The Hungarian national EUROPEA organisation was established in 1997 as MASZE – Magyar Agrárszakoktatási Szakértők Egyesülete or in English: HAVE – Hungarian Association of Agricultural Vocational Educational.
It was founded with the aim to provide its members with a strong communicational platform, offer help with their professional work and represent their interests. Today EUROPEA-Hungary unites more than 100 natural persons, mainly teachers in Green VET but also agricultural experts, consultants and specialists working for governmental institutes and offices. Other members are the Hungarian EUROPEA schools, which make up the national network, and they are about 60.
In 2003 our Statutes were amended in a way that made it possible for MASZE to become the Hungarian member organization of EUROPEA. Following the Presidency of the Council of the European Union Hungary hosted the Spring Seminar in 2011 in Kaszópuszta, deep in the charming Hungarian countryside. Our next chance to organise a EUROPEA meeting comes in 2024.
As for competitions, in 2010 we had the honour to organize the 5th EUROPEA Wine Championships, which was held in Budafok, near Budapest, and in Villány, the famous wine region of Southwest Hungary. Our national team has taken part in both of 1st and 2nd AGROLYMPICS in 2015 and in 2017. Moreover, in May this year the beautiful town of Sopron, situated near the Austrian border, will accommodate 17th European Championships in Forestry Skills.
Over the past 15 years EUROPEA-Hungary or Hungarian EUROPEA schools were involved in the following projects: FANCAM, CHAVET, AGROCUA, AQUAP, ALIVE, ANGIE 2.0, EBBEY.
The last annual meeting of the membership was held in December 2017. The current board is led by the new president Zoltán Karácsony (Educational Executive at the Herman Ottó Institute, Bp) and the national coordinator Izabella Krencsey-Élő (International Contact Person at Herman Ottó Institute, Bp).
By Judit Covic (HU), leader of EUROPEA Editorial Group
Photos by Anders Broman (SE) taken during the 2011 EUROPEA Meeting in Kaszópuszta, HU