St. Thomas Aquinas Ecumenical Public Life Academy announces state-accredited training The St. Thomas Aquinas Ecumenical Public Life Academy offers special training to young Christians between the ages of 21 and 35. The intensive educational program providing extensive knowledge is completed by organized study trips to various regions of the Carpathian Basin, lectures by renowned professors, and community and spiritual programs. The state-accredited training is tuition-free, and students receive dormitory accommodation, full board and a monthly stipend.
Hungarian literature and history, sociology and political science, economy and finance, theology and religious studies, arts, natural and technical sciences, communication and media skills, strategic thinking, self-awareness and social relations – among others, the Aquinas University founded in 2018 can deepen their knowledge in these areas. Students of Saint Thomas Ecumenical Academy of Public Life.
The ten-month training is aimed at young Christians who strive to build their human and professional relationships, who want to find their true vocation; with faith, conviction, modern scientific equipment, they want to understand and protect the values of the created world, people and their communities along the lines of solid values even in the diversity of the modern world.
The structure of the educational program, which covers almost all knowledge areas of Christian spiritual, economic, social and cultural life, is unusual: the students deal with the ten modules for three weeks each with the help of their mentor teachers, in addition, recognized specialists and renowned professors - for example neurobiologist Tamás Freund, president of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Theologian Zoltán Balog, Reformed bishop, Zoltán Lehel Lakner, sociologist, social politician, Beáta Kőrösi, psychopedagogue, mediator, or Zoltán Kiszelly, political scientist, college associate professor - give lectures to them.
The students of the course are prepared for mediation activities, the graduates can thus help communication between groups, they can develop cooperation and communication techniques and skills in public administration organizations, and they can also make the operation and communication of political, social, church and civil organizations more efficient.
Multi-day study trips make the training really rich in experience:
the students can visit the different landscapes of the Carpathian basin, in previous years they took a multi-day tour in the Southern Region, the Highlands and Transylvania, participated in the farewell party in Csíksomlyo, but also hiked in the most beautiful parts of the Carpathians.
The basic principle of the academy is that being in a community has a great impact on individual development, so the training takes place in a college-like, residential format. The location in Piliscsaba offers an opportunity to retreat: students can break away from everyday life, in Pilis, in a special natural environment, they can deepen their studies and faith, they can get to know themselves better, and at the same time they can participate in community, spiritual, cultural and sports programs.
Young people between the ages of 21 and 35 who have already started their university studies or have a diploma are welcome to apply for the training of the St. Thomas Aquinas Ecumenical Academy of Public Life from the entire Carpathian Basin. The training is free of tuition fees, and the academy also provides dormitory accommodation, full board and a scholarship.
The young people who complete the training receive a diploma and a letter of recommendation, and are included in the "talent bank" of the St. Thomas Aquinas Public Association, which can give them an extra impetus to further build their careers.
This year, the training of the academy reached another milestone: it obtained state-accredited status. Thus, those students who start the unique education program as graduates can receive a state-recognized diploma for completing the joint Christian public mediator professional training of the academy and Apor Vilmos Catholic College.
The application deadline for the 2023/2024 academic year is June 30, 2023.
Application and further information on the website of the Saint Thomas Aquinas Ecumenical Academy of Public Life: https://szenttamasakademia.hu/
