Prof. Dr. Sárga Csillag has been Vice Rector for Academic Affairs, Dean of the Faculty of Finance and Accounting and, since 1 February, Vice Rector for Academic Development. We spoke to her about her goals, challenges, wishes and her appointment as a university professor, which she received from President of the Republic Katalin Novák in September.
You have recently been appointed as a university professor. Congratulations! What does this mean for you?
It was an important milestone in my life, which was the result of many years of teaching and research, so of course I was delighted. A big part of this achievement has been the fact that I have been able to work in a supportive environment with good colleagues over the last ten years here at BBU, whether it be my supervisors, the departmental and faculty community, or the many colleagues I work with in my various roles daily. And, of course, my family, who tolerate my telling them about the difficulties of entrepreneurs with disabilities or the challenges of higher education in business over a Sunday lunch.
You've been Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs, Dean of the Faculty of Finance and Accounting, and since February you've been Vice-Rector for Academic Development. What challenges have you faced, are you facing in these roles? Are they all the same or are they all different?
Basically, I like to think of new things and enjoy doing it with people. This is similar in all my roles. At the same time, I face different challenges and frameworks in each role, so I always have to look at the problems to be solved and the opportunities for improvement from a different perspective. The biggest challenge I see is the current turbulent environment and, closely related to that, the overload we are all under. It is difficult to find a balance between daily tasks and future developments, and of course between work and private life.
What are your goals and plans as Vice-Rector for Academic Development?
I have a varied and exciting portfolio: partly to support the life path of our students (including talent management issues and organisations, the Student Success Office, student dropoff modelling), partly to develop our teaching colleagues (OKFI, RRF project and the OKÉ project for the assessment and development of teaching staff), partly to support activities that affect the whole university community (FEI, Budapest Lab, ÜPAKI, Thematic Excellence Program, innovations).
In each of these, the aim is to build future-oriented, new things while maintaining and improving what is already good. To use an analogy of a pleasant summer evening in November, I would like to build campfires in these areas (while keeping the old practices), around which many of our interested colleagues and students can gather and do great things together. As a leader, I believe in creating an environment in which our innovative and talented colleagues can thrive.
Despite the short time since your appointment, are there any achievements you are proud of?
I'm proud that my colleagues put up with me, which is (sometimes) not an easy task.
In areas related to me, such as Budapest Lab or ÜPAKI, there have been many good results and achievements this year that I am proud of, but they are not usually my own. At the moment, a large and complex task is the faculty development and evaluation project, which we are working on together with several colleagues (OKFI, HR and direct staff) and in continuous dialogue with teaching colleagues and students. Perhaps this and the setting up of the Student Success Office, as the related activities have reached the most people.
Do you also have time to teach, research, mentor, for example, when writing a TDK thesis?
Teaching is part of my basic identity, I would certainly not like to abandon it, but now I have only two (maximum three) subjects in each of the two semesters. Apart from the great energy that a well-done lesson gives you, I also find it important to experience the difficulties (and of course the joys) that all our teachers experience every day, both inside and outside the classroom. In addition to several of my undergraduate and master's students, I now have two students who have submitted their TDK theses. Research is perhaps the most neglected area at the moment, but I try not to lose the thread there either: three topics that are dear to me, the difficulties faced by people with disabilities, the future of higher education in business and HR practices in small businesses, are what I try to keep up with.
If you could have a magic wand and have one wish come true professionally and personally, what would it be?
I would like to have a yearly schedule in which, in addition to the 12 normal, usual months, there are 3 free months, some of which could be spent on academic work and some on holidays without phones and computers.
How do you relax, what do you do in your spare time?
I like to be outdoors and go sightseeing, walking, running, swimming, or doing whichever I am able to do. I really enjoy fiddling around at home, cooking, baking gingerbread, and painting eggs - I'm less able to do that these days. And of course I like to sit in a comfy armchair with a good book in my hand, preferably near a nice drink.