“The National Vaccine Factory will not be in Debrecen by accident”
László Pósán: recent university investments and developments will further strengthen the economy of our city.
Don’t miss this!
Ethical proceedings may be initiated against Peter Jakab, the fate of six children is at stake
The change of model of the University of Debrecen has opened up new settings, actual autonomy, independence and more room for maneuver for the institution, says László Pósán, Member of Parliament. In an interview with the Diary, we asked about the impact on Debrecen of what was stated in the recently signed framework agreement. The MP noted that nowhere in the country is there such close co-operation between the city and the higher education institution there. It was also said that the change of model was advocated by the university senate and not by politics.
The framework agreement and the public service financing agreement were recently signed at the University of Debrecen. Among other things, it was stated that with the change of model, improvements of historical significance could be realized. The city has so far partly claimed its own university developments; if there are still more university investments, what does that mean for Debrecen?
The city of Debrecen and the university, as in the past, in the present and in the future, support each other in their efforts and development. The city has always felt like the university – this was also reflected in significant financial support – and the university has always tried to promote the development and growth of the city with its tools, knowledge, network and research. The investments, industrial or service enterprises that have taken place and are taking place in Debrecen in recent years are directly or indirectly, but in many respects related to the educational and scientific environment here, the university, urban vocational training, and vice versa: university developments are thousands. they are intertwined with the city, the industrial environment, logistics conditions and infrastructure. Thus, the new university investments and developments will further strengthen the economy of our city, they will create new jobs, and their future revenues will strengthen the university and the city, ie they will ultimately benefit the people of Debrecen. Today, the most modern companies with technical and IT equipment are present in our city, and this situation is just the beginning.
Our city is on the verge of development on a historical scale, and the university has and will play a key role in this.
With the university of Debrecen, that is what it is, and the university together with the city is a whole. Nowhere in the country is there as much organic and close co-operation and connection between the city and the higher education institution there as there is.
The objectives set out in the framework agreement include the construction of a National Vaccine Plant. Its creation is a national strategic step, and its central role in Debrecen can be further strengthened by it. Without the university, would there have been a chance for a factory of this magnitude to be built here?
It is no accident that the National Vaccine Factory moves to Debrecen. There is a long tradition of pharmaceutical production here, and the university’s chemical, biological and life science research and training provide the necessary professionals, engineers and pharmacists.
The city is still undergoing serious pharmaceutical production and development, several of these companies are operating successfully, only having a serious collaboration with the university. I believe that the university has a very important role to play in the fact that the vaccine factory is being built in Hungary.
Many people are distrustful of the change of model, and you, as an educator and as a Member of Parliament on campus, can experience the consequences. What do you expect from the model change in the coming years? How do you justify the need for this?
The change in the model of maintaining the university has been advocated and decided not by politics but by the university itself, its main decision-making forum, the Senate, with no votes against and only a few abstentions. The overwhelming majority voted in favor. After that, as a member of parliament in Debrecen, I had no other task to represent and support this intention of more than three-quarters support in the legislature. The left, of course, tried its best to question the autonomous decision and autonomy of the university, to make it the scene of political battles, and to that end it sought to arouse hysteria. However, there was essentially no buyer for this here in Debrecen, and the students even sent the Momentum, which wanted a political atmosphere, to warmer equator.
The model change opened up new settings, effective autonomy, autonomy and much more room for maneuver for the university.
The benefits of this can already be felt by the instructors, as the unique foundation here has raised salaries from September 40, with a further 40 per cent increase from January. All this is due to the fact that the university has developed a significant circle of industrial and corporate cooperation in recent years, and with the change of model, the resulting revenues have now become a freely usable source. I am convinced that the foundation maintainer model is a perspective that ensures a very high development process for the University of Debrecen.
Kiss Dóra