Budapest, 1 September 2023.
Semmelweis University celebrated a significant event on 1 September 2023, when it officially inaugurated the new academic year of the Centre for Translational Medicine. The opening ceremony was held in the Ceremonial Hall of the Theoretical Block on Nagyvárad Square. The event demonstrated the University's commitment to translational medicine throughout the Central and Eastern European region.
The ceremony started with a warm welcome by Prof. Dr. Péter Ferdinandy, Vice-Rector for Science and Innovation. In his opening speech, the professor shared Semmelweis University's ambitious vision to become one of the top 100 universities in the world and one of the top 5 universities in the European Union. He emphasised the University's mission to become a catalyst for health innovation in the Central and Eastern European region, highlighting increasing performance, quality and impact of publications as indicators of progress.
Following the Vice Rector's welcome speech, Dr. Zoltán Benyó, President of the Doctoral Council, gave a welcome speech. In it, he emphasised the collaborative and interdisciplinary nature of the Centre for Translational Medicine, reflecting a shared commitment to excellence in research and education.
The highlight of the ceremony was the opening of the 2023/24 academic year, led by Prof. Dr. Péter Hegyi, Director of the Centre for Translational Medicine. He outlined the vision of the centre, which is to bridge the gap between scientific discoveries and their practical application in healthcare. He highlighted the significant health benefits achieved over the past year and was proud to announce that the Centre had reached a major milestone, with a total of 266 students, including 91 new students, starting their first year of study. He gave an insight into the achievements of previous academic years, including project numbers and enrolment statistics, demonstrating the rapid growth and international reach of the centre. He said that students came from 21 different countries and 40 different institutions.
The event continued with an awards ceremony to recognise and celebrate the excellence of the Centre for Translational Medicine. The first class of students were presented with certificates of achievement by Prof. Dr. Gábor Varga, Deputy Director General and Operations and Rita Nagy, Expert Scientific Facilitator. The second-year students who passed the complex examination were awarded certificates by Dr. Gábor Varga and Mr. Szilárd Váncsa, Deputy Director of Education and Expert Scientific Facilitator.
The highlight of the ceremony was the presentation of the "Of the month", where Szilárd Váncsa and Rita Nagy awarded the best students of the last 3 months. This recognition highlighted the dedication and outstanding performance of the students and staff at the Translational Medicine Centre.
The opening ceremony ended with a cheerful reception full of camaraderie and optimism for the future. Semmelweis University's Centre for Translational Medicine has embarked on a new path, and its commitment to innovation and excellence will leave its mark on the field of health and medicine. The Centre will be a driving force for revolutionising healthcare research and care in the Central and Eastern European region and beyond.
More photos: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.696521379185901&type=3
(Attila Márta, Emese Szabó, photo: Bálint Barta (Semmelweis University))