Budapest University of Technology and Economics

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Budapest University of Technology and Economics
Budapesti Műszaki és Gazdaságtudományi Egyetem
Motto: Courses in Contemporary Engineering - harmonising theory and practice
Established: 1782
Type: Public University
Rector: Prof. Dr. Molnár Károly
Students: 24,000
Location: Budapest, Hungary
Affiliations: EUA, CESAEER, IAU, Santander Group, DRC, SEFI, AUF, ISEP, IAESTE, NEPTUNE, Athens Network
Website: http://portal.bme.hu/langs/en/

The Budapest University of Technology and Economics (Hungarian: Budapesti Műszaki és Gazdaságtudományi Egyetem or in short Műegyetem), abbreviated as BME, is the most significant University of Technology in Hungary.

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[edit] History

It is considered the oldest universitiy of technology in the world. The legal predecessor of the university was founded in 1782 by Emperor Joseph II, named Institutum Geometrico-Hydrotechnicum (Institute of Geometry and Hydrotechnics). Count István Széchenyi played a considerable role in industrialization as well as the launch of engineering training in Hungary.

It was reorganized in 1871 as Royal Joseph Technical University and was elevated to equal rank with other universities in the country. It received its current site near Gellért square (next to the Art Nouveau Hotel Gellért) in 1910.

It was reorganized in 1934 as Palatine Joseph University of Technology and Economics and it played a dominant role in the interwar industrialization process besides engineer and economist training in Hungary.

The university was restructured again in the postwar period. The 1956 Hungarian Revolution was partly launched by students of the Technical University, followed by many professors. The two technical universities seated in Budapest were merged in 1967 to form the Technical University of Budapest with six faculties. In 2000 - two years after Faculty of Economic and Social Sciences was established - the official name changed to Budapest University of Technology and Economics.

[edit] Famous alumni

Among its Nobel Prize winner alumni are the inventor of holography Dennis Gabor, the chemist George Oláh, Donát Bánki the inventor of the carburettor and the physicist Eugene Wigner. Many other students of the university have become world-famous, including Alfréd Hajós, Alajos Hauszmann, Csaba Horváth, Kálmán Kandó, Tódor Kármán, Károly Kós, Dénes Mihály, Ernő Rubik, Imre Steindl and Leó Szilárd

[edit] Today

The "K", central building looking from the river Danube
The "K", central building looking from the river Danube

In May 2000, the university had 1,024 regular faculty members (more than 50% of whom had a PhD in scientific field.). 34 professors/researchers of the university are members of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences.

Training courses are provided in five languages: Hungarian, English, German, French and Russian.

The ECTS credit system was introduced in 1995. This helps students to enroll in the student exchange program of the EU, Socrates (also known as Erasmus) and earn a double degree through the Top Industrial Managers for Europe network.

[edit] Colleges

At present university has eight Colleges (founding date in parentheses):

  • College of Civil Engineering (1782)
  • College of Mechanical Engineering (1871)
  • College of Architecture (1873)
  • College of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology (1873)
  • College of Electrical Engineering and Informatics (1949)
  • College of Transportation Engineering (1955)
  • College of Natural Sciences (1987)
  • College of Economics and Social Sciences (1998)

[edit] Admissions

Admission is possible for Hungarians who pass the Hungarian high school matura with enough points (as calculated per the Hungarian system), as well as for anyone else in possession of an International Baccalaureate (again, with high enough points).

As with all Hungarian universities, a tuition fee of around 700 USD has to be paid per year. No extra fee is required for Hungarians if it is their first university, and they do not surpass a limit of 13 semesters to finish the university.

6% of the total students come from different countries of the world representing 50+ different countries; the majority of the students in the English Program are from Iran and Cyprus.

[edit] Location

The university is located on the side of the Danube between the Szabadság Bridge and the Petőfi Bridge and towards the Lágymányosi Bridge. This makes the university especially elongated, which can cause a problem, as walking from one side of the university to the other can take up as much as 20 minutes. The only alternative to walking is the bus 86, which has a very limited schedule.

[edit] Sports

The University will host the IFIUS World Interuniversity Games in October 2008.

[edit] External links

Coordinates: 47°28′53″N, 19°3′20″E

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Universities in Hungary
Universities
in Budapest

Eötvös Loránd University · Budapest University of Technology and Economics · Corvinus University of Budapest · Central European University · Semmelweis University · Pázmány Péter Catholic University · Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music · Andrássy Gyula German Language University of Budapest · Károli Gáspár University of the Hungarian Reformed Church · Evangelical-Lutheran Theological University · Jewish Theological Seminary – University of Jewish Studies · Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design · Academy of Drama and Film in Budapest · Hungarian Academy of Fine Arts · Zrínyi Miklós National Defence University
Universities in the
rest of the country

Reformed Theological Academy of Debrecen · Szent István University · Széchenyi István University · University of Debrecen · University of Kaposvár · University of Miskolc · University of Pannonia · University of Pécs · University of Szeged · University of West Hungary
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