The Faculty

Short historical overview of the horticultural education

The history of the university begins in 1853, when Dr. Ferenc Entz, a medical doctor, established the School for Practical Gardening. The school came to its present location in 1876. In 1894, it was raised to the rank of Royal School of Horticulture, with three years of training.

From that time on, the level of training at the Institution has been continuously developing and changing, along with its structure and name, as follows:

  • 1939: the Institution became the Hungarian Royal Academy of Horticulture
  • 1943: reorganised to Hungarian Royal College of Horticulture and Viticulture
  • 1945: operated as the Faculty of Horticulture and Viticulture of the centralised University of Agricultural Sciences.
  • 1953: became independent again, as the College of Horticulture and Viticulture
  • 1963: Landscape Architecture, until that times a part of general horticultural studies, became a separate Section; graduates received the diploma of "Horticultural Engineer"
  • 1968: raised to the level of University of Horticulture
  • 1969: the Food Industry Section was established
  • 1971: a new College Faculty of Horticulture was established in the town of Kecskemét
  • 1972: organisation of two separate faculties in Budapest: the Faculty of Horticulture (with the Horticultural Production and Landscape Architecture Sections), and the Faculty of Food Industry (from the former Food Industry Section)
  • 1986: the Institution changed again to the University of Horticulture and Food Industry, comprising training and education for the entire food industry; the Higher School of Food Industry in the town of Szeged (Southern Hungary) was attached as the College Faculty of Food Industry
  • 1992: the previous Landscape Architecture Section was developed, Protection and Development, to an independent Faculty of Landscape Architecture
  • 2000: The Faculty of Horticultural Science belongs to the Szent István University  with the other two Faculties (Faculty of Food Science and Faculty of Landscape Architecture, Protection and Development). The above mentioned three faculties form the Buda Campus of the Szent István University.
  • 2003: The Faculty of Horticultural Science belongs to the Budapest University of Economic Sciences and Public Administration with the other two Faculties (Faculty of Food Science and Faculty of Landscape Architecture, Protection and Development).
  • 2004: Corvinus University of Budapest Faculty of Horticultural Science
  • 2016: Szent István University Faculty of Horticultural Science

Address to reader

The Faculty of Horticultural Science, which was founded by a physician, Ferenc Entz in 1853, became one of the prominent places of European horticultural teaching during the last 150 years. 

It is the consequence of the fact, that Hungarian society always gave a high priority to the training of agricultural specialists. All that time the school's aim was to convey up-to-date basic knowledge and form an ecological awareness in our graduates, who have good experiences in all sectors of horticulture, plant protection, farm management and ecological farming. 

The Faculty played an important and traditional role in formation of number of special horticultural regions of Hungary, appreciated worldwide. The activity of our professors and research-workers contributed in a great deal to the development of such regions as Tokaj, specialized for wine production, Szeged and Kalocsa, which are known from its paprika production, or East-regions of Hungary, which produce numbers of delicious fruits. Our task was as well to contribute to the development of the ornamental and medicinal plant sectors. The Hungarian horticulture, as a whole, supported by our knowledge and education system, produced high quality food-products are known as "Hungaricum" worldwide.

We assume an obligation to prepare the students to start their home and international career by training communicative skills, career counseling and providing opportunity to study languages. Our multinational teaching and research cooperation help this idea, which are extended to the EU countries, as well to USA, Japan, Australia, etc.

Currently, there are more than 2000 students matriculated at the Faculty of Horticultural Science under B.Sc. and M.Sc. training in Hungary and in surroundings, including Serbia, Romania and Ukraine. The training of Ph.D. students, which means rising new generation of scientists, is one of the highly significant tasks of our education. Japan, American, EU and Middle East Institutions and Universities employ our former Ph.D. students, beyond to Hungary.

The Central Building of the Faculty of Horticultural Science is situated in one of the most beautiful part of Budapest, on the South slope of Gellért Hill. Otherwise, Budapest is the most important education and cultural center of Hungary and some of its sights counted to the world heritage. For all our students, beside the high quality education, historical, cultural facilities of this beautiful capital are available.

All students are welcome from both Hungary and abroad, who like to take part in high quality education on horticultural sciences and whish to be the citizen of our Faculty, want to be acquainted with Hungarian cultural life and with one of the most beautiful metropolises of the World.