The senators approved the board’s work plan for the fall of 2026 and heard a presentation on the university’s financial report for the first semester of the year. Chancellor Dr. Lívia Pavlik explained that in the first half of the year, actual revenues amounted to HUF 176 billion, exceeding the time-proportionate budgeted total of HUF 164 billion, while expenditures reached HUF 170 billion against a planned HUF 159 billion. After excluding pass-through items — funding that generates equal amounts of revenue and expenditure — revenues were 2.3 per cent above the planned amount, while expenditure exceeded the budgeted figure by 1.4 per cent.
Compared with the planned first-half result of HUF 4.7 billion, the actual figure reached HUF 6.2 billion. EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization), which had been budgeted at approximately HUF 7.6 billion for the period, amounted to around HUF 9.6 billion by the end of the first half of the year, helping to cover capital expenditure. Investment and renovation expenditure totaled approximately HUF 15 billion in the first half of the year. In addition to EBITDA, this was financed by earmarked funding for investment and renovation projects, including targeted state subsidies, support by the university’s maintainer, the Foundation for National Health Care and Medical Education (NEOA), and grant funding.
Construction is underway on one of the university’s flagship projects — Building 2 of the Basic Medical Science Center (EOK) — and is expected to be completed in 2027. Renovation work is currently in progress at the Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, as well as at the Department of Dental Public Health (FSZOI). The development of the Assisted Reproduction Center (ARC) in the Merényi Clinical Complex will be completed this year, and the campuses at Rókus Square and Ferenc Square are now complete, as the chancellor reported.
By the end of the seventh month, the Clinical Center’s patient care and educational activities had generated a profit of approximately HUF 1.7 billion. According to the report, the volume of active inpatient care is in line with the plan, while the volume of outpatient care has increased significantly. The approximately HUF 108 billion received from the National Health Insurance Fund of Hungary (NEAK) for the provision of healthcare services was 7 percent higher than budgeted. This was primarily attributable to earmarked funding items, which had no impact on the financial result, although a small positive financial result was generated through the reduction of waiting lists.
In the area of education, state subsidies have been received only in part; there is a shortfall of approximately HUF 4.4 billion forints in first-half funding, which the university expects to be made up during the remainder of the year. She pointed out that the strengthening of the forint resulted in significant exchange rate losses during the first half of the year, compared to the projected revenue from foreign currency-based tuition fees. Unfortunately, this will lead to additional losses in projected revenue during the fall semester.
The board voted to clarify certain provisions of the Organizational and Operational Rules. The regulations regarding the Pannónia Scholarship Programme were amended, stipulating that, going forward, an individual may receive the scholarship a maximum of three times. The senators voted to introduce a new elective course, Event Management Practice, starting in October 2026. The goal of this two-credit course is to share the event management experience and know-how of the Directorate General for Marketing and Communications in order to expand the practical and professional knowledge of interested students.
The board approved a technical amendment to Semmelweis University’s Data Protection, Disclosure, and Public Interest Data Request Regulations, which pertains to the publication lists of public procurement contracts.
The senators voted on the Semmelweis Ignác Medal and Award, the Richter Gedeon Medal and Award, the Hugonnai Vilma Medal and Award, the Huzella Tivadar Medal and Award, and the Jendrassik Ernő Medal and Award, as well as on nominations for the Széchenyi Prize and other state honors. The board approved amendments to certain provisions of the Regulations on the Awarding of Honors and Prizes. Pursuant to this, decisions regarding the awarding of anniversary certificates will henceforth be taken by the dean of the respective faculty rather than by the Faculty Council.
The senators approved the amendment to the sample curriculum for the Clinical Translational Medicine MSc, involving corrections to the Hungarian and English translations. The Pető András Faculty (PAK) has approved technical amendments to the specific provisions of the Study and Examination Regulations (TVSZ) concerning degree grade. Accordingly, in the MSc program, a degree with a grade of 5.00 will henceforth be classified as “with honors.”
An amendment to the Constitution of the Doctoral Students’ Union (DÖK) was approved, with the aim of increasing transparency and decentralizing decision-making and operations. Among the most important changes are the establishment of the DÖK Audit Committee, the regulation of conflicts of interest, increased budgetary oversight by the DÖK Assembly of Delegates, a clear distinction between the powers of the vice president and the deputy president, and a reduction in the number of positions available. The amendment clarifies the responsibilities of the acting president, establishes detailed procedures to be followed in the event of inconclusive elections, regulates the exclusion of members within the Assembly of Delegates, and clarifies and standardizes certain aspects of day-to-day operations.
The senators voted on changes to the student members of the standing committees established by the Senate with jurisdiction over the entire university, that is, the Equal Opportunities Committee, the University Ethics Committee, and the Committee for Students’ Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities.
Anita Szepesi
Translation: Judit Dőtsch
Cover illustration: Boglárka Zellei – Semmelweis University
