Szegedi Tudományegyetem, Állam- és Jogtudományi Kar - Ahol tudás és szándék találkozik

The Navel string/Tie-bridge pilot project introduced by the Faculty of Law and Political Sciences at the University of Szeged supports the education of 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th generation immigrants who wish to strengthen their cultural identity. It is especially designed for those who - although have already socially and culturally integrated into the recipient country - wish to get to know their roots, cultural heritage and last but not least learn the Hungarian language.

Hungary is a small country but has so much to show you. It lies at the heart of Europe which provides a second to none geographical position of transmitting the European heritage and values filtered through a splash of individualism in her language and culture which is completely different from her neighbours, also offering many unique sights and attractions. And they can be reached within two and a half hours from most European countries!

Szeged is the fourth largest town of Hungary. With a population of 175,000, it is the regional centre of South-eastern Hungary and the seat of Csongrád County.

Hungarian higher education has represented academic excellence for more than 600 years. The first university in Hungary was founded in 1367 in Pécs, located in the southern region of Hungary. Today there are 67 higher education institutions in Hungary ranging from top research universities to minor colleges. These universities and colleges are financed either by the state, private organizations or a church.

The University of Szeged is one of the leading higher education institutions in Hungary. The university is located in Szeged, the sunniest town of this Central European country, member of the European Union.

The Faculty of Law is one of the leading law schools of Hungary, offering a wide range of trainings both in and in foreign languages.

We have interviewed some students studying in Hungary about Hungarians and the country. Here is what they think.

Hungary is in the temperate zone and has a relatively dry continental climate. There are big differences in temperature between the four seasons: summers are hot, while winters are cold. Average temperatures range from -1 °C in January to 21 °C in July. Hungary is protected from extreme weather conditions by the surrounding mountain ranges: the Alps and the Carpathians. In the summer swimsuits are necessities. Hungary has hot water to spare. There are more than 1,000 natural springs in the country (and the world's largest thermal lake at Hévíz, near Lake Balaton), with 118 in Budapest alone.

Although the territory of Hungary barely exceeds the 93.000 square kilometres she can boast with 8 locations on the World Heritage List including the picturesque built heritage of Danube Bank view with the Buda Castle District, the natural environment of Aggtelek and Hortobágy and the cultural heritage of Busó festivities just to mention a few.

The central position of Hungary in Europe ensured a rich and controversial history with its ups and downs sometimes being a blessing, sometimes a curse. Hungary has been playing decisive role in the political and economical games and needless to say too many times in the conflicts of the major powers of the World. As for her territory at the beginning of the WW1 Hungary could boast ranking the 8^th position.

The country has one of the highest rankings, per capita, for Nobel laureates, with 13 winners going back to their first, in 1905 (for physics), and the most recent, in 2004 (for chemistry).Hungarians have also invented many things, from the biro ballpoint pen (named for inventor László Bíró) to computer science (János Neumann) to Rubik's cube.

Hungaricums are high value products of Hungary, which show Hungarian uniqueness, specialty and quality, they embody the top performance of the Hungarian people. When visiting Hungary Hungarian gastronomy is a must as we pride ourselves in producing the King of Wines and The Wine of King (Tokaji), dishes like goulash or fish soup not necessarily served on Herend porcelains but definitely with a small aperitif of pálinka to be followed by Somlói Galuska or Dobos cake as dessert. Somehow Hungaricums are not exclusively based on gastronomy, creativity can be celebrated in brand names like Rubik and his Magic Cube or Zsolnay ceramics.

On any visit to Hungary, the rich food and drink will definitely make an impression. While traditional goulash soup and Paprika are the most famous dishes, there are a huge range of other delights waiting to be discovered, using ingredients such as fresh river fish, spicy Hungarian Paprika and even a unique variety of onion. Modern restaurants developing new recipes and variants of traditional dishes are also appearing as the heavy traditional cuisine constantly evolves. Excellent local wines accompany most meals, and in the wine producing areas around Lake Balaton and in the northern towns of Eger and Tokaj, you can look forward to tasting some world-class vintages. You will doubtless be invited to drink a small aperitif of strong Hungarian Pálinka before meals. Hungarian cakes and desserts are exquisite and make a great accompaniment to a cup of coffee in a fancy coffee shop, or the perfectly end to a wonderful meal to remember!