Corvinus University of Budapest

About

Corvinus University of Budapest (Hungarian: Budapesti Corvinus Egyetem) is a private research university in Budapest, Hungary. The university currently has an enrolment of approximately 9,600 students, with a primary focus on business administration, economics, and social sciences, operating in Budapest and Székesfehérvár since 1948. Corvinus University accepts students at six faculties and offer courses leading to degrees at the bachelor, master and doctoral level in specialisations taught in Hungarian, English, French or German. Corvinus alumni include a former prime minister of Hungary, governors of the Hungarian National Bank as well as various members of the Hungarian political and business elite. Globally, Corvinus is currently ranked in the #1001-1200 range, a drop from the high #801-1000 range from 2022.

In 1846, József Industrial School opened its gates with departments for economics and trade for upper grade students. The immediate forerunner of the Corvinus University of Budapest, the Faculty of Economics of the Royal Hungarian University, was established in 1920. The faculty was an independent organization that was granted the same status as faculties of other universities. In 1934, the faculty was merged with other institutions including the University of Technology to form the Hungarian Royal Palatine Joseph University of Technology and Economics. Modern economist training began in 1948, when the Hungarian University of Economics was established as a separate universitas. Since then, the institution has undergone multiple name changes. In 1953 it was renamed Karl Marx University of Economic Sciences. In 1990, following the end of communism in Hungary the name of the university was changed to the University of Economics of Budapest. In 2000, with the integration of the College of Public Administration, the institution was named Budapest University of Economic Sciences and Public Administration (BUESPA). The College of Public Administration was founded in 1977. In 2003, the three faculties of the former University of Horticulture (then part of the Szent István University) were integrated into the BUESPA. The first predecessor of the horticulture faculties, the School for practical Gardening (1853–1860) was the first institution of horticultural professional training in Hungary. The school was founded and managed by the horticultural scholar and publicist Dr Ferenc Entz (1805–1877), who was also a corresponding member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. In 1939 an independent Royal Horticultural Academy was launched. It included three departments: agriculture, horticulture and landscape architecture. The latter was one of a kind in Hungary at the time. In 2004, the university received its present name. The name the Corvinus University of Budapest refers to the name of Corvinae (codices). Bibliotheca Corviniana was one of the most renowned libraries of the Renaissance world, established in the 15th century by King Matthias Corvinus of Hungary. The Faculty of Public Administration was appended to the newly formed National University of Public Service on 1 January 2012. From 2013 Corvinus University of Budapest offered a Summer School program. In February 2019, the government announced that it would place Corvinus University under the newly created Maecenas Universitatis Corvini Foundation from July 2019. The foundation will be allocated 10% of the government's stake in MOL and Gedeon Richter worth HUF 380 billion at the time, with the operational expenses to be paid with the dividends from these companies. The new appointed rector became Előd Takáts on 1 August 2021, parallel with the change of control of the university, replacing András Lánczi after his six-year term.

Adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA). Photography via Wikimedia Commons.