Brief history

1782 – Emperor Joseph II establishes the Institutum Geometricum as part of the Faculty of Liberal Arts at the University of Buda. The Institutum, the direct predecessor of the Budapest University of Technology and Economics, is the first in Europe to award engineering degrees to students of land surveying, river control, and road construction

1872 – Royal Joseph University gains full autonomy and the right to issue engineering diplomas after five years of studies. It is among the first institutions in Europe, to train engineers on university level.

1901 – Royal Joseph University is entitled to confer the doctoral degree, "Doctor Rerum Technicarum."

1949 – The name "Technical University of Budapest" becomes official. At this time the university consists of the faculties of: Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Architecture, Chemical Engineering and Electrical Engineering (in historical order).

1955 – Faculty of Transportation Engineering is established.

1984 – Instruction is offered in English as well as Hungarian.

1998 – Faculty of Natural Sciences and Faculty of Economic and Social Sciences are established.

2000 – The official name changes to Budapest University of Technology and Economics.

Present More than 110 departments and institutes operate within the structure of eight faculties. About 1100 lecturers, 200 researchers and other degree holders and numerous invited lecturers and practising expert specialists participate in education and research at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics. Approximately 1000 of the university's 24.000 students are from 60 countries abroad. The Budapest University of Technology and Economics issues about 70% of Hungary's engineering degrees.

Organizational structure and management of the University

The Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME) is a state university. The organizational and functional rules of the university are specified in regulations prepared in accordance with the relevant legislation. The BME functions as a divisional organization with the divisions comprising the faculties. The faculties, listed in the order of their date of foundation, are as follows (with their Hungarian acronyms in parentheses):

• Faculty of Civil Engineering (ÉMK)

• Faculty of Mechanical Engineering (GPK)

• Faculty of Architecture (ÉPK)

• Faculty of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology (VBK)

• Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Informatics (VIK)

• Faculty of Transportation Engineering (KJK)

• Faculty of Natural Sciences (TTK)

• Faculty of Economic and Social Sciences (GTK)

The division of labour between the faculties follows an objective principle according to their respective fields of education and science. The faculties are further divided into departments, institutes, knowledge centres, the Dean’s office and other organizations. Management tasks are supported by staff groups i.e. the Rector’s Cabinet and the Chancellor's Cabinet. Service departments support the activity of the divisions by means of:

• system operation and system maintenance services provided by the

  • Chancellery (Kancellária) and

  • professional services provided by the

  • National Technical Information Centre and Library (BME-OMIKK), and

  • Central Study Office (KTH).

• The faculties performing the tasks of education, scientific research (artistic-) and innovation, university level staff groups that assist in the management of education and research, the organizational units that directly support education and research with professional services and those that assist education and research with system maintenance and system supply services are called overall organizational units.

The mission

The mission of the Budapest University of Technology and Economics is to contribute to Hungary’s economic advancement, effective research, development and innovation through the pursuit of education, learning, and scientific research in the fields of technology, economics, natural and social sciences at the highest levels of excellence.

In consonance with these aims BME is a research university that has high reputation among youngsters, has excellent professors and lecturers and is internationally acknowledged for its scientific work. The close connection between theory and practice is evident throughout the degree programmes as they involve strong theoretical foundation and efficient practical training shaped by the requirements of the industry and the society.

Our endeavour is to preserve the high value and prestige of the degrees of the University and ensure that our graduates’ knowledge, skills and achievements should continue being acknowledged by the labour market.

Both as a participant of international research programmes and as a leader of Hungarian research initiatives BME’s activities cover the entire innovation chain: basic and applied research, technological and economical product and service development, complex quality management and utilizing research results.