Translation of interview with
Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at CEULiviu Matei
Media outlet: Hungarian National Radio (Kossuth Radio)
Program: "Szonda"
Date: 3 November 2013
Reporter: Benedek Varkonyi
The World Wide Web has fundamentally transformed our everyday lives, the way we gather information, communicate, work, shop and study. Degrees now can be obtained via massive open online courses. What else is to be anticipated in this field? What are the possibilities of online education? What are the dangers of the dissolving interpersonal relationship between students and faculty members? Leaders of graduate institutions from 14 countries held the Seventh Annual Global Summit in Budapest, co-hosted by the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS), Central European University (CEU) and the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (MTA). Liviu Matei, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at CEU,talked to Benedek Varkonyi about the new educational model.
What exactly does new technology refer to in graduate education? Does it mean the use of new tools or a new educational system?
It is probably best described as a new technology for education, as the technology itself is not necessarily new. Take massive open online courses for example. They have been around for a while, but they play a radically new role in education. Basically, we’re talking about the technology we use for learning, teaching, and research.
How are CEU and graduate education involved in this new technology? Does the university have a particular role on an international scale?
Very much so. Recently we co-hosted the Strategic Leaders Global Summit on Graduate Education with the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (MTA). We came up with the promises of technology as the central topic of discussion. We want to encourage discourse in Hungary, Europe, and the whole world as to the possibilities of technology in graduate education. We take this area very seriously at the University. For instance, we run a program that deals with the different elements of e-learning. Some of our courses connect us to other European, American and Korean universities. Another important issue is the question of access. Some groups have no access to graduate education. We believe this new educational technology will benefit them, too.
You mentioned your cooperation with the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (MTA). Is there a real, day-to-day cooperation between the two institutions, and with other international graduate schools? If yes, in what areas?
Yes, such cooperation exists, for instance in the PhD program in mathematics and applied mathematics. The lion’s share of teaching lies with the staff of the AlfrédRényiInstitute of Mathematics, one of the world’s best such institutions. We offer Erasmus Mundus programs in environmental sciences and public policy. These programs attract students even from outside Europe: this year we had applicants from 100 countries.
Does the new technology have any risks? Student progress tracking, for instance, might become tricky.
There are a number of risks. I don’t want to go into details, but if you look at the online model, it is possible that there is no relationship whatsoever between teacher and student during the online learning process. That might be a significant risk. Many believe the magic of interpersonal relationships plays a crucial role in higher education. The student does not only learn from books and the professor but they also meet face to face. Some say one of the dangers of online learning is the loss of this interpersonal relationship. Others argue that new forms of interpersonal relationships might develop this way thanks to the new technology.
Liviu Matei, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at CEUtalked about graduate education and the promises of technology to Benedek Varkonyi.
"Szonda" is a weekly program of the Hungarian National Radio’s Department of Science and Education. It discussed the latest Hungarian and international scientific news and provides scientific explanations of everyday phenomena in simple terms. It has over a million listeners.