Interview with Márta Mészáros, Head of the Scholarship and Mobility Department at the Centre of International Programmes and Alumni of Széchenyi István University.
Winning the Erasmus+ Excellence Award Highlights the Success of Széchenyi István University's Mobility Projects
Awarded institution: Széchenyi István Egyetem Nemzetközi Programok és Alumni Központ, Ösztöndíj és Mobilitási Osztály (Széchenyi István University, Centre of International Programmes and Alumni, Scholarship and Mobility Department)
What goals did you set out with when launching the project?
Our main goal was to restore – and ideally increase – the interest in international mobility among students and staff, which had declined due to the COVID pandemic. Today, we can confidently say we succeeded: we implemented more than 400 inbound and outbound mobility activities for study, internship, teaching, and training purposes. These were carried out through joint courses, workshops, and seminars, in collaboration with nearly 100 partner institutions. These collaborations also enabled participants to gain insights into new cultural perspectives.
What was the most memorable moment of the project?
Perhaps the most memorable moment was the launch event in May 2022, when participants could finally meet each other in person without masks or restrictions – including returning students from previous mobilities and incoming international students. This moment of starting the collaboration together laid a strong foundation for the work ahead.
| Another key highlight was welcoming the international students and reading their lively, positive reflections after their stay. |
What were the greatest benefits of the project for participants and the institution?
For participants, the biggest advantage was not only gaining professional knowledge but also developing cross-cultural understanding and international networking skills. The project enabled mobility with 26 countries within and outside Europe. The most popular destinations included Spain, Romania, Italy, Portugal, Germany, and Thailand.
We also implemented several integration programmes for international students together with our local students, such as:
- Welcome Week (August 2022)
- Hungarian Cultural Night (September 2022)
- BBQ Sunday and Pub Crawl (October 2022)
- Quiz Night (November 2022 and March 2023)
- "The Most Beautiful Time of the Year" event (December 2022)
- Mobilis Science Cinema (February and March 2023)
- SZE Days (April 2023)
For the institution, the project significantly increased international visibility and broadened foreign cooperation, bringing long-term benefits to education, research, and students alike.
What was the most significant change within the university?
The most impactful change was the strengthening of international academic and training collaboration. The experiences gained by teachers, departments, and students through nearly 100 institutional partnerships were integrated into the university’s educational portfolio. Reports show that 96–100% of participants felt the Erasmus+ mobility experience positively impacted their work upon return.
The project also encouraged a stronger focus on mobility and partnerships, both academically and administratively within the institution.
What result or impact are you most proud of?
We are most proud of having built a sustainable international network that ensures continued mobility opportunities for students and staff. Our partner institutions have remained committed not only to Erasmus+ but to other forms of cooperation as well.
A standout achievement is our strengthened collaboration with the Polytechnic Institute of Leiria (Portugal), which led to:
- joint academic supervision of PhD theses, and
- the launch of a dual-degree master’s programme, from which the first student has already graduated.
This provides students with the opportunity to benefit from the academic cultures of both institutions, leading to broader and deeper knowledge.
Who else, beyond the target group can benefit from the project?
Beyond students, the results of the project benefit university staff, who are now applying newly acquired methods in their teaching and administrative work. The strengthened international ties also support the internationalisation of the university community, benefiting local stakeholders through cultural exchange and engagement with incoming international students and scholars.
Additionally, the labour market gains from this initiative by welcoming graduates who have studied in multiple countries and developed globally competitive knowledge and perspectives.
How important was dissemination?
Széchenyi István University places great emphasis on the dissemination of project results. The Communication and Press Office coordinates a comprehensive, multi-channel strategy targeting both internal and external audiences, especially students, academics, and potential applicants.
Dissemination activities include:
- multilingual information portals (e.g., ipc.sze.hu, admissions.sze.hu)
- student blogs, testimonials, and short videos
- active participation in university and national events (Open Days, Educatio Expo, Freshmen Camp)
- brochures in multiple languages, both printed and digital
- active social media presence (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, WeChat) sharing news and updates
This strategic communication ensures professional and targeted outreach to the widest possible audience.
| The Erasmus+ KA1 Higher Education mobility project at Széchenyi István University focused on enhancing international relations through student and staff mobility. |
During the project, the university:
- expanded its partner network
- increased the number of international students and staff
- improved its English-language programme offerings
The outstanding quality of the project was ensured by significantly exceeding target participant numbers, simplifying academic credit recognition, and actively including students with fewer opportunities.
What does receiving the Nívódíj (Excellence Award) mean for your institution?
Winning the Nívódíj is a great honour and confirms that our mobility project delivered outstanding results in terms of mobility and international cooperation. It recognises not only the dedicated work of our team at the International Programmes and Alumni Centre but also our university’s commitment to quality and internationalisation.
| The award motivates us in our future activities and helps increase visibility for our university and our mobility programmes. It also reinforces that our efforts have tangible, meaningful impacts – as shown by the 60% increase in student applications for the next academic year’s mobility opportunities. |
Photos: Széchenyi István University
Introducing the 2025 Erasmus+ Nívódíj (Excellence Award) Award-winning projects!
Last modified: 01-07-2025
