Eszterházy Károly College - The Good Decision

County region

The institution is the leading independent college in the region. An increasing demand on the part of the College’s social and business partners for the intensification of the institution's educational, service-orientated and society building activities is coupled by the College’s need for professional practice facilities for its student body resulting from the changes in the training profile.

The College makes a conscious and continual effort to include training programs enabling it to provide a response to societal demands and improves the possibilities for the societal presence of students and instructors. The institution cooperates with the professional experts of regional research institutes and laboratories in the fulfilment of research objectives and following the principle of mutuality continually develops its professional relations with the higher educational, scientific, cultural and art institutions, pedagogical institutions, and main economic factors of the region.

The Location of the College in the city of Eger

The educational buildings of the Eszterházy Károly College are dispersed throughout the city. The College’s central building is the Lyceum, a spectacular building facing four streets and providing one of the oldest facilities in Hungary serving higher educational purposes.
A governmentally supervised teacher training college moved into this building in 1949 and has been complemented with many modern buildings in the last half century. In addition to the educational buildings the College maintains four dormitories and two demonstration schools. The demonstration elementary and secondary schools familiarize students participating in education programs with the practical aspects of the teaching profession and students of non-educational degree programs fulfil their professional training requirements at different Eger-based firms.
Scholarly Work and Research In the College presently discipline-oriented basic research and applied research efforts are conducted. The Botany, Mathematics, Linguistics, and History basic research programs have achieved internationally acclaimed research results. The results of applied research efforts focusing on instructional methodology, pedagogy and psychology are principally utilized in the field of education providing solutions for economic, economic-geography, media informatics, conservation, nature protection, or environmental protection problems.

Outstanding artistic achievements in fine arts and music are displayed in domestic and international forums. The fact that over 50% of the full time staff has advanced degrees is another proof of the high level scholarly research efforts conducted at the College. The results of the research efforts are disseminated in the form of an annual output of 25–30 scholarly books and textbooks and 350–400 scholarly publications. Furthermore, our staff members are regular participants at numerous domestic and foreign scholarly and scientific conferences. The fact that the College is the only four-year educational institution supporting an academic research group, in the field of bryology, is another indicator of the high standard scholarly and
research activity undertaken at the institution.

Study Facilities and Services at the College

Only those fortunate enough can truly appreciate the eventful and memorable “college years.” In addition to learning and preparation for examinations our students can take advantage of the numerous extracurricular and leisure time options available.

Libraries

Four different libraries work in the Eszterházy Károly College offering a variety of diversified library facilities for academic learning and research activities. The basic and electronic information services of the libraries are as follows:
• Lending of certain documents
• Use of library catalogues
• Use of SDI and CD-ROM database
• Use of library collection in the reading rooms
• Inter-library loan
• On-line reference service
• Internet access (workstations in the library)
• Photocopying
• Reading magazines and newspapers
• Listening to music
• Watching video films

The Central Library has several sub units including social sciences, literary scholarship, foreign language, and natural science components in which the necessary professional texts are available. The Central Library, the Library of Hungarian Literary History and the Foreign Language Library can be found in the Lyceum building, while building “D” houses the Library of Natural Sciences. The periodical reading room houses several domestic and foreign publications, and the media collection makes the study of other documents possible. Considering the number of the books held at the Archdiocesan Library in the Lyceum building as well, almost half a million volumes are available for students and faculty members alike.

Student ID

As the student of the Eszterházy Károly College you get a Hungarian Student ID, which is valid during your studies at the college. Right after your arrival in Eger you have to contact the Centre of International Relations in order to get your Student ID. It will cost you a few hundred forints, you will
need to provide a photo and fill out a form. Along with this ID you will receive a chip-card as well. In possession of the student ID and the chipcard you will have the same rights as Hungarian students have:
• Reduced price for public transport in Eger
• Domestic train tickets at reduced prices
• Reduced entrance tickets for clubs and museums
Note that you will also need your Student ID and the chipcard when you want to enrol for the library or use other services of the college (e.g. photocopying).

Computer Facilities

There are more than 600 computers with Internet access in the libraries and computer laboratories all over the buildings of the college and dormitories as well. The computer labs offer software packages for word processing, spreadsheet-designing, statistical tasks and programming. Regarding the regulations of using computers and computer labs please contact the Centre of International Relations or the Regional Informatics Centre. These departments can give you information on current rules of usage. The Regional Informatics Centre (RIC) provides unlimited Internet access. As we mentioned the number of workstations is over 600 and students can establish and regularly update their own WEB home page. The Informatics Service Centre (ISC, 3300 Eger, Eszterházy tér 1., Building „A”, ground floor), operating within the organizational framework of the RIC, helps students in the planning, manufacturing, possible copying and printing of the content of digital information carriers. The ISC also makes licensed goods and merchandise products bearing the logo of the College.

Art Activities

Students interested in the performing and visual arts can take advantage of the College’s choir and chamber music orchestra regularly performing on classical and popular music events and concerts or join the college’s folk dance company. The best works of students participating in the Graphic Arts program are regularly displayed at the College and in the region as well.

Sports

Student athletic activity takes place within the framework of the College Sports Club providing practice and competition opportunities in 6 sports (track and field, gymnastics, swimming, basketball, volley ball and soccer). The fitness centre is equipped with work-out rooms and a sauna.

Student Organisations

The Student Body Association’s (HÖK) primary objective is the protection of students’ interests. It deals with all concerns and issues with special importance to the students of the College including placement counselling, the arrangement of cultural events, and the provision of financial support for student participation at scholarly conferences.

The Student Advisory and Program Arrangement Centre providing popular programs and making useful services available is an integral element of College life. The Centre’s contribution to student life is invaluable as it organizes textbook exchanges, provides information on student bid projects, offers housing information assistance, and facilitates summer employment options.

The Special Study Association is a self-initiated student group involved in self-training and in the promotion of students’ social sensitivity. The cultural and leisure programs organized by the Association are important contributors to college life. The Student Scholar Groups (TDK) complement the scholarly research efforts conducted at the institution. The continuous success rate of our students at National Student Scholar Conferences is an
important indicator of the level of the institutional research efforts.