now will have to display commitment, motivation, enthusiasm, and they will have to actively participate in the clinical and scientific activities. We as teachers can also learn a lot from students studying at the foreign language programmes, who come to us from different cultures and many times they set a good example about humanity, attention and professional knowledge.”, expressed Dr. Mócsai.
After the ceremonial speeches first year students have taken their solemn oath in three languages, which was followed by the handing over of different awards.
The Outstanding Teacher Award of Semmelweis University was handed over by Rector Szél to the following people: Dr. Zoltán Sándor Zádori, assistant professor (Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy), Dr. Dávid Becker, associate professor (Department of Vascular Surgery), Dr. András Arató, professor (1st Department of Paediatrics), Dr. Csaba Dombi, associate professor (Department of Oral Diagnostics), Dr. Zsuzsanna Varga, professor (Department of Dietetics and Nutrition Sciences) and Andrea Fogarasi-Grenczer assistant professor (Department of Family Care Methodology).
The Silver Grade Pro Universitate Award was handed over to Dr. András Vereckei, associate professor (3rd Department of Internal Medicine) and Dr. Ildikó Tarján, professor (Department of Paedodontics and Orthodontics).
During the ceremony the names of those students who have won this year’s Hungarian state scholarships were also announced.
The Pro Juventute Universitatis awards were conferred by Dr. Ferenc Bánhidy, vice-rector for general affairs, and Marcell Budai, president of Semmelweis University Students’ Union. The award was handed over to Dr. Tamás Pálla, former president of the Students’ Union of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences; Dr. Marcell Gyánó, former vice-president of the Students’ Union of the Faculty of Medicine and Tibor Gulyás, president of the National Students’ Union Conference.
As the closing act of the ceremony the Medic Orchestra of the university performed Dvorak’s No. 9, New World Symphony, Movement 1, conducted by Gergely Dubóczky.
During the 2016/17 academic year 1844 first year students start their studies at the five faculties of Semmelweis University: 1779 students will participate in the tuition free higher education and 65 students will take part in the fee paying higher education. In addition to the Hungarian students almost 600 foreign students will start their studies at Semmelweis University this academic year. More than 360 foreign first year students will participate in the English language programme, and almost 230 in the German language programme.
Pálma Dobozi
Photo: Valter Berecz, Attila Kovács – Semmelweis University
Translation: Katalin Romhányi
Opening Ceremony backstage video:
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