Institute of Agribusiness
The Institute of Agribusiness is a major research and teaching department of the Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences and was fouded in 2020. Our goal was to establish an institute according to the leading international trends to focus on the theoretical and empirical research and education of food chain economics including agricultural and regional economics, rural development, extension service and food chain management.We are very proud of our past professors and scholars who are known for their pioneer role in the agricultural and regional economics in Hungary.
We are responsible for several study programs and collaborating with numerous international research partners. Our students won numerous awards for their excellence. The Institute of Agribusiness consists of three departments based on the functions of agribusiness: Agricultural Economics and Extension Service, Regional Economics and Rural Development, Food Chain Management. We offer partnership to all of our internal and external stakeholders. The Institute of Agribusiness addresses the contemporary issues related to regional and agricultural economics, extension service, rural development and food chain management in order to serve the students, the teaching staff, the research, and the economy simultaneously.
Our study programmes include:
- BSc rural development
- MSc in rural development
- MSc in regional and environmental economics
- Trust management, specialized training
- BSc in food retail
- MSc in food economics and logistics
Prof. Dr. H.c. Popp, József
Corresponding member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences
Director of the Institute, full professor
Contact information
Director of Institute: Dr. Popp József
Administration: Dr. Bártfainé Vincze Zita (e-mail: Bartfaine.Vincze.Zita@gtk.szie.hu)
Address: Szent István University, Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences
Institute of Agribusiness
2100 Gödöllő, Páter K. u. 1.
Home page: http://rgvi.gtk.szie.hu
Phone: +3628/522-000/2060
Departments
Department of agricultural economics and extension service
The global economic development of the 21st century faces many challenges, including developments in food-, energy- and environmental security, and the role of innovation (industrial revolution and digitalisation) in the economy and society. These questions are closely linked to the analysis of the agro-food industry, the food chain and even agribusiness. As a result of global megatrends, we can expect different consumer preferences and in addition to mass production demand for healthy, high-quality food products will increase in both developed and developing regions. In response to expanding consumer demands, natural resources are constantly decreasing in the face of climate change. For agricultural economics, the teaching and research of these factors will gain importance. In the future, efficiency, quality, food security and food safety, bioeconomy, natural resources and environmental protection will be leading topics in education. In order to increase the efficiency of knowledge transfer, the department also considers research and education on rural extension methodology for the agri-food industry as a mission.
Head of department
Prof. Dr. H.c. Popp, Józse
Corresponding member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences
full professor
Department of regional economics and rural development
Since the change of regime in 1990, the fundamental spatial factors and processes of the economy and society have changed considerably. The rural areas and settlements have been significantly affected by the changes, as well as the inhabitants living there. The challenge of adapting to this new situation has created new global and local opportunities. Perhaps one of the most important features of the fundamental changes has been the strengthening of rurality and the expansion of the economic and social context of locality creating new roles of rural values. Today, rural space is not just a place of food supply, but an area responsible for territorial development, new tasks, functions and dimensions.
At the same time, the development of regional science by the analysis of spatial processes has become an independent field in the social sciences. Through its organic development, it has attracted a number of spatial research fields including center and peripheral research, frontier research, territorial social analysis, and urban and rural economic research. As a result, education and research in rural and regional development, rural economy and rural policy have become decisive elements of spatial science over the past decades. Furthermore, the labor market and also the countryside need experts who understand the operation of the rural economy and consider their primary objective to improve the economic and social well-being of the working population in the countryside. The mission of the department is to carry out education and research of spatial and rural economic disciplines related to social sciences and continuously modernize and develop them.
Head of department
Prof. Dr. H.c. Káposzta, József, CSc
full professor
Department of food chain management
The activity of the department includes four main fields:
- Activities in higher education within the frame of undergraduate engineer (BSc), graduate engineer (MSc) and doctoral (PhD) programs. Our major task is to deliver management-and business administration knowledge and to develop course materials in Hungarian and English languages in the field of horticultural production, food processing and training nutrition professionals. Our aim is to provide our students with up-to-date knowledge and tools that will give the graduates the possibility to become successful business managers, entrepreneurs and efficient public servants.
- Organising and implementing specific training activities for graduates working in fields connected to food chain and gastronomy. Furthermore, we offer learning opportunity for those who are already working and wish to gain more knowledge supported with up-to-date tools in the light of life-long-learning program.
- Academic research: our department is a determining intellectual centre for agro-economic research in East-Central Europe. The focal point of our research is the large-scale application of modern qualitative and quantitative methods, particularly the application of dynamic system modelling, network analysis and experimental auctions in order to understand laws governing food economy.
- Consulting activity. one of our goals is to promote the proliferation and application of academic knowledge -accumulated at the department- in close cooperation with different international organisations, governments, municipalities and with competitive as well as civil sector participants. We are partners in all efforts, contributing to the practical realisation of UN Sustainable Development Framework Program.
Head of department
Prof. Dr. Lakner, Zoltán, DSc
full professor