Faculty of European Studies and Regional Development has celebrated 10th anniversary

Faculty of European Studies and Regional Development, which is also the only one of its kind in Slovakia, has celebrated these days the decade of its existence as the youngest and the smallest faculty of SUA in Nitra. It was established on the basis of proposal of the management of SUA with the approval of Academic Senate of SUA in Nitra and consequently with the approval of the Ministry of Education and Accreditation Committee which entered into force on April 1, 2004.

Faculty of European Studies and Regional Development, which is also the only one of its kind in Slovakia, has celebrated these days the decade of its existence as the youngest and the smallest faculty of SUA in Nitra. It was established on the basis of proposal of the management of SUA with the approval of Academic Senate of SUA in Nitra and consequently with the approval of the Ministry of Education and Accreditation Committee which entered into force on April 1, 2004.

In the Congress Centre of SUA on November 14, a ceremonial meeting of the academic community of FESRD was held. It was on the occasion of the 10th anniversary which was honoured by the participation of precious guests – the State Secretary of the Ministry of Environment of the SR Ján Ilavský, the President of the Nitra self – governing region and Vice – president of the Committee of the Regions in Brussels, doc. Ing. Milan Belica, CSc., the Rector Emeritus, Professor of SUA in Nitra Prof. Dr. Ing. Imrich Okenka, PhD., the representatives of the partner universities in Slovakia and abroad. We did not miss the management of SUA headed by Dr.h.c. Prof. Ing. Peter Bielik PhD., academic officials of the faculty and the members of the Scientific Council of FESRD, the guests from various departments of SUA and the fellow faculties, the members of the academic community, former and current employees of departments and deanship of FESRD.

The formal meeting was opened by the Dean of FESRD, Prof. JUDr. Anna Bandlerová, PhD. who after welcoming the guests made a speech. She reminded the mission, the goals, but also the way which FESRD has gone through to become a dynamic academic centre bringing together scientific research and education in European policy, public administration, regional and rural development and environmental sciences.

As the Dean said, in 10 years the faculty has gained good reputation in Slovakia and it plays an important role in the internationalization of education. By means of FESRD, SUA in Nitra has become the member of strong consortium of European universities, and also  universities in USA, Canada and South Korea and thanks to FESRD, SUA offers, as the only university in Slovakia, within the programme of EU Erasmus Mundus, in  the consortium of universities in Italy, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands and France, a common study programme in international rural development.

“Our success is the involvement in international research projects within the FP 6 and 7, COST, tenders of the EU, domestic research projects APVV, VEGA, KEGA and international educational projects within the Erasmus+. I consider as a success the fact that employees of our faculty provide lessons in English language within the study programme  Management of rural development for our students as well as for foreign ones, “ said, Prof. Anna Bandlerová.

For quality of education in European integration, FESRD obtained the award of the Executive Agency of the EU, Medal of J. Monnet.

At the end of the speech, the Dean pointed out that behind the success of the faculty there are personalities - teachers, economic and technical staff and students. “I believe that each of them has contributed to this success.”

On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of FESRD the Dean Prof. A. Bandlerová awarded commemorative medals to the important individuals who have formed the faculty, have helped to its development and prosperity, as well as the personalities of science and education for effective assistance in the development of scientific research, teaching, supporting publication activities and spreading the good name of FESRD. The members of the Scientific Council of FESRD and the individuals from the field of scientific research and university education were awarded by the Honourable award for the support of activities of the faculty in international programmes in the field of education and promotion of the faculty. The Letters of appreciation were awarded for helping to provide services of the deanship and the departments of FESRD, research activities and ensuring the IS of the faculty.

The students of FESRD were presented by the PhD student Ing. Lucia Grešová who highlighted mainly the quality of education of the faculty.

Finally, the formal meeting, led by the Vice – dean doc. JUDr. Eleonóra Marišová, PhD., was enriched by a pianist performance of the student of Private Conservatory in Nitra, Zuzana Šabíková. She presented an interpretation of the work of Franz Liszt - Consolations.

On the occasion of the anniversary of the faculty an exhibition of photos from the life of the faculty and from the domestic and foreign events was installed in the student dormitory A. Bernolák.