On February 27, 2014 the Faculty of Law at the University of Szeged organized a formal meeting to welcome 11 Chinese students representing two Shanghai universities (Shanghai International Studies University and Shanghai University of Political Science and Law) in the third semester of the Gateway Hungarian-Chinese Exchange Program. Students were greeted by Prof. József HAJDÚ, Dean of the Faculty as well as the Hungarian and Chinese Directors of the Confucius Institute at the University.

Chinese students, sophomores and juniors in their home universities majoring in various subjects such as law, international relations and social work, had the opportunity to meet Faculty leaders, managers of the Gateway Program and the teachers and student helpers who will assist them during their 4-month stay in Hungary. In his opening speech Prof. Hajdú emphasized his close links to East Asia and encouraged students to discover Szeged, Hungary and Europe, dive into the local culture and seize the day.

Ms Lívia SZENTMÁRTONI, Hungarian Director of the Confucius Institute addressed the participants in Hungarian and Chinese and praised the Gateway Program as a unique and successful initiative to provide Chinese students with knowledge and skills they can rely on all over the globe. Dr Xuemei ZHANG, Chinese Director of the Confucius Institute highlighted the support that is provided by the Institute for the Program and the students.

The meeting ended with the introduction of the teachers and courses of the Program and a photo opportunity in front of the Faculty building. However, students were reminded right after the meeting that their stay in Szeged is meant to be an educational experience above all: they were invited to presentations on the culture and history of Hungary and Central Europe.

The Gateway Hungarian-Chinese Exchange Program is primarily designed for undergraduate or graduate students arriving from China. The curriculum covers one semester. All classes and study materials are exclusively in English. The objective of the program is to give an introduction to the most important areas of jurisprudence, international relations, political science and industrial relations. The courses present the relevant field from a European – and where appropriate global – comparative perspective with a special emphasis on Hungarian experience. Besides the core subjects, practical courses will are offered on legal English so as to improve students’ vocabulary, linguistic and communication abilities. The program also includes some extracurricular cultural activities, i.e. field trips to historical and natural heritage sites in Hungary as well as to the National Assembly in Budapest in order to give students a better understanding of Hungarian culture and traditions.

The Program started in 2012 with the participation of the Shanghai University of Political Science and Law. This spring marks the arrival of the third group of students and the accession of the Shanghai International Studies University to the Program. On the basis of very favorable feedback so far on the functioning of the Program, our Faculty is looking forward to further widening this initiative and integrating it into its regular curriculum.

Photo: Üllei Kovács László