-His Excellency, Dr. Károly Benes Ambassador of Hungary to the UAE
Shaneer N Siddiqui – This is the time when students are looking for higher education options…How you will place Hungary, on the map of higher education?
His Excellency Ambassador Dr. Károly Benes : First and foremost, allow me to highlight that students of all around the world are welcomed in Hungary for their studies. Since the UAE is the home of more than 200 nationalities, I am truly delighted that this message stated here in Dubai can reach almost every nation globally. Hungary’s higher education system offers a valuable combination of quality education, a unique cultural experience, and affordability.
Similar to many European countries, Hungary follows a two-cycle system. The Bachelor’s Degree (BA/ BSc) lasts typically 3-4 years, providing fundamental knowledge and skills in a chosen field. The Master’s Degree’s (MA/MSc) duration is usually 1-2 years, offering specialization in a specific area. An additional 2+2 years of research leads to a doctoral degree (PhD).
Shaneer N Siddiqui -What are the advantages, Hungary is offering to applicants?
His Excellency Ambassador Dr. Károly Benes : Hungary offers several advantages to university applicants, making it an attractive destination for international students. Hungarian universities have a long history of academic excellence, with many institutions dating back centuries. The first one in the city of Pécs was established in 1367. They offer a strong curriculum by qualified professors, ensuring a high-quality education. Most of the big universities in Hungary offer programs in English, catering to international students. This eliminates the need for Hungarian language proficiency for certain programs. When it comes to programs variety, our country offers a wide range of sciences, engineering, IT, business and social sciences for the students, who can find programs that align with their academic interests and career goals.
Studying in Hungary provides an opportunity to immerse oneself in a rich Central European culture with a vibrant history, beautiful architecture, and delicious cuisine. Students can experience Hungarian traditions, festivals, folklore and everyday life while living abroad. We are generally considered a safe country with low crime rate. Compared to Western European or North American countries, tuition fees in Hungary are relatively low. This makes a Hungarian education a cost[1]effective option for students on a budget. Moreover, international students with a valid residence permit are allowed to work part-time while studying in Hungary. This can help students offset living expenses and gain valuable work experience.
Which is highly important after graduation, a degree from a Hungarian university is recognized throughout Europe and in the UAE, opening doors for graduates seeking career opportunities.
Shaneer N Siddiqui -Universities in Hungary offer high-quality education at affordable tuition fees. Can you please elaborate more about the courses offered by Hungary universities?
His Excellency Ambassador Dr. Károly Benes : Hungarian universities offer a wide range of courses across various disciplines, catering to a diverse range of student interests. As a glimpse into some of the fields, let me start with Computer Science programs, which equip students with the skills and knowledge to develop software applications, design computer systems, and analyse data. A couple of universities are offering AI related studies, while one of them also established ChatGPT[1]focused class. We are a growing hub for IT companies, making a computer science degree valuable in the job market.
ungary has a long tradition of excellence in mathematics, physics, biology and chemistry, universities offer programs that provide a strong foundation concepts, research and problem-solving skills. The medical, dental and veterinary faculties are among the most recognized and well-known in the world. Students pursuing career in medicine will earn a strong degree after graduation. It is also worth considering to choose engineering or business administration, since many Hungarian universities are providing excellent education both in Budapest and the countryside as well.
Finally, I encourage students to check Hungary’s higher education offer in every specification and discover the wide spectrum of options the Hungarian universities could provide.
Shaneer N Siddiqui-Summer is coming and travelers already started to explore the options. Why the tourists from the middle east opt for Hungary to be a tourist destination?
His Excellency Ambassador Dr. Károly Benes : Some cultural elements are both interesting for expats or students, who arrive for years, and short[1]time tourists for a visit lasting only a couple of days. Hungary boasts a long and fascinating history, with influences from Romans, Ottomans, and Habsburgs. Tourists can marvel at architectural wonders like the Buda Castle, the Hungarian Parliament Building, and the Matthias Church in Budapest. We are famous for our thermal baths, fed by natural hot springs. These baths have been a popular destination for relaxation and rejuvenation for centuries. UNESCO already recognized 8 sites of Hungary in the World Heritage list which shows that we offer cultural and natural attractions.
We have direct flights operating from Dubai, Abu Dhabi and many other cities from the GCC countries, while offering family-friendly, safe and welcoming environment, delicious cuisine including the flavourful goulash soup. While Hungary is not a majority[1]Muslim country, there is a growing number of Muslim[1]friendly options available, including halal restaurants and prayer facilities. This makes it easier for Muslim tourists to visit Hungary and enjoy their vacation.
To summarize it, Hungary offers a compelling combination of cultural attractions, natural beauty, affordability, and unique experiences that make it an attractive destination for tourists from the Middle East.
Shaneer N Siddiqui -There is a long waiting for the Visa of Hungary. What are the reasons behind it?
His Excellency Ambassador Dr. Károly Benes : As an ultimate reason I shall name the increased demand for visa among the applicants. Our colleagues in the Embassy, together with the visa application service provider company do their best to fulfil the needs of employment and student applications, together with the growing number of requests from tourists. The complexity of visa application itself could influence processing times. For instance, work visas might require additional documentation and verification with potential employers, causing delays.
Shaneer N Siddiqui -Is there any special provision for students and their parents to get visas faster?
His Excellency Ambassador Dr. Károly Benes : There is no universal fast-track option for student visas in Hungary. We approach student visa applications with exceptional care and we prioritize their parents visit visa applications as well, because we understand that parents want to help their children to settle down in Hungary. The visa applications of awardees of Hungarian government scholarships, e.g., Stipendium Hungaricum, get priority treatment in order to facilitate the students’ timely arrival in Hungary.
As a general tip, I recommend to submit visa application well in advance, taking into consideration that the application is complete and includes all required documents. Missing documents can cause delays and require additional communication, extending the processing time.
Shaneer N Siddiqui-If we talk about Hungary is a cultural country, What steps you are taking to promote Hungarian culture in UAE?
His Excellency Ambassador Dr. Károly Benes : Within Europe, Hungary itself stands in a unique position. Our language has no close language family members in the world, while having various influence from different places. Many of the surveys about the most difficult languages globally lists Hungarian among the top 3 to learn. However, our art, music and cinematics offers a wide range of cultural adventure which was partly displayed at Expo2020. The well[1]organized exhibition provided us an outstanding opportunity to showcase our traditions and cultural performances. Furthermore, The cultural and various study exchange programs could widely contribute to the development of bilateral ties in the field of culture as well.
Shaneer N Siddiqui -On January 6, the first Hungarian library in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) opens. How you are seeing this step towards mingling with other nationals?
His Excellency Ambassador Dr. Károly Benes: I consider it important that Hungarian expats living in the country maintain or re-establish ties to Hungary and our culture. Therefore, I was delighted to learn that a Hungarian-owned company offered its own office for the thousands of Hungarians living in the country as a library, which is now open every Saturday afternoon. The Embassy of Hungary supports the initiative and we see this venue as a great fundament to organize informal events like business and cultural meetups, family afternoons or literature workshops.
Shaneer N Siddiqui – In this month only, Hungary and the United Arab Emirates signed a 5 billion euro ($5.5 billion) deal that will see a run-down Budapest neighbourhood injected with some Dubai glitz. Can we say, it is a different type of partnership, where business, tourism and culture are equally involved?
His Excellency Ambassador Dr. Károly Benes : The United Arab Emirates and Hungary are two countries that make their economic decisions on the basis of reality and common sense. Furthermore, it is always important in the economic cooperation between two countries to have a flagship project, which in this case could be the reconstruction of a brownfield area in our capital. This huge development project gives new impetus not only to the cooperation between the two countries, but also to the development of Budapest, since not only a new, modern district is being built, but also a large urban investment is made with complex touristic, economic, business and sports functions.
Shaneer N Siddiqui – Being a country representative, How you are excited about the United Arab Emirates and Hungary economic cooperation agreement aimed at stimulating trade and investment flows between the two nations in priority sectors of mutual interest.
His Excellency Ambassador Dr. Károly Benes : I am truly pleased with the continuous development of bilateral economic relations, which shows the success of the strategy of the Government of Hungary. Giving one example, the value of trade between Hungary and the United Arab Emirates has constantly grown in the last years. Hungarian companies are increasingly active in the UAE e.g. in the food industry, IT, logistics and technology. Also, as it was mentioned above, Hungary welcomes investors from the UAE, offering one of the most competitive and supportive ecosystem for FDI. I am convinced that the already established relations, the recently signed economic cooperation agreement, the active trade flow all pave the way for companies operating in the UAE to see Hungary as an attractive business destination.