The recently published second issue of Univet, the magazine of the University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest, concludes the decisions, measures and provisions on the cause of the coronavirus epidemic which defined the spring semester. We can also read about the role of the University’s bioinformatics research teams in Covid-19-related medical research and clinical trials.

In the magazine, we summarize the organizational decisions made in the recent months, the grants for department heads and lecturers-researchers, as well as the results of the Senate elections. The Marek József Foundation was established, which will become the asset management foundation of the University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest from August 1, 2020, in compliance with the funding changes related to the model change.

Following the traditions of the paper, it reports about the graduation ceremony which was held in the virtual space this year, the online Student Concert and EQUUS Days. On May 28, with strict adherence to epidemiological measures, a small commemoration and wreath-laying ceremony took place in the campus park on the occasion of Heroes ’Day – you can read the speeches delivered in our newspaper.

Dr Péter Sótonyi, the rector of the University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest, was the guest of the writer, poet and literary historian Mihály Takaró at 9 p.m. 19th March on “The Night” show on Kossuth Radio.

In the portrait section of Univet, you can meet Dezső Bella, Director of Information Technology and Security at the University, who discussed the challenges, solutions and results of the transition to distance learning following the sudden changes.

“The hotline between the universities and the Ministry of Innovation and Technology was really on fire. We had constantly ongoing discussions on which higher education institution had been using which solution for years perhaps. On April 30, state secretary for higher education Dr József Bódis gave us an overview of the good experiences with distance learning so far and it was great to see ourselves at the top of the list.”

In his interview, Árisz Ziszisz, our veterinary student, talks about his passion for reptiles, his volunteer work at the Budapest Zoo and Botanical Garden for more than 10 years, and the bumpy road that led him from a biologist to a veterinarian.

“What can I say? I have had to learn the hard way that you need to prioritize your university tasks over many other things. I had to make a list of priorities, which allowed me to pave an easier way to my diploma. I got a lot of help from my teachers, fellow students and, of course, my family.”

The subject of our second interview with a foreign student is Victoria Van Eijk, who talks about what a student can do when a pandemic breaks out and the campus closes overnight, how she experienced the transition to distance learning and what life is like as a foreigner but still a Hungarian.

You can find the Univet magazine in the usual places of the university and the online version on our website.