About the University

Ferenc Rakoczi II Transcarpathian Hungarian University is a private higher education institution based in Berehove. It operates in accordance with the laws of Ukraine as part of the Ukrainian higher education system, while also building its activities on the principles and values of the European Higher Education Area. It serves as a major educational, academic and cultural centre of the Hungarian community in Transcarpathia.

The establishment of the institution was the result of the educational self-organisation of the Hungarian community in Transcarpathia. Its predecessor began operating independently in 1996 as the Transcarpathian Hungarian Teacher Training College; in 2003 it adopted the name Ferenc Rakoczi II Transcarpathian Hungarian College of Higher Education, and in 2025 it reached a new milestone in its development by attaining university status. Since its foundation, the former teacher training institution has developed into a higher education centre offering a broad range of educational and research activities across multiple fields of study.

Our Mission

The University’s mission is to provide high-quality higher education that is responsive to social and professional change, to expand opportunities for Hungarian-language higher education in Transcarpathia, and to contribute to the supply of qualified professionals in the region. We aim to equip our students with the knowledge and skills that enable them to thrive both in their home region and in the wider European environment, to make responsible decisions, and to create value.

The professional and personal development of students lies at the heart of education at the University. Alongside up-to-date professional knowledge, we place particular importance on independent and critical thinking, the development of linguistic and digital competences, academic integrity, and the responsible application of knowledge. We strive to ensure equal access, fair treatment and an inclusive learning environment, and to enable our students, through their representation and feedback, to take an active role in developing both the university community and our educational programmes.

Our University operates in a multilingual environment. Alongside providing Hungarian-language higher education, we encourage a high level of proficiency in the state language and foreign languages, education conducted in these languages as well, and dialogue among different languages, cultures and academic traditions.

Education, Research and Quality

The University’s educational activities are closely linked to academic research. Our departments, research centres, academic staff and students conduct research in a wide range of disciplines, from the humanities and social sciences to education, economics and the natural sciences. We pay particular attention to the scholarly study of the linguistic, historical, social, economic and natural characteristics of Transcarpathia, while our researchers also actively participate in academic life in Ukraine, Hungary and the international scholarly community.

The University regards freedom of research and teaching, academic integrity, and the continuous enhancement of quality as fundamental values. Through its internal quality assurance system and the regular consideration of feedback from students, academic staff, other employees and external stakeholders, it seeks to continuously improve its educational programmes and institutional operations. We strive to ensure that the results of research enrich not only the academic community, but are also put to use in education, community life, the economy and the development of the region.

University and Community

The role of the University of Rakoczi extends beyond higher education. Through its organisational units, affiliated institutions, and programmes in public education, vocational education and training, adult learning and talent development, it contributes to creating an educational environment that offers opportunities for development from childhood and youth through higher education to lifelong learning.

The University is also a meeting place for culture and scholarship. Through its events, conferences, public outreach and cultural programmes, it provides a forum for dialogue among science, the arts, public life and local communities. We regard the preservation, study and transmission of Transcarpathia’s cultural and scholarly values, as well as the creation of new values, as an important part of our mission.

The University considers it important to support the physical and mental well-being of its students and staff and to develop the conditions and culture of sport and healthy living. In its operations and community-building activities, it seeks to strengthen environmental awareness, protect natural values and incorporate the principles of sustainability.

The University strives to provide a modern, orderly and supportive learning and working environment and places particular emphasis on the safety of its students and staff. As part of this commitment, it provides properly designed and equipped shelters appropriate to wartime conditions.

International Outlook

The University is rooted in Transcarpathia, but from the outset its activities have been characterised by a broad network of international relationships. Together with higher education and research partners in Ukraine, Hungary, the Carpathian Basin and elsewhere in Europe, it participates in joint educational programmes, research and academic initiatives. Our international partnerships aim to enable students and staff to participate directly in European and international academic life, while also making the knowledge and experience accumulated here visible to the wider world.

We provide international mobility opportunities for our students, academic staff and other employees, while the presence of international students and visiting lecturers further strengthens the University’s international and intercultural environment.

Ferenc Rakoczi II Transcarpathian Hungarian University seeks to be both a stable point of reference for its own community and an open gateway to the wider academic world. Building on our traditions, we are creating a university in which education, research, commitment to quality, social responsibility and international openness reinforce one another.