The 2023 senatorial general election was successfully held this summer. The new body, directly elected by the full-time teaching, research and academic staff of the university, will serve a 5-year term, with its inaugural meeting held on 31 August. At the beginning of the Senate meeting, Dr. István Gera, Professor Emeritus of the Department of Periodontology and Chairman of the Election Committee, gave a report on the election process. He declared that in the current voting procedure, 27 members of the Senate, including lecturers, researchers and teachers were to be elected in the following ratio:
- 7 members from the Clinical Center;
- 4 members from the Faculty of Medicine;
- 3 members per other faculties each;
- 1 member from the School of PhD Studies.
Besides that, the rector and the chancellor are ex-officio members of the Senate; whereas the Council of Employees and the Semmelweis Healthcare Workers’ Union elect 2 members each, the Doctoral Student Association sends 1 member and the Students’ Union delegates a maximum of 11 members. The elections were held at 14 locations with the contribution of more than 70 election assistants. 548 of the 1,123 eligible voters appeared to vote, resulting in a 48.8 percent turnout.
The composition of the Senate:
- Dr. Béla Merkely, Rector, Professor, Director (Rector’s Cabinet/Rector’s Secretariat, Városmajor Heart and Vascular Center)
- Dr. Lívia Pavlik, Chancellor (Chancellor’s Cabinet/Chancellor’s Secretariat)
- Dr. Ferenc Bánhidy, Vice-Rector for General Affairs, Professor (Rector’s Cabinet / Vice-Rectors’ Secretariat, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology)
- Dr. Attila Szabó, Vice-Rector for Clinical Affairs, President of the Clinical Center, Professor, Director (Rector’s Cabinet/ Vice-Rectors’ Secretariat, President’s Office – Clinical Center, Pediatric Center)
- Dr. Péter Hermann, Vice-Rector for Educational Affairs, Professor, Director (Rector’s Cabinet/ Vice-Rectors’ Secretariat, Department of Prosthodontics)
- Dr. Péter Ferdinandy, Vice-Rector for Science and Innovations, Professor, Director (Rector’s Cabinet/Vice-Rectors’ Secretariat, Office of Vice-Rector for Science and Innovations, Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy)
- Éva Feketéné Dr. Szabó, Vice-Rector for Strategy and Development, College Professor, Vice-Dean for General Affairs, Director (Rector’s Cabinet/ Vice-Rectors’ Secretariat, Office of Vice-Rector for Strategy and Development, Center for Conductive Education)
- Dr. Alán Alpár, Vice-Rector for International Studies, Professor, Director (Rector’s Cabinet/ Vice-Rectors’ Secretariat, Center of International Training Programs, Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology)
- Dr. Zoltán Benyó, President of the Doctoral Council, Professor, Director (Doctoral School, Institute of Translational Medicine)
- Dr. Miklós Kellermayer, Dean, Professor, Director (Faculty of Medicine, Department of Biophysics and Radiation Biology)
- Dr. Zoltán Jakus, Associate Professor (Department of Physiology)
- Dr. Péter Nyirády, Doctor of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Director (Clinical Center, Department of Urology, Center for Postgraduate Specialist and Professional Training)
- Dr. Attila Szijártó, Professor, Director, President of the Council of the Scientific Association of Students (Clinical Center, Department of Surgery, Transplantation and Gastroenterology, Council of the Scientific Association of Students)
- Dr. Kálmán Tory, Associate Professor, Head of Unit (Pediatric Center)
- Gabriella Bednárikné Dr. Dörnyei, Dean, Head of Department, College Professor (Dean’s Office – Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Morphology and Physiology)
- Dr. István Vingender, College Professor with habilitation, Vice-Dean for Educational Affairs (Dean’s Office – Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Social Sciences)
- Dr. Zoltán Balogh, College Professor, Vice-Dean (Faculty of Health Sciences)
- Dr. Gábor Gerber, Dean, Associate Professor, Director (Dean’s Office – Faculty of Dentistry, Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology)
- Dr. Csaba Dobó Nagy, Vice-Dean, Professor, Director, Head of Department (Faculty of Dentistry, Department of Oral Diagnostics)
- Dr. Zsolt Németh, Associate Professor, Vice-Dean, Director (Department of Oro-Maxillofacial Surgery and Stomatology)
- Dr. Antal István, Dean, Professor, Director (Dean’s Office – Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Pharmaceutics)
- Dr. Tamás Tábi, Associate Professor, Vice-Dean, Director (Department of Pharmacodynamics)
- Dr. Romána Zelkó, Professor, Doctor of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, director (University Pharmacy Department of Pharmacy Administration)
- Dr. Miklós Szócska, Dean, Professor, Director (Faculty of Health and Public Administration, Health Services Management Training Center, Institute of Digital Health Sciences)
- Dr. Eszter Sinkó, Vice-Dean for Financian Management, Research Fellow (Dean’s Office – Faculty of Health and Public Administration, Health Services Management Training Center)
- Beáta Judit Dr. Pethesné Dávid, Vice-Dean for Education and Science, Professor, Director (Faculty of Health and Public Administration, Institute of Mental Health)
- Andrea Tenk Miklósné Dr. Zsebe, College Professor, Dean (Dean’s Office – András Pető Faculty)
- Dr. Ibolya Túri, Vice-Dean for Science, PhD College Associate Professor (András Pető Faculty, Center for Conductive Education)
- Dr. Zoltán Berki (Council of Employees, National Office for the Coordination of Medical and Pharmaceutical Final Examination Boards)
- Zoltánné Arany (Council of Employees, Department of Internal Medicine and Oncology)
- Dr. Gábor Élő (Semmelweis Healthcare Workers’ Union, Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Therapy)
- Dr. Katalin Antmann, Vice President, Head of Department, Chief Physician (Semmelweis Healthcare Workers’ Union, Department of Hospital Hygiene)
- Réka Csenge Gecsey, university student (Faculty of Health and Public Administration), President (Students’ Union)
- Imre Richárd Nagy, university student (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences), General Vice President (Students’ Union)
- György Árpád Keskeny, university student (Faculty of Dentistry), Vice President for Education (Students’ Union)
- Benedek Bakó, university student (Faculty of Medicine), Vice President for Events (Students’ Union)
- Loretta Enikő Nyirády, university student (Faculty of Medicine), Vice President for Internal Administration (Students’ Union)
- Alexandra Pop, university student (Faculty of Medicine), Head of Media Committee (Students’ Union)
- Karina Kovács, university student (Faculty of Medicine), Head of International Students’ Committee (Students’ Union)
- Gábor Koós, university student (Faculty of Medicine), Head of Faculty of Medicine representation (Students’ Union)
- Eszter Stefánia Németh, university student, Head of András Pető Faculty representation (Students’ Union)
- Botond Boldizsár Bényi, university student, Substitute Head of Faculty of Health Sciences representation (Students’ Union)
- Csaba Mészáros, university student, Representative of Faculty of Health Sciences (Students’ Union)
- Dr. Boldizsár Kiss, President (Doctoral Student Association)
Invitees:
- Irén Baumgartnerné Holló, Director General (Directorate General of Financial Management)
- Dr. Andrea Kormos, Head (Rector’s Cabinet)
- Dr. József Gajdácsi, Director General (Directorate General of Medical Quality Assurance)
- Dr. Zsolt Kovács, Director General (Directorate General of Legal and Administrative Affairs)
- Dr. Péter Reichert, Director General (Directorate of HR Controlling and Career Management)
- István Mészáros, Director General (Directorate General of Technical Affairs)
- Gábor Czinder, Director General (Directorate General of Information Technology)
- Tünde Falatovics, Director (Directorate of Internal Audit)
- Dóra Szepesi, Director General (Directorate General of Marketing and Communication)
- Dr. Marcel Pop, Director (Directorate of International Relations)
- Dr. Zsolt Antóny, Secretary General (Secretariat General of the Senate)
- Gábor Orbán, Chairman (Foundation for National Health Care and Medical Education)
- Dr. Zoltán Nagy, Chairman of the Public Benefit Supervisory Board (Foundation for National Health Care and Medical Education)
- Dr. Imre Klebovich, Member of the Public Benefit Supervisory Board (Foundation for National Health Care and Medical Education)
- Dr. Zoltán Szabolcs, Member of the Public Benefit Supervisory Board (Foundation for National Health Care and Medical Education)
The credentials were presented to the senators by Rector Dr. Béla Merkely.
The senators unanimously approved the modification of the curriculum of the Faculty of Medicine (ÁOK) effective from academic year 2019/2020. Accordingly, the number of credit hours in certain courses has been changed, and the prerequisite courses have been modified for certain courses. In addition, the compulsory course on the comprehensive theory of the coronavirus and the practice of correct upper respiratory tract sampling has been removed from the faculty’s sample curriculum. The Senate also supported the new course requirements for the ÁOK’s 2023/2024 academic year.
The Board supported the proposals on the personalized curriculum for students graduating from the Faculty of Medicine (ÁOK) and admitted to the Faculty of Dentistry (FOK), as well as on the training of students graduating from the FOK and applying to the ÁOK. Training in oro-maxillofacial surgery can be started from both the ÁOK and the FOK, and the specialist must obtain a diploma from both faculties – the proposal aims to alleviate this. According to the Senate’s decision, the amendment applies not only to the diploma of Semmelweis University, but to all dental and general medical diplomas obtained in Hungary.
The senators decided to award a title of Doctor Honoris Causa and also reviewed a current application for a senior position.
The Board heard the Chancellor’s financial report on the University’s first semi-annual period in 2023. As reported by Dr. Lívia Pavlik, the institution’s financial result for the first half of the year was HUF 8.58 billion, and revenues and costs reached 46 percent of the annual plan. In the first six months of the year, the University’s finances were balanced and stable. In terms of net revenue, the largest income was generated by foreign currency-based tuition fees, sales from pharmacy and pharmaceuticals, and fee-based patient care. A total of HUF 11.41 billion has been allocated to the institution’s investment and refurbishment plan for this year, of which HUF 5 billion, or about 44 percent, has been spent so far this semester. The first phase of the refurbishment of the Szent Rókus Clinical Block, the preparation of the permit and construction plans for the Hőgyes-Schöpf-Merei Pharmaceutical Research Center and the design of the new building of the Dermatology Clinic on the Mária Street site are currently underway from the 2022 strategic fund. This year’s strategic fund will finance the renovation of the Senate Hall, the Rector’s Meeting Room and the terraces of the building at Üllői Street 26.; the renovation of the Balatonvilágos resort, the construction of the campsite and the creation of a new facility on the ‘large site’; and the purchase of a new property in Herceghalom. The 2024 strategic fund will be used to design the Propedeutic Skills Laboratory of the Faculty of Dentistry.
Ádám Szabó
Translation: Judit Szabados-Dőtsch
Photo: Attila Kovács – Semmelweis University (illustration)
