Each of the six institutions providing medical education in Kazakhstan was represented in the delegation, which visited Semmelweis University on Tuesday. The fifteen-strong group was mostly made up of academics, rectors and institutional directors, but also included a representative of the Kazakh Ministry of Health, and the lecturer, who was this year’s recipient of the “Teacher of the Year” award.
Ms. Orsolya Thurzó from the Directorate of International Relations provided the delegation with a brief tour of and introduction to the University, both of which began with the statue of Ignác Semmelweis, the University’s namesake. Following an overview of the University departments found on the Inner Clinical Campus, the Kazakh visitors were shown the room where the some of the University’s most important decisions are made, the Senate Hall. The visit ended in the Semmelweis Szalon, where the guests had the opportunity to take a look at a contemporary exhibit currently on display.
Mr. Marcel Pop, director of international relations spoke, among other things, about how the structure of the campus reflects very well the University’s three-fold mission of education, research and health care. He further remarked that while nearly one-fourth of the University’s students are international and come from nearly all corners of the globe, currently no Kazakh student is enrolled at any of the faculties. Members of the delegation inquired about the educational structure, system of vocational training and tuition fees in place at the University.
The Kazakh professionals came to Hungary in order to attend a ten-day course at the University’s Health Services Management Training Centre (HSMTC). The main reason for this visit, which was partly financed by the World Bank, is that Kazakhstan, where the reform of health care is currently underway, wishes to establish a similar manager training institution in their own nation, said Mr. Olivér Komma, junior advisor to the HSMTC
Pálma Dobozi
Translated by: Gina Gönczi