March 2024 | #staff
Introducing Katalin Szondy, Head of the Programme Development Service Unit at the University of Applied Sciences St. Pölten. As one of the early contributors to the E³UDRES² alliance, she has played a key role in shaping vision processes, quality assurance standards, and the long‑term strategic development of future‑oriented higher education within the alliance.
What exactly is your role within E³UDRES²?
In the first three years of E³UDRES² – in other words, the first phase – I was part of the work package “Future Universities" that addressed the question of what higher education institutions of the future could look like. Our first step was to consider which method it would take to foresee the future in the first place. What does the labour market need? What do the people, and especially prospective students, expect from universities? Can we create uniform standards and concepts in our alliance? These and many other exciting questions were addressed in this work package.
In the ongoing second phase, I am part of the work package “Quality Assurance" with a strong emphasis on developing uniform European standards of quality assurance with a focus on the alliances.
Where have you been able to further your personal development so far?
The E³UDRES² Alliance has given me the opportunity to expand my expertise and broaden my horizon. Over the past years, I have been able to gain a lot of knowledge about the European Higher Education Area and I have opened up new perspectives.
Looking back on the past years, do you have a personal highlight?
Yes! We started our work at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, which means that we had to go a long time without personal meetings. After many months, the first actual meeting of the working group took place here at the St. Pölten UAS. It was fascinating to see what a close and friendly relationship we all had from the start, even though we had never met in person before. Everyone in the E³UDRES² Alliance identifies very strongly with the project and with the people involved – there is a lot of motivation and commitment all around. This is what I find very special and inspiring.
Interview by: USTP – University of Applied Sciences St. Pölten
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