For ITK, the fairs provided an excellent opportunity to present its English-taught MSc programmes, built on strong foundations in engineering and natural sciences, to prospective students from Central Asia. At the events in Astana (Kazakhstan) and Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan), it became clear that students are not only interested in traditional IT programmes, but are also particularly open to the Faculty’s distinctive profile in bionics and interdisciplinary engineering-biology fields. The Info-Bionics MSc, the Bioinformatics MSc, and research-oriented engineering programmes attracted especially strong interest. In Bishkek, for example, one student expressed a clear interest in the Info-Bionics MSc specifically because he aims to work in prosthetics development and had already heard about Allonic, a company originating from ITK. Feedback like this shows that our programmes reach students with well-defined professional goals.
Between the two fairs, the delegation also visited two leading universities in Almaty, where ITK’s programme portfolio was presented to interested BSc students in dedicated sessions. These visits allowed for more in-depth discussions and direct engagement with potential applicants.
The academic preparation of Central Asian students is particularly noteworthy: applicants from Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan typically have strong backgrounds in mathematics and the natural sciences, providing an excellent basis for ITK’s interdisciplinary programmes. In addition, students from the region are motivated, open to international mobility, and highly value European programmes that combine practical relevance with a strong research focus.
The experience of the fairs also confirmed that Budapest is widely recognised in the region as a safe, liveable, affordable, and culturally rich European capital, making it an attractive study destination. For ITK, education fairs in the region are especially valuable as they provide access to students who not only have solid academic foundations, but also clear career ambitions and an international outlook. Overall, the level of interest is strong, and there is clear potential to attract talented students from the region to join the ITK community.
