SDG 6 - Clean Water and Sanitation - 3. WATER IN THE COMMUNITY - Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences
SDG 6 - Clean Water and Sanitation
SDG 6 - Clean Water and Sanitation - 3. WATER IN THE COMMUNITY
Last modified: 21. November 2025
3. WATER IN THE COMMUNITY
3.1. Water management educational opportunities
MATE provides educational opportunities for a wide audience to learn about good water management, for local communities as well.
MATE’s Department of Water Management and Climate Adaptation actively encourages students to apply their water-management knowledge within their local communities. Beyond teaching and research, the department aims to provide off-campus support for water conservation initiatives. Students enrolled in courses such as Agrometeorology and Water Management, Water Treatment and Utilization, Water Management, Water Quality, and Water Resources Engineering are motivated to share their skills and expertise outside the university. Particular emphasis is placed on working with communities in the watershed of the Rákos Stream, located near the Szent István Campus. To support public access to environmental information, the department makes data from its meteorological station in Gödöllő openly available and is developing a local soil-moisture estimation system to offer timely irrigation guidance based on ongoing research.
The Department of Irrigation Development and Land Reclamation is responsible for teaching courses related to its field and for carrying out high-level research and advisory activities. Its broader mission includes providing expert consultation, training, education and research on agricultural irrigation development, water management and land-reclamation practices. The department focuses primarily on modernising agricultural irrigation technologies through water- and energy-efficient solutions; developing cultivation and soil-management practices that mitigate climate change impacts and domestic water scarcity; advancing complex land-reclamation systems; exploring innovations in micro-irrigation; and conducting precision water and soil-resource management research. In addition, it contributes to national irrigation development through agricultural water-management studies and supports a wide range of agronomic R&D&I activities.
The Fisheries and Angling Scientific College aims to complement the university’s curriculum by providing its members with practical, hands-on knowledge in fisheries, angling, aquaculture, ornamental fish breeding, fish processing and related fields—areas where compulsory and elective courses offer limited opportunities. It also supports exceptionally talented students by enabling them to acquire specialised expertise needed for scientific or practical work aligned with their interests. Each year, the College organises at least one study trip to supplement theoretical training with on-site experience, and every semester it hosts 1–2 professional lectures delivered not only by university staff but also by key representatives from industry, authorities and professional organisations. Members are regularly encouraged to attend major professional events where they can learn about current trends and innovations. The College collaborates closely with MATE’s Institute of Aquaculture and Environmental Safety, offering talented students the opportunity to participate in R&D&I activities and graduate with practice-oriented, industry-relevant knowledge. Alongside professional programmes, a variety of community-building activities—such as fishing competitions or fish soup cook-offs—strengthen the group, helping students form a supportive, lasting community throughout their university years and beyond.
The Agricultural Water Management Scientific College, founded in 2016, now operates within MATE’s Institute of Environmental Sciences as a centrally supported talent development programme. It provides students with opportunities to gain additional knowledge beyond their regular coursework, participate in research activities through available support schemes, and engage in a professional community. Its key aims include offering specialised training forums, promoting student involvement in research, fostering an active professional network, developing skills valued by the labour market, providing interdisciplinary education through general and specialised courses, and supporting the acquisition of democratic values and cooperative, community-based working practices.
Master's degree in Agricultural Water Management Engineering
The program aims to train professionals in agricultural water management, with a special focus on sustainable integrated water resources management. The program focuses mostly on water management and engineering related subjects, with additional courses in agricultural and natural sciences, economics and legal studies. Besides providing a strong theoretical base, we aim to equip our students with a sound practical background as well, utilizing advanced methods of earth observation and modelling, complementing related field and laboratory work. Building on the international experience of our staff, this course aims to provide students with the knowledge they need to succeed in today’s world.
The aim of the course is to train ecotoxicology specialists who are able to independently identify ecotoxicological phenomena on the basis of their knowledge of natural sciences, biology (mainly ecology and toxicology) and social sciences. They are familiar with the principles of the most important methods of ecotoxicology and the ways in which they can be applied. They are capable of assessing and remediating the environmental damage detected and of placing their work in a social context. Our qualified ecotoxicologists can find employment in many areas of the labour market (industry, research and development-innovation, services, public administration and all areas where knowledge of environmental risk assessment in line with European Union standards is required).
The ecotoxicologist among other things has a knowledge of the possible behaviour of pollutants in the environment, their detection and monitoring methods, has an bility to assess the effects of pollutants in different media (soil, water, air) and the responses of different objects (populations, communities, ecosystems, biosphere) to pollutants, has a knowledge of global environmental problems, their economic and social context and the measures taken to address them, has a knowledge and application of environmental risk assessment.
Advanced training as an energy management engineer/consultant
The programme focuses on training specialists with a solid understanding of general energy and energy management principles, as well as the application possibilities of renewable energy sources. It covers the technical and economic aspects of energy production and supply, with particular emphasis on renewable resources and their integration into energy systems. Students study topics related to energy use, including heating technologies, power plant components, fuel preparation systems, energy converters, thermal and electrical systems, heat exchangers, and boilers. The course also introduces the main equipment associated with renewable energy—such as biomass, solar, wind, hydropower, and geothermal technologies—primarily from a mechanical engineering perspective, along with the fundamental units of power plants, their operation, and technical characteristics. Graduates acquire the knowledge and skills needed to operate, develop, and ensure the efficient and economical functioning of energy systems.
Specialized training for facility energy engineers
The aim of the specialised training programme is to expand and deepen the existing knowledge of professionals involved in the design and operation of building technical systems—particularly building services engineering—by focusing on building energy use and its connection to the optimisation of heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems, as well as the efficient utilisation of renewable energy sources. The curriculum covers the design of energy-efficient buildings, including passive houses and zero-energy buildings, as well as the energetic renovation of existing structures. Graduates will be equipped to rationalise and improve the energy consumption of buildings while taking into account the thermal comfort needs of occupants.
