THE HUNGARIAN UNIVERSITY OF ARTS AND DESIGN

The Hungarian University of Arts and Design is committed to train traditional artist-craftsmen, as well as architects, designers and visual communication designers. The University aims to teach students highly talented in arts how to control and benefit from their skills. We make every effort to train conscious creative individuals who can face challenges in their professional fields. Besides training artists, the University contributes to the rise of visual culture with the training of drawing teachers. Our art manager training course provides a link between the various branches of economy and the arts. The University assumes responsibility for elite training, not only in its graduate courses, but also in its thematic DLA and PhD courses, as well as in various other postgraduate courses. Regarding its library, art gallery and publications, the University is the spiritual workshop of applied arts. Instead of the traditional division between applied and fine arts and the separation of various art forms, the University enhances the openness and interconnection of the taught subjects. With our degree we release artists, architects and designers with a sense of responsibility and creative power, who feel obliged to develop their human environment. Its educational form, the master-apprentice relationship adds positive human values to every moment of the acquisition of professional knowledge. The University establishes in students the triple unity of invention-design-realisation. With its training and other services the University ensures that students become members of the intelligentsia, with an identity conforming to European models, but rooted deeply in our traditions. The predecessor of the Hungarian University of Arts and Design, the Royal National School of Arts and Crafts was founded in1880 and continued to bear this name until 1944. In the manner of other European Art Colleges, it evolved from a handicraft industry school, the Model Drawing School. Its founder and first director, Gusztv Keleti appointed the aim of the new institution in the ‘educational support of a more artistic wood and furniture industry.’ The spirit of the school was fundamentally influenced by the Arts and Crafts Movement of Britain, as well as by Hungarian folklore. In the beginning there was only one department, where architecture drawing and design were taught. The goldsmith and xylographer classes started in 1883, while the decorative painter and copperplate engraver classes began in 1884. The decorative sculpture class, uniting small sculpture and wood-carving, was established in 1885. In 1896, the school, which had been scattered in different parts of Budapest, moved to the new Museum of Arts and Crafts, finding its new director in Kamill Flitter. The number of registered students at that time was 120. The idea of converting the school into a college arose in the early 1940s, but it was hindered by the war years. Having repaired the damages caused by the Second World War, teaching could start again in March 1945, and preparations to reorganise the school might continue. In 1946 the ministry decided on founding an Academy of Arts and Crafts, thus the College of Arts and Crafts was established. In 1950 there were already six degree courses, and the number of students in 1952 rose to 280. In 1954 parts of the College moved to the present location in Zugligeti Street, but some of the workshops remained in the Kinizsi street annex of the Museum of Arts and Crafts. In 1955 another reorganisation occurred: with the termination of the theatre stage design course four degree courses remained: interior decoration, decorative painting, decorative sculpture and textile design. The industrial design degree course was initiated in 1959. With the appointment of Frigyes Pogny to the head of the College in 1964 a new era began with many reforms, coinciding with the growing appreciation of applied arts regarding its social role. In 1971 the College was granted university rank, but remained a College in its name. From 1982, under Istvn Gergely, a new series of reforms were introduced: the departments were changed into institutes, which meant that students could achieve college and university degree in the incremental educational system. In the middle of the 1980s, the range of courses was extended by the establishment of photography, video and art management courses. The official gallery of the College, Tlgyfa Galra, opened its doors to the public in Henger Street in 1987. On the appointment of the renowned ceramic artist, Imre Schrammel to the head of the College, uniform university training was introduced, and the departments regained their positions. In 1997, because of the economic restrictions, the construction of the institution was modified again. The University was accredited in 1998. From 1999 the president of the University has been Judit Droppa, textile designer. A far-reaching development plan was arranged in 2002, the first phase being the removal of Tlgyfa Gallery from Henger Street and the renovation of the main building of the University in the same year. Postal address: H-1121 Budapest, Zugligeti street 9-25. and H-1092 Budapest, Kinizsi st. 39. Phone: +36-1-3921180, +36-1-4763-500 Fax: +36-1-3921188, +36-1-4763-505