Ambassador George H. Walker

Remarks on the Occasion of the 15th Anniversary of Corvinus University's International Studies Center

Budapest, Hungary
April 15, 2005

Rector Mészáros, Mr. Veres, fellow diplomats, Mr. Berács, Ms. Tóth, Dr. Hogan, Dr. Szentes, U.S. and foreign university representatives, students and honored guests:

It is a great honor for me to be here today on the 15th of April to mark the occasion of the 15th anniversary of the International Studies Center of this fine university.

It is also a great personal pleasure for me to honor another anniversary. It was just over 15 years ago (July 11-13, 1989) that President George H. W. Bush spoke to many of you here - at this university - on the cusp of momentous political changes. As many of you know, the first President Bush is my cousin and a man I admire greatly. That is one family connection you probably already knew, but I have another family member here today whom I also admire greatly, and that is my daughter Carter, here visiting from Montana.

Rector, your university was among the first to embrace the opportunities created by the sweeping political changes 15 years ago, and is again leading the way as Hungary meets the challenges of reform of its institutions of higher education.

Your university recognized early on the enormous benefits of international exchange. In 1990, it was not easy to find the human or financial resources to compete for or sponsor international students.

Still today, your university is one of the few in the region offering a broad range of full-degree programs in English at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

It is truly impressive that more than 4,000 foreign students from 80 countries have taken part in your programs. I know that American students are among your best customers, but applications from Europe, Asia and the Middle East are continuing to increase as well.

With such a diverse student body, Corvinus plays an important role in building mutual understanding and appreciation of diverse cultures. These initial interactions among students are often the building blocks for further exchanges.

Dr. Hogan, I am pleased that you could be here today, because the Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE) has played a crucial role in building the reputation of the International Studies Center and in raising the quality as well as the quantity of exchanges between the United States and many, many other countries including Hungary.

CIEE is also the steward of the newest and most substantial professional exchange between the U.S. and Hungary - the Hungarian-American Enterprise Scholarship Fund. This program is only in its second year, but it is off to a strong start and is a wonderful compliment to CIEE's work here at Corvinus University.

Each visitor carries back to his or her home country another piece of a bridge not just between young people, but also between our societies. This is important not only for their professional development, but for the cause of world peace and the future of our nations.

Increasing the number of American universities and students coming to Hungary, and increasing the number of Hungarian university and student links to the U.S. has been a top priority for me and for the U.S. Embassy.

Through U.S. government-funded programs, the U.S. Embassy sponsors - on average - one professional or academic exchange each week with Hungary. But that is just a small piece in the larger puzzle that requires the cooperation and participation of many private sector, government, and non-governmental parties.

Since I arrived a year and a half ago, our Embassy has hosted over a dozen American universities here on scouting missions, looking to establish long-term partnerships in traditional fields ranging from medicine or music, to newer fields like biotechnology.

Four of those universities have already signed agreements of Letters of Intent and others are still under consideration. Another dozen U.S. universities have started bringing their students here for a semester or brief seminars.

I am very encouraged by the growing numbers of Hungarians who are applying to participate in exchange programs to the U.S. It is very important that international exchanges are truly a two-way street. In fact, it is a must.

Student visa applications to the U.S. are up, and we approve visas to over 90% of those who apply for a student visa. The Embassy continues to work very hard on the visa issue in order to permit more qualified students and others to enter the United States. I'm confident that Hungarian applications to European universities are also increasing. Hungarian students are among the brightest in Europe - probably the world - and are competitive in entering the very best universities and programs.

Back in St. Louis, Missouri, home to several fine U.S. universities, I worked closely with many of them and even served as the Chairman of the Board of one. I understand the challenges you face, but also the importance of adapting quickly to the new needs of the global environment.

The link between educational reform and international competitiveness is more and more obvious. Hungary has a great deal to gain, but the competition is accelerating. International business will invest in the countries and regions that offer employees and managers the best skills. Recently, we have had the opportunity to host several business leaders, including the heads of Dell, IBM, and Intel. Each stressed the importance of education. We are working hard to encourage them to increase investment in Hungary, but they stressed that their decisions would be largely be tied to the skill and education level of the workforce.

Economic investment and interest in Hungary continues to increase, but so too does the expectation of the business community of the level of education of prospective workers.

A degree in English in a number of fields you offer here at the International Studies Center is an excellent foundation for any number of professions, but we must all continue to work together to ensure the mutual exchange of knowledge, research and people will continue to strengthen and improve our nations.

I salute the foreign students here today. You've done well to seize this opportunity that will serve you well in the future. And again, I salute the Corvinus University, its International Studies Center, and CIEE for a wonderful partnership and many more fruitful years of cooperation.