Dear Freshman Students,

as the Acting Rector of Károli Gáspár University of the Reformed Church in Hungary I warmly welcome you on the occasion of your admission to our institution!

The legal predecessor of our University was opened on 10 October 1855, in the Kálvin Square Reformed Church, under the name of Reformed Theological Academy of Pest. On 24 February 1993, on the initiative of Bishop Dr. Lóránt Hegedűs, the Synod of the Reformed Church in Hungary – in the spirit of the biblical word “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6) – decided to establish the Károli Gáspár University of the Reformed Church in Hungary for the benefit and salvation of our whole nation. With Act LXXX of 1993 on higher education, Károli Gáspár University of the Reformed Church in Hungary was founded by the Hungarian Parliament. At the ceremonial opening of the academic year, the head pastor of Dunamelléki Church District, Mihály Czine said: “The dream of János Csere Apáczai, the first Hungarian philosopher, has finally come true after almost three and a half hundred years”.

Károli Gáspár University of the Reformed Church in Hungary is a young university with a long history combining the traditions of the Reformed education with an open-minded attitude towards professional renewal. While preserving and continuing the spirit and traditions of the long-established Reformed colleges of Sárospatak (1531), Pápa (1531), Debrecen (1538), Kolozsvár (1622) and Nagyenyed (1632) our objectives and tasks are, besides training theologians and pastors, to provide a wide range of bachelor, master and doctoral programmes as well as postgraduate specialisation programmes and higher education vocational trainings in numerous disciplines, in several fields of studies.

Our university has successfully closed the admission procedure of 2021: 2812 new students have been admitted to our five faculties. Károli Gáspár University of the Reformed Church in Hungary is one of the most popular higher education institutions in Hungary. Most applicants are attracted by study programmes supported through Hungarian state scholarship; three-quarter of the admitted students may study in state-funded programmes. Our University is the 7th best in the overall ranking of Hungarian higher education institutions and is ranked No. 3 in terms of teaching excellence by HVG Diploma 2021. The long established and good community spirit of Károli provides basis for the excellent cooperation among lecturers, students and non-academic staff.

Our university places strong emphasis on Christian values, on supporting talent and small communities. The colleges for advanced studies of our university are further “bastions of knowledge”, recruiting the most prominent students. The scientific and cooperation agreements concluded with universities in the neighbouring countries and with many others all over the world contribute to increasing the knowledge of our students. The study, research and sports achievements of our students as well as their responsibility for their communities expressed by their deeds are recognised by several university scholarships and honours.

In addition to education, countless scientific, ecclesiastical, sports and community events enhance the quality of the university life. As a result of talent management, our students achieve excellent results in national scientific competitions, and have good results in sport not only at national level, but also at European and world championships and at the Olympic Games. Organisational units such as the University Pastoral Care, Centre for Foreign Languages, Carrier Office, International Directorate, Library and Bookshop as well as Károli books, publications, magazines and the Studia Carolensia serve for the spiritual and professional development of our students. On behalf of the lecturers and the whole staff of the university I wish that you gain spiritual and intellectual wealth in the upcoming years at the university. Acquire as much knowledge and experience as possible, make friendships, help your fellow students when working together, be strengthened in Christian values in order you could use all these for the benefit of the society and for yourselves throughout your life. With this in mind I am inviting you to join this hard yet promising enterprise.

I ask for God’s blessing on your lives, studies and upcoming university years!

Budapest, 11 August 2021
Dr. habil. Ágnes Czine
Acting Rector