14 students from the Chinese University of Michigan-Shanghai Jiao Tong started their studies at the UP winter university on 22 January. The three-week program focuses on getting to know European culture. The 14 students are welcomed in cooperation with the International Centre and the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences: the professional side is coordinated by the latter, the cultural programs are coordinated by the Study Abroad and Summer School Office of the International Centre.
The opening ceremony of the Pécs Winter School program took place on 22 January in the Faculty Council Room of the Faculty of Humanities. The students were greeted by dr. Gyöngyi Pozsgai, Head of the Study Abroad and Summer School Office of the International Centre on behalf of the university, and she briefly introduced both the UP and the city.
On behalf of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, dr. Péter Várnagy, Vice-Dean for International Relations addressed the students:
"I hope you will spend a fruitful three weeks with us and learn a lot about Europe, Hungary and Pécs!"
He added: "You may have heard that Freddie Mercury learned a Hungarian folk song, and I would like to greet you on our campus with this!" And with this, using the universal language of music, dr. Péter Várnagy burst into song.
After the song of Spring Wind, dr. Adrienne Gálosi, associate professor of the Faculty of Humanities, took the floor and mentioned that this is already the second winter university to be implemented between the two institutions. "Pécs and UP preserve the imprints of many different cultures, so in addition to the present and the future, it is also worth experiencing the history here.
I hope that the three weeks will be enough to familiarize yourselves with fundamental European values" – said dr. Adrienne Gálosi.
In addition to the lessons, students will also get acquainted with the sights of Pécs and the surrounding area, and their daily orientation will be assisted by three student mentors. The winter university will end with an exam for Chinese students on 9 February, after the graduation ceremony they will take a tour of the capital, and then they will return home to Shanghai. As for the Chinese University of Michigan-Shanghai Jiao Tong: in the Shanghai district where their university is located, two and a half million people live, and the mascot of the institution is the blue tiger - and our mascot is the white tiger.
Pécs Winter School
As is well known, the Pécs Summer School program was launched in 2016 by the then Directorate of Foreign Affairs, and since then a full summer trimester has been developed. Winter universities are its "siblings", for which the Study Abroad and Summer School Office of the International Centre organizes programs for many foreign visitors every year.
