Participatory bodies for stakeholder engagement (16.2.4)

Advisory boards

Széchenyi István University gives external partners formal, growing channels to influence study programmes. In 2025, the University formally appointed advisory board members for seven study programmes – Tourism-Hospitality, Business Informatics, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Informatics, Business Administration and Management, and Modern Technologies and Cybersecurity. Széchenyi István University also established faculty-level advisory boards for the Vehicle Engineering Faculty and the Audi Hungaria Faculty of Automotive Engineering.

The Audi Hungaria Faculty of Automotive Engineering has an advisory board of industrial partners, the Manufacturing Technology Advisory Board, set up to involve industry directly in developing and continuously reviewing its mechanical and vehicle engineering programmes. Its first meeting brought together about 50 representatives of 26 companies from the automotive, machine-tool, software, cutting-tool and metrology sectors, including international firms such as Haas, Mitsubishi, Zeiss and Grobe. The Faculty asked the Board to help develop new manufacturing technology specializations in its BSc programmes, with the stated aim of shaping curricula in line with the partners’ views.

The Tourism-Hospitality BSc Professional Advisory Board, formed in January 2025, includes the Head of Department from Ministry of Public Administration and Territorial Development alongside four industry members, and meets at least twice a year to strengthen the practical and project-based character of the study. The Business Administration and Management BSc Advisory Board, formed in November 2025, brings together bank and corporate leaders who review curricula and support research and student competition.

Alumni and Wellbeing Center – ALUMNI questionnaire – formal channel of graduates to influence programs.

The Alumni and Wellbeing Centre runs the annual alumni survey on teaching, research and third-mission activity. The Centre processes the responses and formulates recommendations for the University’s future activities. Based on the responses of Alumni, following topics were identified: career support, knowledge sharing, exclusive benefits such as online learning platforms.

Policies beyond engagement

The 2025 Sustainability Report – Pdf of the Széchenyi István University states that stakeholder relations are managed systematically, with continuous, structured dialogue and stakeholder feedback incorporated into institutional decisions. The University’s “knowledge pentagon” model formally links industry, government, civil society, church and media. The Sustainability Competence Centre coordinates the involvement of students, staff, researchers and external partners. The Report’s strategic targets include a pledge to maintain regular and formalised dialogue with local community representatives and to support local communities with targeted programmes. A 2025 example is the long-running dual training and industry partnership programme, through which employers take part in curricula and practice.

The Sustainability Strategy 2022-2030 – Pdf of Széchenyi István University treats cooperation with internal and external stakeholders as a core principle of governance. It requires measures to be developed with relevant stakeholders and their needs to be identified before decisions are adopted. The University commits to regular stakeholder surveys, meetings and consultations, and to a formal partnership plan. Its partnership objectives include joint programmes with the municipalities hosting its campuses and a biodiversity dialogue with city leadership from 2025. The Strategy also provides for periodic review, with stakeholder feedback incorporated.

Engagement with local stakeholders is ensured through the activities of the individual faculties, the Higher Education and Industrial Cooperation Centre (FIEK), and the Sustainability Competence Centre, under the governance of the Vice-President for International Affairs and Strategic Relations. In addition, the Alumni and Wellbeing Centre contributes to the development of the University’s educational curricula by incorporating feedback from alumni.