The Rajk László College for Advanced Studies
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The Rajk László College for Advanced Studies is in one respect an educational institution connected to the Budapest University of Economic Sciences and Public Administration, having its autonomy in self-governance, on the other hand, it is also a democratic community of students living together. The college members have the same rights and engagements that other students of the University have, but over and above those they cooperate in fulfilling the College's own mission.
The College was founded in 1970 by the students of the university. The main purpose of the College has been ever since to provide members with a wide range of possibilities for professional, social and political self-education and activity. They believe that the basic outline of the mission of the institution established at the time of foundation is still valid, though several elements of its contents have gone through substantial changes. The main elements of the mission have always been
- to provide opportunities for the students to achieve a high professional standard,
- to educate students to be well informed and socially sensitive intellectuals,
- to operate a democratic community and through that to raise the need and to teach the tools for an active citizen's life.
The members of the College named the institution after László Rajk, who was a martyr of the communist regime (although himself a communist). This naming was a brave move in the early 1970s, since it expressed a strong critical attitude toward the existing social and political system of the time. This critical way of looking at things remained an essential characteristics of the College and it is always mentioned among the fundamental values held by college members. As a result, the college and its members have played important role in preparing and assisting the transformation of Hungary to a democratic country with a market economy.
