Community is always the engine of progress

Mária Szalma, née Csete, the new dean of the Faculty of Economic and Social Sciences at BME, on the opportunities for GTK and the practical approach to sustainability.

What was the main motivation for applying for the post of dean?

For me, GTK is not just a workplace, but also my alma mater: it is where I graduated, where I received the professional foundations and inspiration that have shaped my career. Now, years later, I have the opportunity to give back what I have received and shape the future of the faculty to be both professionally outstanding and community-building. My concept of “Beyond Business School” is based on the idea that GTK is embedded in an innovative technical-technological environment and provides knowledge and skills – from critical thinking and creativity to digital and intercultural competences – that will be decisive in the future labour market. To do this, we need to further strengthen the community, the cooperation between students, lecturers, researchers and alumni.

Isn’t an active researcher put off by the increased administrative burden of a higher position?

I have also seen this side of management as a head of department, and my experience is that with a good team, any task can be done efficiently. Besides, managing an EU research project is also a great training ground – you learn systems thinking and perseverance, which are essential in management.

Is it significant that there is finally a woman among the eight deans of BME?

It certainly has symbolic power, because as far as I know, in the 243-year history of the university, there has only been one female dean. (Éva Köves, née Gilicze headed the KJK, then called Faculty of Transportation Engineering between 1997 and 2005. She currently teaches at the Department of Transport, Technology and Economics – editor’s note) My daughter said: it doesn’t matter if I’m only the second one, Tibor Kapu is also the second Hungarian astronaut.

However, the important message for me is: I am not a “female dean”, I am the dean – who happens to be a woman now. I believe that the key to leadership is preparation, dedication and vision. I would like my appointment to be another good example of how being a researcher, having a family and being a manager can be compatible. If younger colleagues see that this is possible and they are also able to move in this direction and take on the responsibility and leadership roles with courage, then it is worth it. So far I have been able to work very well with everyone, but I think seeking compromise is a general leadership skill, there is no difference between men and women.

And how is the cooperation with engineering faculties?

Particularly good. Sustainability research is a frontier area, so it is evident that I have a long history of working with technical, economic and social scientists. Obviously, we don’t see everything in the same way, but it’s always nice to be able to act as a bridge between different disciplines as an engineering manager. It is useless to have a very innovative technical solution if no one has looked at the cost side or the social and environmental impact. BME is a special place precisely because it has all the legs of the system.

Speaking of your research area, when you started in this direction, sustainability was not such a hot topic. Why did you start doing this at that time?

I did my first TDK in environmental economics, then I was involved as a demonstrator in a departmental research project, which I really liked. But then I missed the answers as to how these results will be used, and by whom. I have always been interested in local, community life and wondered how to coordinate programmes at the municipal level in a way that would result in an economically, socially and environmentally viable model. I was also curious about the factors that make this difficult. This area is both scientific and practical. It soon became clear to me that economic development can only be successful in the long term if it is carried out responsibly, taking environmental and social aspects into account. This multi-disciplinary approach – combining the technical, economic, legal and social dimensions – has guided my work ever since.

Which areas are you focused on?

Initially, I investigated the local feasibility of sustainability, mitigation and climate adaptation efforts in the Lake Tisza region, with a special focus on their measurability and effectiveness. Following a conference presentation, I was invited to join an MTA TKI research group, where we worked with meteorologists, biostatisticians and social scientists, among others – a setting that further strengthened my commitment to interdisciplinary thinking.

The focus of my research is on how to prepare for the expected impacts of climate change at regional and sectoral levels, integrating water management, energy efficiency, green infrastructure development, mobility and livability. At the same time, my aim is always to ensure that scientific results are used to support decision making at local, regional and company level, helping responsible planning and innovation. This is the approach I try to pass on to our students – so that when they leave GTK they are not only professionally prepared, but also exemplary in social responsibility and systemic thinking.

Is this the strategy of deep adaptation broken down into local, practical steps?

Actually, yes. The point of the research is to ensure that adaptation to climate change does not remain theoretical, but is broken down into concrete actions that can be taken at local and sectoral level. If everyone in a community knows roughly what to prepare for, what their tasks will be, where the necessary tools are, then a number of negative impacts can be mitigated. This approach can be adapted not only for small communities, but also for urban districts, entire regions and even corporate systems – because the success of climate adaptation always depends on cooperation, conscious preparation and taking local specificities into account.

What are the main directions for the further development of GTK?

I would highlight three key areas. First and foremost, internationalisation – not only at the level of student and teaching mobility, but also through active presence in international academic and corporate partner networks. Secondly, renewing our portfolio of specialisations to adapt our training programmes to labour market trends and technological changes – including the social, economic and ethical aspects of AI and sustainability challenges. Thirdly, the strengthening of multidisciplinarity, i.e. the conscious use of synergies arising from cooperation within the faculty and with other faculties. The engine of progress is always the community: students, lecturers, alumni and corporate partners working together.

We are on the right track in terms of internationalisation: currently, GTK offers a Bachelor’s Programme, four Master’s programmes and a doctoral programme in English. It is a great achievement that the Master in Management and Leadership and the Master in Finance programme have gained international EFMD accreditation – which is not only a quality endorsement, but also an entry into the most respected professional circle of international business education. Of course, we have to keep the certification while we prepare the accreditations for the next programmes.

In the longer term, our aim is for all our English-language programmes to achieve international accreditation. This is serious work, as the evaluation covers not only curricula but the entire faculty operation – from student services and infrastructure to course templates and course materials to alumni feedback. The feedback from the international accreditation body clearly confirmed that GTK is on the right track, also in terms of international standards. This is a particularly important feedback: it indicates that the faculty’s professional development, educational culture and community activities are in line with internationally expected quality standards. This continuous self-evaluation and development will enable us to further strengthen GTK and create an internationally competitive and inspiring teaching and research environment.

How can GTK strengthen its links with the corporate sector? Was the BME Business Breakfast useful?

I’m in a lucky position because several of my former peers are now in senior positions in consultancies and companies in the industry, and they are all very open to collaboration. This confirms that the approach and knowledge gained at GTK is of real value in the labour market. One of the strengths of GTK is that it is not a classical business school: its concept is better adapted to today’s challenges in the innovative environment of BME. A relationship is truly alive when it is based on mutual value creation. This gives us a unique opportunity to link the worlds of economy and engineering – the synergies that result from technical-economic cooperation are one of the faculty’s most important resources for the future. 

The Business Breakfast is a good example of how to create a direct and informal platform with business partners, alumni and students. These conversations always lead to new ideas, joint research and project ideas. Our aim is to systematise this format and complement it with new opportunities for collaboration: thematic innovation workshops, student-business projects, joint research and initiatives that exploit the synergies of technical-economic cooperation. The Intensive Seminar, which has been running successfully for several years, is also showing the magnitude of interest – with more lecturers applying than the maximum number determined. The BME Circle of Supporters and Friends (MTBK) is also actively involved in these initiatives: the link to the Intensive Seminar and the joint reflection started in several development areas are already taking shape, with MTBK acting as a collaborative partner, supporter and community facilitator.

The BME Partner Program offers further opportunities to connect university and industry actors – and I reckon that GTK should take an active role in this at faculty level as well. Coordinated cooperation with the MTBK and the BME Partner Program can help us build sustainable, value-creating and inspiring partnership systems that benefit all stakeholders in our community.

How should the faculty react to the change in the number of state funded places?

It’s a nice challenge, but I believe it’s also an opportunity. We need to build on quality, uniqueness and market relevance.  The aim is to further increase the proportion of (both national and international) students with self-financed status, while maintaining the professional value and attractiveness of our training programmes. Corporate and partnership cooperations for new training programmes under development offer an excellent opportunity to establish new types of student grants and support. We are constantly working in this area, because in the long term these cooperations can ensure the financial and professional sustainability of the faculty. In addition, it is important to expand market-based, practice-oriented programmes, especially those that focus on developing future-oriented, multidisciplinary skills. Our alumni can play a key role in that, providing experience, contacts and mentoring to help students get started in their careers and strengthen the GTK community.

What current research do you have?

I am currently working in two main directions. One is the urban, regional and sectoral measurability of climate innovation, which aims to identify and assess adaptation and innovation capacities at different territorial levels, from cities to regions. The other main direction is the development of sustainable business models and sectoral strategies, looking at how economic competitiveness can be reconciled with environmental and social responsibility and how these aspects can be integrated into corporate and development policy-making. In both research directions, I strive to ensure that scientific results have real social and economic benefits – providing practical solutions for businesses, municipalities and communities. I also try to involve students and alumni in my research, as I believe that GTK is a true knowledge and innovation community, where research, education and collaboration reinforce each other to build a sustainable future.

Rector’s Office, Directorate of Communications

The article was published by BME and is available here.