The new academic year began for 1,681 students at Ferenc Rakoczi II Transcarpathian Hungarian University on September 30. As is tradition, the opening ceremony was hosted by the Reformed Church in Berehove.
The event began with the procession of the historical flags of Transcarpathia, which were carried into the church by students of the university dressed in Kuruc-era attire, to the sounds of the tárogató. Following this, university chaplain János Margitics, pastor of the Reformed Church in Berehove, welcomed the attendees.
At the beginning of his address, István Csernicskó, Rector of the University of Rakoczi, pointed out that at last year’s academic year opening, our institution was still named Rakoczi College, whereas today we are starting the academic year as a university.
“But university status is not a reward to be put on display in a showcase. It is an obligation. Today, we no longer need to prove that we have become a university. We must demonstrate daily that we hold our own as a university,”
he emphasized.
He further added that last year we began the academic year with a record 1,582 students, and this year that record was broken, with 1,681 students starting the 2026–2027 academic year at the University of Rakoczi. He then summarized the past year and outlined plans for the future.
“A good university is not merely a service that one uses for a few years and then receives a piece of paper for. A good university is a community that you, first-year students, will also enrich from now on,”
he said.
In his speech, László Vida, Consul General of the Consulate of Hungary in Berehove, commemorated the thirty-year existence of the higher education institution in Berehove.
“Among the Hungarian communities abroad, the one in Transcarpathia is in the most distressed situation. This marks the fifth academic year starting under the restrictions of martial law. Under these circumstances, it takes on special meaning that there is continuity year after year, that there are new students in whom lies the promise of the future,”
he added.
Béla Merkely, President of the Hungarian Rectors’ Conference and Rector of Semmelweis University, quoted the words of Albert Szent-Györgyi, a former student of Semmelweis University: “Tomorrow will be as we teach today.”
“For 30 years now, the University of Rakoczi has been training professionals who are greatly needed in this region. The work of the students who graduate from here is not simply the practice of a profession. They are the ones who, through their knowledge and daily work, are present in Transcarpathia’s schools, institutions, businesses, and communities. This is a very difficult yet noble task. The university sets an empowering and courageous example that, even under difficult circumstances, it is possible to build, develop an institution, teach, and learn,”
he highlighted.
Following the welcoming remarks, the first-year students took their oath, led by Zsófia Ráti, a first-year student majoring in Hungarian language, literature, and communication. Afterward, Ildikó Orosz, President of our university, and István Csernicskó officially inducted the freshmen as students of the institution with a handshake, after which the student anthem was performed.
During the opening ceremony, the Rakoczi Prize, established by the Senate of the University of Rakoczi, was presented. The award serves to recognize the contributions of individuals who have played a decisive role in the creation of independent Hungarian-language higher education in Transcarpathia, as well as in the preservation and development of the university. The honor may be conferred upon those who, through their moral stance and financial support, have contributed significantly to the education of thousands of young Transcarpathian Hungarians, helping them thrive in their homeland. The award is presented annually to two recipients: one from the motherland or abroad, and one from Transcarpathia. In accordance with the decision of the Senate of the University, the recipient from Hungary in 2026 is the Hungarian Rectors’ Conference, while the recipient from Transcarpathia is Professor Emeritus Attila Kohut, retired Vice-Rector of the University of Rakoczi. The award was presented by Ildikó Orosz, President of our university, and Rector István Csernicskó.
On behalf of the award recipients, Béla Merkely, President of the Hungarian Rectors’ Conference, expressed words of gratitude.
At the opening ceremony, the “High school of the year” certificate of recognition was also presented. This award can be given to cooperating Transcarpathian secondary schools from which the highest number of applicants enrolled in the training programs offered by the university during the recent admissions cycle. In 2026, the “High school of the year” certificate of recognition was awarded to the Vocational High School of the University of Rakoczi, the Transcarpathian Hungarian Lyceum, the Gábor Bethlen Lyceum of Berehove, the Fedor Potushnyak Lyceum of Berehove, the Taras Shevchenko Lyceum of Berehove, the Platan Lyceum of Berehove, the Lyceum of Velyka Dobron, the Sándor Sztojka Greek Catholic Lyceum of Karachyn, the Reformed Lyceum of Velyka Dobron, the Lajos Kossuth Lyceum of Berehove, the Reformed Lyceum of Pyiterfolvo, and the Reformed Lyceum of Velyki Berehy.
Following the award presentations, Ildikó Orosz, President of the University of Rakoczi, highlighted in her opening speech that the start of this academic year is not merely a matter of calendar order, but a further proof of steadfastness, perseverance, and faith in the future.
“Our university has shown that it is capable of growing, developing, and standing its ground worthy of its university status even during war. Let this continue to be our goal! I wish that this academic year brings us all peace, and grants us strength, perseverance, and creative spirit,”
she concluded her remarks.
Following this, representatives of the historic churches invoked God’s blessing upon the first-year and upper-year students, the institution’s teachers, staff, and all present.
Anita Kurmay
