Veszprém-Balaton 2023 - Cooperation at a Higher Level

On behalf of Veszprém-Balaton 2023 JLC, the strategic agreement was signed by Government Commissioner dr. Tibor Navracsics, Chair of the Board of Veszprém-Balaton 2023 JLC and CEO Alíz Markovits, while signatories from the University of Pannonia were Rector Dr. András Gelencsér and Chancellor Zsolt Csillag.

Dr. Tibor Navracsics: “I am convinced that we have a historic opportunity ahead of us, as the European Capital of Culture title gives us the chance to create one of the most significant cultural-creative regions in the country. The University of Pannonia, an important centre of knowledge in Transdanubia, may become a main driving force of this process. The institution started to assist us as early as the bidding phase and we are glad we can rely on this intellectual background in the future.”

Dr. András Gelencsér: “Over the past years, we have been partners in several collaboration programmes resting on the use of our institution’s education and research potential. We are always glad to work together towards the realisation of common targets to further develop our area and the region. An interesting aspect of the European Capital of Culture project is that our role in it is twofold: as a strategic partner we are one of its actors, and as the region’s higher education establishment we also host a range of programmes.”

An important strategic aim of the agreement is channeling in volunteering by creating a joint University Volunteer Base.

The University of Pannonia has been offering an elective ECoC thematic course to students which allows them to work together with lecturers and ECoC partners to carry out and evaluate project ideas.

Part of the strategic agreement is joint work in developing ECoC’s monitoring system, the preparation and submission of collective bids in creative industries and sustainability as well as professional support to the ‘Veszprém 2023’ University research team.

The partnership document states that the signing parties agree to join forces in exploring relevant directions of regional development, seek out further partners, compile and submit relavant research project bids, and publish the results of the run-up period to 2023, with the related surveys and developments. Under the agreement the signatories will coordinate the organisation of ECoC-related cultural, scientific and scholarly programmes and will continue to mutually strengthen and promote their international partnership networks.

With the signing act, as of today, an institutionalised form of long-term cooperation has been created.