Students’ union (16.2.2)

Széchenyi István University recognises the Student’s Union (EHÖK/HÖK) as the representative organisation of its students. The EHÖK/HÖK operates under its own constitution, elects its own leadership and representatives, adopts its own regulation, manages allocated resources independently, and represents students in university decision-making processes. The Organizational and Operational Regulations of Széchenyi István University (SZMSZ – Pdf) recognises the rights of EHÖK/HÖK to represent student interests, participate in governance, elect student representatives to the Senate, and exercise consultation and consent rights in matters affecting students. The university also recognises separate representation for doctoral students through the Doctoral Student’s Union (Doktorandusz Önkormányzat, DÖK).

Organizational and Operational Regulation, Composition of the Senate, Section 38 also states that the representatives delegated by the Student’s Union (HÖK) and the Doctoral Students’ Union (DÖK) are voting members of the Senate.

The Organizational and Operational Regulation, Page 56, University Union (A Hallgatói Önkormányzat), Section 48 defines the rights and obligations of University Union.

The Organizational and Operational Regulation, Page 47, The Operation of the University (Az Egyetem működése), Section 36 (3) state that The Student’s Union (hereinafter referred to as the HÖK) and the Doctoral Students’ Union (hereinafter referred to as the DÖK) shall participate in the governance of the University and in the representation of students’ interests in accordance with the provisions laid down in the Act on National Higher Education (Nftv.), other applicable legislation, and these Organizational and Operational Regulations.

Student’s Union (EHÖK/HÖK)

The Student Union (EHÖK/HÖK) of Széchenyi István University is the official representative organization of the University’s students. Its primary purpose is to represent students’ interests, support student participation in university governance, and contribute to the development of academic, social, cultural, and community life at the University. The EHÖK/HÖK operates at both the university and faculty levels through its central organization and faculty-based student representative bodies, ensuring that students from all academic units have a voice in matters affecting their studies and university experience.

The EHÖK/HÖK represents students in discussions with the University’s leadership and participates in decision-making processes concerning academic regulations, student welfare, social support schemes, educational quality, and student services. It also contributes to the allocation of student support funds, promotes student involvement in scientific, cultural, and sporting activities, and participates in the evaluation of teaching and educational quality from a student perspective. Through elected representatives, the EHÖK/HÖK prepares and coordinates student participation in the Senate and other university committees, ensuring that student interests are considered in institutional decision-making.

The EHÖK/HÖK Bylaws (Alapszabály – Pdf) establish the legal, organizational, and operational framework of student representation at the University. The document defines the mission, status, rights, responsibilities, and structure of the Student’s Union, including its governing bodies, committees, elected officers, and faculty-level student organizations. It regulates how student representatives are elected, how meetings are convened and conducted, how decisions are adopted, and how representatives exercise their rights and fulfil their responsibilities. The Bylaws also set out the rules governing the election of student representatives, the appointment of Senate members delegated by students, and the operation of student committees and representative bodies.

Student representation in university decision-making was ensured in 2025. The Student’s Union participated in the work of the Senate through representatives with voting rights, with its mandates accounting for 20-25% of the Senate’s membership. The institutional rules governing this representation are set out in Section 38 of the Organizational and Operational Regulations of Széchenyi István University (SZMSZ – Pdf), in particular paragraph (8). The 12(7)(b) of Act CCIV of 2011 (Pdf) on National Higher Education specifies this proportion of student representation for higher education institutions.

Student participation is also ensured in faculty councils. Under the Operational Regulations of Széchenyi István University (SZMSZ – Pdf), student delegates account for 25% of the membership of these councils, including doctoral student representatives at the faculties concerned.

Student support activities of EHÖK/HÖK in 2025 can be found in the Organisational and Operational Regulations – System of Requirements Applicable to Students – Compensations and Allowances Regulations – Section Social subsidies. These include:

  • Basic subsidies
  • Regular social grants
  • Exceptional social grants
  • Study material allowances
  • Housing allowances

In 2025, Student’s Union received and evaluated nearly 5000 social grant applications, of which more than 60% were awarded financial support.

The Student Union (EHÖK/HÖK) actively organises and supports a wide range of social, cultural, sporting and community-building activities for students throughout the academic year. The Union has a dedicated Vice-President for Event Organisation and works to strengthen student engagement, integration and campus life.

Examples of student social activities organised or supported by the EHÖK/HÖK in 2025 include:

  • Freshers’ Week (Gólyahét), featuring team-building activities, social programmes, community events and orientation activities for new students
  • The annual Freshers’ and Alumni Ball (Gólya- és Öregdiák Bál), one of the University’s largest student community events;
  • National Automotive Engineering Day (Országos Járműmérnök Nap), organised by the EHÖK Vehicle Engineering Committee in 2025. The event brought together students from several universities and included community-building, networking, competitions and recreational activities in addition to professional programmes. More than 300 participants attended the event

Doctoral Students’ Union

The Doctoral Students’ Union (DÖK) of Széchenyi István University is the official representative body of doctoral students. Its primary role is to represent and protect the interests of PhD candidates within the University and to ensure that doctoral students have a voice in institutional decision-making processes. The DÖK acts as a bridge between doctoral students, the doctoral schools, and the University’s leadership, enabling doctoral candidates to participate actively in shaping policies and decisions that affect their studies, research activities, and university experience.

The DÖK Constitution and Rules (Alapszabály – Pdf) provide the legal and organizational framework for the operation of the Doctoral Students’ Union. The document defines the purpose, status, and objectives of the organization and establishes the rights and responsibilities of its members. It regulates the structure of the DÖK, including its governing and representative bodies, elected officers, and decision-making mechanisms. The Constitution also specifies how representatives are elected, how meetings are convened and conducted, how decisions are adopted, and how the organization carries out its representative functions within the University.