Hungarian Engineers Alumni

The group is politically independent and neutral, and currently has 31 members.

The Association of Hungarian Engineers was founded in 1957 after the arrival in Switzerland of the first Hungarian refugees. This generation of the association comprised graduates with a master’s degree or those ETH students who were allowed to continue the studies they had started in 1956 in Budapest at ETH in Zurich. In later years, they were joined by students who after 1956 had completed their school-leaving qualifications in Switzerland or had passed the entrance examination for the ETH. Consolidation of the association brought structures and statutes. With a few modifications, these statutes remain in force today.

The organisation experienced some key changes after the turn of the millennium. The first leaders of the association, dating back to 1957, were replaced by a younger management team. The new board recognised the benefits of joining the ETH alumni association and reorganised our association so that the requirements of joining an ALUMNI could be met. We have been a member of the large alumni association since 2012.

The group promotes the dissemination of technical knowledge and cultural values and maintains knowledge of the Hungarian language. Our aims also include helping one another as well as providing advice and support in all areas of working life. We run joint projects in collaboration with universities (ETH, Windisch university). Our activities are not driven by making a profit. We main close relations with the Hungarian Academy of Sciences in Budapest, Hungary and collaborate with this body on various projects.

Every year, we hold ten to eleven technical or cultural talks with speakers from home and abroad in the Alumni Foyer in Zurich. If the opportunity presents itself, instead of a talk, we visit firms or cultural institutions in Zurich and the surrounding area. These events are held in Hungarian. Guests with shared interests are welcome to our talks.

The group’s board comprises three members. The President is Gábor Ugron, Dr. El.Ing ETH (equivalent to a Doctorate in Electrical Engineering), the Vice President is Ede Andráskay, Dipl.Bauing. ETH (equivalent to a Master’s in Civil Engineering), and the Secretary/Assessor is Gábor Oplatka, Emer.Prof.Dr.Masch.Ing. ETH (equivalent to Emeritus Professor of Mechanical Engineering). Our statutes are based on the statutes of the ALUMNI association and have been homologated by these.

In line with our goal of maintaining use of the Hungarian language, our talks are held in Hungarian

14 January

Annual general meeting

11 February

Dr. Balázs Sudár: Prehistory of Hungary through the eyes of a historian

10 March

Tünde Thalmeiner: Reconstruction of historical gardens

9 April

Dr. Ferenc Pollmann: The military path to the Treaty of Trianon (1920)

12 May

Dr. Zsófia Végvári: Real-time analysis of works of art

9 June

János Balkányi: Hungarian musical history and its international significance

7 July

Dr. Gábor Székely: The influence of the digital revolution on our daily lives

8 August

István Fazekas: Classification of fruit (trip to Kecskemét, Hungary)

15 September

Tibold Hernath: Typography

6 October

Zoltán Szécsi: The life’s work of the architect, János Wanner, including his work in Switzerland

5 November

András Imre: History of the calendar

1 December

Dr. Diana Reser: Development of heart surgery techniques

Go to our current events

ETH Alumni are people who have completed an education at ETH Zürich or who have spent at least four semesters at ETH working as members of the academic faculty or as post-​docs. Click here for more information on the "Alumni" status.

ETH alumni are entitled to a membership with the ETH Alumni Association. Members enjoy various benefits that are not available to non-​members.

The membership fee is CHF 70/year. Upon registration, memberships in up to five affiliate organisations can be added free of charge. However, certain affiliate organisations charge additional fees to fund their annual programme. Alumni who do not wish to join a member organisation are automatically registered as direct members.

After graduating from ETH Zurich, graduates are automatically registered as members. However, a membership is free of charge until the age of 28 (year of birth). Thereafter, a membership fee is automatically charged, regardless of the graduate's age at graduation.