The Board adopted the Senate’s meeting and work plan for the 2023 fall semester, which includes the dates and agendas of the meetings scheduled, as well as the name of the person(s) responsible for drafting each agenda item. The Board will continue to meet on a monthly basis.
The period of the Asset Management Plan of Semmelweis University was amended from 2022-2026 to 2022-2030. The modification of the plan that was presented and adopted last year became necessary due to changes in circumstances and financial possibilities, as well as due to forward planning. As Chancellor of the University Dr. Lívia Pavlik pointed out, several recent changes have affected the University’s Asset Management Plan, including government measures related to building construction projects, amendments to the public duty financing contract between the Hungarian State and the University which regulates the existing development funds, and changes to the University’s financial resources earmarked for developments. The Chancellor presented to the Senators the infrastructure needs and developments related to the strategic objectives of the institution, as well as planned and ongoing projects and their implementation schedules. Nearly HUF 122 billion in development funds are expected to be available by 2030.
The Rules of Procedure of the Clinical Center (CC) have been amended. Under the direct supervision of the President of the Clinical Center, a new organizational unit called Institute of Clinical Data Management was created, which will integrate the various data collection and IT systems of the 39 organizational units within the CC. The aim is to make data and databases more accessible for patient care and scientific research and to eliminate duplicated data silos. A new department, the Traumatology Clinic, has been established to cope with the increased case number resulting from the integration of the Merényi Gusztáv site of the South Pest Central Hospital National Institute of Hematology and Infectology. The Clinical Center Operational Committee, comprised of Medical Directors General of the Clinical Block, was established to support the work of the President of the CC.
The senators have decided to launch a new English-language online specialized training course called Scientific Editor. In the process of proof-reading English publications, the Department of Languages for Specific Purposes concluded that there was a need for the role and knowledge that the new training would provide. A Scientific Editor is a BSc or MSc graduate in a natural science or other discipline, with outstanding level of English linguistic and scientific editing skills. This is the first training of this kind not only in the country but also in the world.
The Board decided to renew the composition of the University Scientific Council and the Committee for the Review of Students’ Judicial Remedy Appeals. The change was necessary due to the expiry of the mandate of the current members and the termination of the employment of a former member. For similar reasons, the composition of the Animal Welfare Committee was also modified.
The Board decided on the 2023 recipients of the Semmelweis Budapest Award, as well as the Ignác Semmelweis, Gedeon Richter, Vilma Hugonnai, Tivadar Huzella, Ernő Jendrassik Commemorative Medals and Prizes. Decisions were made on the winners of this year’s Innovation Awards in the various categories as well as on proposals for ministerial-level recognitions.
Certain provisions of Books I and II of the Organizational and Operational Rules were amended, as recent changes to the previous organizational structure for innovation made it necessary to align the rules of competence for certain provisions with these structural changes. In addition, as a result of the reorganization, the Financial Management Unit of the Innovation Center will continue to operate as Financial Management Unit for RDI Tenders.
The Rules of Procedure of the Committee for Students’ Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities needed to be updated and hence amended.
The course requirements of the Faculty of Medicine for the academic year 2023/24 were modified due to requests for a posteriori modification from the Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology as well as the Department of Languages for Specific Purposes.
The Senate decided to create a new organizational unit by merging the Pancreatic Disorders Department Division into the Institute of Pancreatic Disorders. The Institute of Pancreatic Disorders previously demerged from the Városmajor Heart and Vascular Center and was incorporated into the Clinical Center as a separate organizational unit. At the same time, the Department Division continued to operate in the Városmajor Center, however, the decision was taken to merge the Department along with its teaching responsibilities and tasks into the Institute.
The senators decided to establish the Department of Neonatology, which will operate within the Pediatric Center from November 1, 2023. So far, teaching and research in neonatology have been carried out by a department division. Its growth into a department is partly due to the evolution of the profession and partly due to the successful scientific and grant activity of the department division. Neonatology care is currently provided in two departments of the University’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and in the Bókay Street Department of the Pediatric Center.
The decision was taken to launch a conductor BA program abroad, in Subotica, Serbia. The András Pető Faculty (PAK) has been providing conductive development in Vojvodina since 2014 and higher education since 2019. The conductor BA program is launched in cooperation with the Hungarian National Council in Serbia and VM4K (Hungarian Educational, Research and Cultural Centre of Vojvodina), with the main goal of on-site screening of patients with central nervous system injuries, their long-term holistic pedagogical education and development, and alleviating the shortage of professionals by keeping conductors local. In July 2023, the Minister for Higher Education granted the ministerial authorization to start the program abroad, and the faculty will provide the necessary personnel and content to start the training of conductors.
The provisions of the Organizational and Operational Rules for the nomination of Professor Emeritus have been amended. Previously, the requirements included that in order to be eligible for the nomination, the candidate had to have held a university or college teaching position at Semmelweis University or its predecessor for at least 5 years. Pursuant to the amendment, if the requirement of the 5-year service is not met, but the candidate fulfils all the other conditions and is supported by the faculty employing them, the title may be conferred on the candidate.
The amendment to the Statutes of the Semmelweis University Students’ Union was approved. It allows for the election of five vice presidents instead of four, and also specifies the names of the vice presidents (general vice president; vice president for education; vice president for events; vice president for international students; vice president for communication and media or internal administration). In addition, the powers of the election officer of the Assembly of Delegates have been extended.
Ádám Szabó
Translation: Judit Szabados-Dőtsch
Photo: Attila Kovács – Semmelweis University (illustration)
