We have an amazing and enthusiastic international alumni volunteer team of 22 people from 18 countries. Most of them decided to create an alumni chapter in their home country or form international professional alumni groups and some of them did great social media work. In the next chapter of our volunteer series, you can read Purevdulam Jamiyansuren’s story from Mongolia. She studied International Economics and Business at Budapest Business School between 2015-2017 and is now a Chief Monitoring and Evaluation Officer at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded Business Excellence for Sustainability and Transparency (BEST) project in Mongolia.
Why did you choose Hungary and Budapest Business School (BBS)?
I chose Budapest Business School because I thrive on advancing my academic knowledge and professional skills. Studying in Hungary embodied the diversity of its programs and activities, and most importantly its extensive alumni network. I was informed about the extended Stipendium Hungaricum Scholarship Programme in 2015 through the website of the Ministry of Education and Science, so I was lucky to check it on time and applied for a Master’s degree. During my application period, I was impressed with the extensive curriculum of the BBS offered and the lifestyle in Budapest.
How did you like your studies? What was your favourite memory during your studies?
I have embraced my passion for international development and excellence in research during my studies. Besides the academic journey, the trips around Budapest organized by the international student-faculty were the most memorable for me. For example, the Dripstone Cave “Baradla” located in Northern Hungary was truly impressive, especially riding horse carriages and visiting World’s Largest Book (Szinpetri) in the town and walking around sightseeing while enjoying the local traditional cuisine. Additionally, the Danube River Cruise in Budapest was the most peaceful memory of exploring the city's sights and architecture with my friends, especially my architect friend Soko.
How did you like the country and the people? Write your favourite story briefly!
I was eagerly keen to challenge myself in negotiating and dealing with a different set of menus in my career. During my study in Hungary, I was accepted to join the research team at the Institute of World Economics, Hungarian Academy of Sciences with the support of my teaching professor Dr. Miklós Szany. This internship opportunity inspired my research interests in the field of international development and economics while building valuable professional networks and colleagues. At the same time, taking part in research conferences and workshops during a year-long internship opened my eyes to the world facing challenges and ways forward. The Institute colleagues have been still supporting my aspiration to impact evaluation and development research. So, this was the most rewarding experience, and I met a lot of wonderful national professionals and researchers.
Did you have any difficulties with Hungarian culture? What was that and how did you handle it?
Thanks to the friendly Hungarian culture, I had never struggled with any difficulties in terms of working together and building networks in the community. My Hungarian language was very limited during my studies, so I sometimes felt left out of communication. Interestingly, in the area of campus or groceries, older people often asked me where I came from and when I said I am from Mongolia, many of them knew Mongolian and even their elders or relatives used to work and live in Ulaanbaatar during the Soviet era. These were very memorable and nice feelings. Also, the most impressive thing was that I could communicate with anyone who is either older or younger in the English language. Moreover, I fully enjoyed Hungary’s distinctive cuisine, architecture, and beautiful sceneries and counties to visit.
How does Hungarian culture differ from Mongolian culture?
Compared to Mongolian culture, Hungary is a culture with uncertainty as people often seem quite pessimistic and critical in any circumstance. It might be because of the weather and livelihood goals, unlike Mongolians who seem relatively happy and smiling even though the livelihood and environment are unfavourable.
You are among the alumni volunteers. Why did you apply for that position? What's your task and how do you manage it? What do you think about the Alumni Network Hungary?
The networking skills and experiences gained during my studies in Hungary encouraged me to join the Alumni Network Hungary in Budapest. Even after returning home to Mongolia, I was frequently informed through newsletters and the website. Then, the International Alumni Volunteer Programme 2021-2023 was announced and I applied accordingly. My tasks are facilitating alumni chapters in Mongolia by building local alumni groups in the same professional field of interest and mentoring fresh graduates. With this volunteering engagement, I will be able to give back my studying practices and strategies in Budapest and guide the accurate course and universities choice.
What's your plan for the future? What’s your advice for the new alumni members?
Engaging with 22 alumni from 18 countries is a big opportunity to build strong professional relationships and exercise the practice of establishing national chapters. This will eventually value the quality-oriented lasting connections in the professional field bringing positive impacts in the surrounding society. More specifically, my future career plan is to build the Mongolian Evaluation Networks cohorts by sharing my best practices and lessons learned through my professional expertise. To add value to the network could integrate my journey with the professionals who can work together in the field of strengthening the M&E capacity of Mongolia in international development.