you must be a registered member of the Alumni Network Hungary,
you must either be a graduated student at a Hungarian higher education institution (HEI) or be in the last academic year of your studies at an HEI,
you must have advanced English skills (both oral and written, C1 level) For more information, please visit the Common European Framework Reference.
If you are interested in our program, please log in to your alumni account and fill out the Application form. If you are not a member yet, please register HERE!
Your application is valid if:
you filled out and submitted the form,
attached your CV.
The deadline for the volunteer application is 26 August 2021. 23:59 (CET timezone)
The application procedure has two rounds:
round: you must fill out the Application form mentioned above no later than the deadline.
round: if your application is successful, you will be invited to participate in an online volunteer candidate interview. The interviews are expected to be held in early September.
The successful candidates will join the International Alumni Volunteer team in early October 2021 and can start preparing for their tasks.
Join our team of International Alumni Volunteers for the next two years!
What is the International Alumni Volunteer Program and Stipendium Hungaricum Alumni?
The program dates back to 2016, the beginning of the Alumni Network Hungary, when volunteers occasionally helped at various local education fairs, promoted the network, and mentored new students. By 2019, alumni membership significantly grew thanks to the Stipendium Hungaricum Scholarship Program, which also meant that it was necessary to rethink the volunteer program and to create a new structure and strategic framework for effective future collaboration.
In the last two years, the network expanded, which required a community of volunteers instead of individuals, so we organized the work in a systematic framework and focused on teamwork. Our communication messages have been formulated and more community-based activities have been developed. The program’s structure provided a safe and good environment and vision for the volunteers, and we became a community even in the challenging last year (2020).
Currently, we have 30 volunteers from many countries such as Azerbaijan, Egypt, India, Kazakhstan, and Sudan. They studied at 12 different Hungarian universities in 25 fields such as engineering, business administration, health and medical sciences, fine arts, and IT. Most of them graduated with a Master's or PhD degree between 2016 and 2021 as Stipendium Hungaricum students, and since then they have become alumni. The diversity of our volunteer group is reflected in 23 languages, most of them speak at least 2 languages.
What is the Alumni Network Hungary (ANH)?
The ANH is the alumni network for international students who studied or still studying at any Hungarian higher education institution. The ANH has more than 5000 members most of them from 70 countries with many famous researchers and experts from various professional fields – most of them studied with the Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship program. The ANH aims to build an international alumni community with many small groups (called alumni chapters) and provides inspiring workshops, webinars, platforms for networking for the registered members.
The deadline for filling out the application form is 26 August 2021. 23:59 (CET timezone)
round: you must fill out the Application form no later than the deadline.
round: if your application is successful, you will be invited to participate in an online volunteer candidate interview. The interviews are expected to be held in early September.
The successful candidates will join the International Alumni Volunteer team in early October 2021 and can start preparing for their tasks. The new volunteers will have individual and small group meetings with their alumni volunteer coordinator from the ANH’s team and create the new schedule and volunteer plan for the next season. Each month there are meetings and workshops on various topics that prepare volunteers for their tasks and develop their personal and social skills. (e.g.: planning and organizing skills, communication workshop, alumni chapter training).
The volunteer team applies many social media platforms, work organizing apps and group mails which makes it easy for the new volunteers to join and start facilitating small projects. Every year there is a dedicated period of time when the volunteers report on their achievements. After one year of volunteering, volunteers have the opportunity to require a certificate or reference. The program lasts for 2 years, but it is possible to continue the volunteering work later on too.
There are two types of volunteer activities available:
A) Promotion and communication of the Alumni Network Hungary, Stipendium Hungaricum Program, and the Hungarian higher education in general
B) Facilitating the alumni activities in different alumni chapters, especially Stipendium Hungaricum alumni
The two main activities cannot be merged. First, you should choose one of the activities then you can find different tasks within it. You should select only 3 tasks within the Promotion and communication activity OR only 1 task within the Facilitating alumni chapters activity because the tasks are complex. A/4 and A/5 tasks cannot be selected together within the Promotion and communication activity.
Each activity includes various tasks that develop different skill sets.
Promotion and communication
A/1. Create alumni portraits and share the news on different social media platforms
In this task, the ANH’s team will create alumni portraits about our volunteers, in which they can share their experience in Hungary, their professional achievements and provide tips for the new students. Previous portraits are published on the ANH’s here: Meet our alumni volunteers series).
A/2. Conduct interviews with the senior alumni
By choosing this task you will conduct interviews with famous senior alumni who studied in Hungary before the Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship.( e.g.: Basak Dilara Özdemir-Lakatos or Yedil Myrzakhanov)
A/3. Create your own blog/vlog channel or website about Hungarian studies, professional development or experiences
For this task, you need to create your own website or channel to promote your Hungarian studies or write about your experiences in Hungary.
Keep in mind that you should already have a blog or vlog channel to undertake this task! In case you do not have any website or channel, you must create a blog/website/vlog channel within two weeks after you have signed your volunteer agreement!
A/4 Participate in different education fairs(it cannot be selected with A/5 task)
By choosing this task you will help the promotion of the Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship program at various education events. You will also help the Hungarian HEIs and ANH with translation, local knowledge or organizing help.
A/5 Participate in Tempus Public Foundation events (e.g.: Farewell, Welcome event) (it cannot be selected with A/4 task)
In this task you will help organizing the events of the Tempus Public Foundation, mainly the Stipendium Hungaricum Welcome and Farewell parties. You will also help in the promotion of the Alumni Network Hungary at these events.
Facilitating alumni chapters
B/1 Build a local alumni chapter in the volunteer's country of origin or residence
For this task you need to complete the “How to build your alumni chapter?” tutorial and make a work plan with your volunteer coordinator. Your responsibility will be to establish a core group with other alumni members from the same country of origin or residence, to carry out the work plan and to organize the chapter accordingly.
B/2 Build a professional alumni chapter
For this task you need to complete the “How to build your alumni chapter?” tutorial and make a work plan with your volunteer coordinator. Your responsibility will be to establish a core group with other alumni members from the same professional field of interest, to carry out the work plan and to organize the chapter accordingly.
B/3 Facilitate local or professional alumni chapters
For this task you need to complete the “How to build your alumni chapter?” tutorial and make a work plan with your volunteer coordinator. You need to join a professional or local alumni chapter and help the core group’s work and facilitate the chapter’s activities.
B/4 Cooperate with Hungarian partners (pilot)
You will make your work plan with your alumni volunteer coordinator and you need to join a local or professional ANH alumni chapter. You also join and cooperate with your Hungarian HEI’s alumni network, and create common events with them. These tasks need to follow the ANH’s principle and volunteer program plan.
B/5 Mentor new alumni members
You need to create your mentoring work plan with your alumni volunteer coordinator. If you are not a member of any local or professional alumni chapter, you should join an alumni chapter within 2 weeks after you have signed the volunteer agreement for the future mentor work. You can mentor a maximum of 10 new alumni members, fresh graduates and help them to be active alumni members of their chapter.
The Alumni Hungary Webinar Series is an exclusive service for our alumni members since 2019, that features internationally acclaimed Hungarian researchers, professionals, and artists who give an insight into their research or professional project. The webinars cover a wide variety of topics in fields such as engineering, natural-and computer sciences, and humanities ranging from artificial intelligence to self-driving cars or the highlights of the Hungarian culture and creative industry.
The webinars are available on YouTube exclusively for members of the Alumni Network Hungary. Click HERE to watch the videos.
Previous webinars:
Ritual, Environment and Community in Performance Art – Webinar by Zahra Fuladvand - Alumni Volunteer Edition
27 September 2023
Ritual ceremonies – such as weddings, funerals, or carnivals – have a significant role in human life. Rituals have been performed since ancient times and are also considered as the foundation of theatre. The place of a ritual is crucial, as community members often choose locations that hold personal or communal significance, such as street corners, parks, or church grounds. At the webinar, Zahra Fuladvand, artist, former alumni volunteer and Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship holder presented her DLA research at the Hungarian University of Fine Arts which focuses on the relationship between humans and their environment in the context of ritual ceremonies. To watch her webinar click HERE!
Zahra Fuladvand
The role of AI and digitalisation in healthcare - Webinar by Zsombor Zrubka
14 June 2023
Digitalisation and artificial intelligence rapidly transform and affect our health and healthcare. The potential of digital technologies is enormous in improving people's lives, making treatment more personalised, and helping the optimal use of therapies. At the webinar, healthcare economist Zsombor Zrubka gave you an insight into this swiftly developing field. To watch his webinar click HERE!
Zsombor Zrubka
The promises of fusion energy - Webinar by physicist Sándor Zoletnik
17 May 2023
Fusion energy is one of the hottest scientific topics right now. It is hoped that fusion power could provide huge quantities of clean energy and would help to fight climate change in the near future. At this webinar top Hungarian physicist and fusion researcher, Sándor Zoletnik gave an insight into the present and future of fusion power and the largest international fusion energy project, ITER. To watch his webinar click HERE!
Sándor Zoletnik
The challenges of marine sustainability - Webinar by biologist Ferenc Jordán
19 April 2023
Sustainable management of marine ecosystems plays a fundamental role in the fight against the global environmental crisis. Challenges such as overfishing and the decrease of biodiversity in the oceans cause series risks to our environment and humanity. Understanding the interconnectedness of these highly fragile ecosystems is the first step towards change both on global and individual levels. Network biologist, Professor Ferenc Jordán explores the responses of science to the challenges of marine sustainability. To watch his webinar click HERE!
Ferenc Jordán
Demystifying innovation – Webinar by Craig V. Johnson - Alumni Volunteer Edition
22 March 2023
We launched the 2023 season of the Alumni Hungary Webinars with an exciting presentation by Craig V. Johnson the head of the incubation program at the Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design and our alumni volunteer, who walked you through the creative process of making innovative ideas real. To watch the webinar click HERE!
Craig V. Johnson
A short history of Hungarian music - Webinar by musicologist Gergely Fazekas
5 December 2022
Hungarian music has an almost thousand-year-old history with an abundance of world-wide-known composers and musicians. On 5 December 2022, musicologist Gergely Fazekas walked you through the highlights of this rich musical heritage from the early Middle Ages till the contemporaries of the 20th century in a highly engaging presentation. To watch the webinar click HERE!
Gergely Fazekas
The strange relationship of humanity and pandemics - Webinar by virologist Gábor Kemenesi
14 November 2022
The Covid-19 pandemic has shown us how diseases linked to globalization can completely change our society, economics, and our way of living. Extensive research is key for the prevention and treatment of present and future outbreaks, and proper communication of science can save millions of lives. Dr. Gábor Kemenesi, a key virologist at the National Laboratory of Virology in Pécs reviewed global epidemics and presented their internationally acclaimed research projects conducted in Pécs. To watch the webinar click HERE!
Dr. Gábor Kemenesi
Understanding International Relations - Webinar by Anna Brjezovskaia - Alumni Volunteer Edition
19 October 2022
As the world becomes increasingly globalized, it is essential to understand the effects of global current affairs and foreign policy. International Relations is a complex social science related to a number of other fields, including political science, geography, history, economics, law, sociology, psychology, and philosophy. At the webinar you could learn more about this highly important field from our alumni volunteer and Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship holder, Anna Brjezovskaia, who is currently studying International Relations at ELTE. To watch the webinar click HERE!
Anna Brjezovskaia
Chemical myths - Webinar by Dr. Gábor Lente
15 September 2022
Chemistry helps us solve many future problems, including sustainable energy and food production, human- and environmental health. At the Alumni Hungary Webinar Dr. Gábor Lente, the professor of the University of Pécs gave an insight into the realm of chemistry and explored the most common misunderstandings of this exciting field. To watch the webinar click HERE!
Dr. Gábor Lente
How will quantum physics shape our future? - Webinar by prof. Sándor Imre
15 June 2022
Quantum physics is getting more and more relevant today, as technology advances. News about quantum computers and networks are starting to appear on mainstream news sites, but they are still a mystery for most. Professor Sándor Imre, the R&D director of the Quantum Information National Lab of Hungary gave an insight into this highly exciting field at the Alumni Hungary Webinar. To watch the webinar click HERE!
Dr. Sándor Imre
In Quest of the Universe - The James Webb Space Telescope - Webinar by astronomer Örs Hunor Detre
17 May 2022
Örs Hunor Detre is a physicist and astronomer. As a scientist with an engineer's heart, he has been working on James Webb Space Telescope for 15 years as the Electrical Lead of the Mid Infrared Instrument (MIRI). This Webinar revealed the challenges of the development, and what we have already seen and will be able to see with Webb. Watch the recording of the Webinar HERE!
Örs Hunor Detre (front)
Is less work more sustainable? - Webinar by ELTE's researcher Miklós Antal
20 April 2022
Our second presenter of 2022 was Miklós Antal, an ecological economist currently investigating the feasibility and desirability of working time reduction. The presentation gave an insight into the research of the New Vision Research Group about the potential of reduced working time. In principle, working less could increase well-being and reduce environmental pressures without causing economic problems. The Webinar can be accessed HERE!
Antal Miklós
The engineers' impact - Webinar by Dr Farzad Rayegani - Alumni Volunteer Webinar Edition
22 Marc 2022
We launched our 2022 season with a presentation by one of our alumni volunteers. Dr Farzad Rayegani is an alumnus of the University of Miskolc and the Senior Dean of the Faculty of Applied Sciences and Technology at Humber College, Toronto, Canada. His presentation discussed an approach to engineering education that integrates a comprehensive set of personal and interpersonal skills; process, product, and system-building skills with disciplinary and interdisciplinary knowledge. Watch the Webinar HERE!
Dr. Farzad Rayegani
DNA revolution and genetic reprogramming - Webinar by Prof. András Dinnyés
8 December 2021
Our last guest of 2021 was Prof. András Dinnyes who has been working on embryology, cloning, and stem cell biology since 1985. He provided interesting details in the genetic reprogramming field, with numerous practical examples of the potential use of the methods in animal breeding, drug development, regenerative medicine, and “in vitro” toxicology. The Webinar is available HERE!
Prof. András Dinnyés and Dolly the first cloned mammal in the world
The Health Benefits of Physical Activity - Webinar by Feifei Wang - Alumni Volunteer Edition
3 December 2021
The first ANH member to give a presentation in the series was Feifei Wang, a Chinese doctoral candidate of ELTE who studied in Hungary with the Stipendium Hungaricum Scholarship Programme. She specialized in Sports and Health Promotion Research at the Faculty of Education and Psychology, Eötvös Loránd University in Hungary. In her presentation, she shared her doctoral research in which she investigated the interaction between physical activity and sleep quality, stress level and life satisfaction among adults by examining a targeted aerobic walking programme. You can rewatch the Webinar HERE!
Feifei Wang
Storytelling - What makes a good story? - Webinar by Oscar-winning director Kristóf Deák
10 November 2021
Our presenter of November was Kristof Deák who is a Hungarian film director, screenwriter, film producer and editor who created the short film Sing, which earned him the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short in 2017. In his presentation, Kristóf walked the audience through his process of finding the core to a story worth telling - and the meticulous process of unpacking characters and plot that follows using his Oscar-winning short film Sing as a case study. The Webinar can be watched HERE!
Kristóf Deák
The future of driving: self-driving vehicles and the ZalaZONE test track - Webinar by Zsolt Szalay Ph.D
15 September 2021
Our 2021 September presenter was Zsolt Szalay, an Associate Professor and the Head of the Department of Automotive Technologies, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, and the founder and leader of the Automated Drive Laboratory. In his presentation, he gave an insight into the recent developments and challenges of the self-driving vehicle industry. The Webinar is available HERE!
Prof. Zsolt Szalay (on the right)
Ethorobotics and the emergence of social robots - Webinar by ethologist Ádám Miklósi
1 July 2021
Our presenter in 2021 July was Ádám Miklósi who is the head of the Department of Ethology at Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE) and also the director of the Institute of Biology. In his Webinar, he gave an insight into the field of ethorobotics, which is a scientific discipline that applies the rules of animal behaviour for the design of social robots, that could help humans in various social environments, such as the workplace, hospitals, or retirement homes. Watch the Webinar HERE!
Ádám Miklósi
Superbacteria and the development of new antibiotics - Webinar by biologist Csaba Pál
9 June 2021
Our second presenter of the year was Csaba Pál who is a researcher at the Szeged Biological Research Centre of the Eötvös Loránd Research Network, and a senior researcher at the Institute of Biochemistry. He specializes in antibiotic resistance and genome engineering. In his webinar, he presented their research on antibiotic-resistant bacteria and the development of antibiotic molecules at the Szeged Biological Research Center. The Webinar can be watched HERE!
Csaba Pál
The Cities of the Future - Webinar by urbanist Samu Szemerey
12 May 2021
Our first presenter in 2021 was Samu Szemerey, an architect and urbanist specializing in technology and creative industries in the built environment. His presentation provided an overview of smart city concepts, presented case studies from Hungary and all over the world and discussed some of the key questions and opportunities of smart development. Watch the Webinar HERE!
Samu Szemerey
Gamification and behavior design - Webinar by Ádám Pusztai
9 December 2021
Our last webinar in 2020 featured Ádám Pusztai, behaviour designer and gamification expert. He presented how the method of gamification can improve services, education and organizational productivity through the understanding of human behaviour. To watch his webinar click HERE!
Ádám Pusztai
The Future of Engineering - Webinar by David Pap
12 November 2020
In November 2020 our speaker was David Pap, Chief Executive Officer and founder of FabLab Budapest and associate professor of the Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design. In his webinar, David talked about the future of engineering and the 4th industrial revolution focusing on computational design, additive manufacturing, material engineering, and synthetic biology. His presentation is available HERE.
Dávid Pap
The Story of HandInScan - Webinar by Dr. Tamás Haidegger
2 September 2020
The next presenter was Dr Tamás Haidegger, the co-founder of the award-winning Hungarian medical device company, HandInScan, and associate professor at Óbuda University. In his presentation, he introduced the story of HandInScan, an internationally acclaimed healthcare device that facilitates change in hand-hygiene and saves lives on a global scale. The webinar is available HERE
HandInScan
The discovery of the fifth force of nature - Webinar by Attila J. Krasznahorkay
14 August 2020
In 2020 our first speaker was nuclear physicist, Attila J. Krasznahorkay who held a presentation on his research at the Nuclear Research Institute (Atomki) in Debrecen. In the experiment, he and his team found a previously unknown fifth force of nature that may be connected to dark matter, whose mass dominates our Universe. Their discovery might also lead to a Noble Prize nomination. Watch the webinar HERE!
Attila J. Krasznahorkay (right)
A legend among us - Interview with grandmaster chessplayer, Judit Polgár
3 December 2019
In December 2019 Judit Polgár, the legendary Hungarian chess grandmaster was our guest, who gave an insight into the world of chess and her professional life. While she is considered to be the strongest female chess player of all time, she also has indisputable virtues as a civilian: she is giving lectures, exhibitions, published multiple books, and made unprecedented efforts to introduce chess as a tool in education. As a result, today chess is an integrated subject available for elementary schools. To watch the interview with Judit Polgár on YouTube click HERE!
