“University education is also about the trust of students”

Reflecting on the faculty’s greatest achievements during his leadership, Alföldi highlights the development of specialisations. “It is a great achievement that we have been able to maintain the appeal of the integrated MSc programme, which stands out from the Bologna system. Sometimes we are surprised by how popular it is among young people,” he told bme.hu.

"Perhaps the reason for this is that the Faculty of Architecture provides the least technical training among all the engineering faculties, which means that applicants tend to have a broader range of interests. Specialisation became necessary once we recognised how diverse the field of architectural engineering had become. For example, I am an urban planner, but there are others who focus on construction, work with regulations, or specialise in energy and sustainability," Alföldi adds.

The Faculty of Architecture is unique among the faculties of BME, as it brings together individuals with both engineering expertise and artistic sensibility, fostering a strong sense of social awareness, Alföldi reflects.

“This is very important because, when it comes to sustainability, we already possess substantial technical knowledge, yet the necessary social decisions are still not being made. It matters to many that this is not merely a technical discipline, but one that sits at the intersection of the humanities and engineering sciences. That’s why young people are drawn to it from both directions.”

Unfortunately, the positive impact of good architecture on the environment and society is difficult to measure. However, the Scientific Council of BME is planning to address this challenge.

“Universities must have a mission that goes beyond themselves, and today, they must also have something to say about the future of the Earth. For this reason, I believe we cannot ignore the fact that this is not an era of large-scale construction projects. We must teach the transition: today, renovation is construction.

It is our responsibility to ensure that when an architect goes to a small village, they understand the social and technical sustainability requirements they will be working with. If we only teach them how to build a new house on green grass, that won’t get us anywhere. This is particularly important because we have no idea what direction the world will take in just a few years.

University education is also about trust: students come here to study and trust that we will give them something they can actually use.

So, it’s not my job to tell them what they’ll be doing in five years’ time, but to give them a solid foundation and help them learn to think critically and collaboratively. Then, five years from now, they’ll sense something that none of us can foresee today,” Alföldi concludes.

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