On 23rd June, His Excellency Francois Lafreniere, Ambassador of Canada to Hungary, Slovenia and Bosnia, visited our University for the first time since the beginning of his mandate. During his visit to the Károlyi-Csekonics Palace, Ambassador Lafreniere was first received by Rector László Trócsányi, Judit Nagy, Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Coordinator of the Károli Canada Centre, and Gábor Szalai, Head of the International Relations Office. During the meeting, among other things, the extension of Canadian Studies to the Faculty of Law was discussed.

On May 23, 2025, Károli Gáspár University and Yonsei University co-hosted their first hybrid graduate student conference, titled “Urban Culture in the Twenty-First Century”. Although it was KRE’s first joint event with one of South Korea’s oldest and most prominent universities, we hope it will become a tradition, along with further future inter-institutional collaboration.

Virág Zombory and Viktória Soós, coordinators from the International Relations Office of Károli Gáspár University of the Reformed Church in Hungary, took part in the International Staff Week hosted by AAB College in Kosovo, held between 12-16 May 2025. The event successfully fostered international collaboration, encouraged intercultural exchange, and strengthened institutional networks. AAB College is a new partner in our ERASMUS+ ICM (KA171) project, and the staff week provided a valuable opportunity to further develop this newly established relationship.

On 22 May, a bust of former British diplomat George Stepney was unveiled in the park of the Rákóczi Museum in Sárospatak.

At the Károli Open Talks event held on May 5 at Károli Gáspár University, experts gathered to explore the potential of decentralized science (DeSci) and blockchain-based research funding. The roundtable discussion focused on how blockchain technology can increase transparency and fairness in scientific research, promote direct collaboration between researchers and funders, and introduce innovative models through decentralization. The event was conducted in English and offered both in-person and online participation.

H.E. Hikariko Ono, Ambassador of Japan to Hungary visited the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences of Károli Gáspár University of the Reformed Church in Hungary on May 15, 2025. Her program consisted of a meeting  with Dr. habil. Mózes Csoma (Dean), Dr. Judit Nagy (Vice-Dean for International Affairs), Dr. Ilona Varrók (Head of the Institute) and the leadership of the Department of Japanese Studies. During the meeting, the relationship between KRE and Japanese higher education institutions was discussed, as well as the topic of student exchange programs. Following the meeting, Ambassador Hikariko Ono delivered a lecture in English to the students of the KRE on Japan's foreign policy and the soft power of the country's culture. After the lecture, Ambassador Ono and her colleagues visited the Japanese Department.

On 25th April 2025, the leadership of the Faculty of Law, University of Montenegro visited the Faculty of Law, Károli Gáspár University of the Reformed Church in Hungary.

Decentralized Science (DeSci) and blockchain-based research funding are opening new frontiers for the scientific community, particularly in terms of transparency, accessibility, and collaboration. Traditional grant systems are often slow, bureaucratic, and driven by centralized decision-making, which can hinder innovation. In contrast, blockchain technology enables community-funded research projects through smart contracts, allowing for transparent and decentralized allocation of funds. This model fosters direct engagement between researchers and supporters, while ensuring that scientific outputs are openly and verifiably archived. By shifting the dynamics of funding and knowledge sharing, DeSci has the potential to transform the scientific ecosystem into a more inclusive, efficient, and innovation-friendly space.