Radics Ottó Colleges in Hungary
A college is a characteristic institution of the talent management system in Hungary. Each college has an individual functional system, but they all agree on the six fundemental principles of the Charta of All Colleges of Excellence (formulated in the 1990s). An accredited college is a comprehensively autonomous, self-governing institution of university students who share the same residence. Colleges provide everything for their students’ high-quality professional and personal progress, and they aim to raise a socially aware clerisy. This is why our college provides its members the environment they need for professional development not only on a national, but also on an international level, alongside with our Christian (Jesuit) spirituality, which is the basis of our community.
Our history
Saint Ignatius College was founded after the regime change in 1990, and was taken over by the Jesuits in 2000. The goal, however, has always remained the same: granting talented university students an environment where they can develop their best professional skills and become part of a value-driven, socially aware, Christian clerisy. Personal progress is based on three pillars: studies, spirituality and community. Professional development is supported by the scholarship system of the college. Since its foundation more than 20 years ago, our institution has become a determining institution of the ecclesiastical college system.
In 2011, the new residence of the college became the freshly renovated building in Horánszky Street, Budapest. The common rooms behind the monumental frontage provide an ideal place for studying, chatting or simple entertainment. The attic was built up in summer 2015. As our college is now in the city centre, most universities in Budapest are very easy to approach from there. More than 60 students are living and studying with us at the moment. Our College is a fundamental part of the Jesuit centre in the heart of the city.
Our Eponym
Saint Ignatius of Loyola is the founder of the Society of Jesus (a. k. a. the Jesuits). He was born in a noble Basque family. After his conversion in 1521, he broke with his previous chivalric lifestyle and became an important spiritual leader. The order founded by him played a crucial role in the renewal of the Catholic Church after the Reformation. The Society of Jesus is currently a multifaceted institution offering various services from spiritual retreats and pastoral work to education, social work, and presence in the media. The unity of these diverse fields of work is well expressed by the motto of the Jesuit order: „Everything for the greater glory of God” (Ad maiorem Dei gloriam). Their mission is based on serving others and fighting for justice. As a missionary order, the Jesuits have always paid attention to those on the periphery. Discussion between different cultures and religions is also important for the Society, who regard education as the most effective way of renewing the Catholic Church. A great number of successful Jesuit secondary schools, universities, and other institutions of higher education prove this principle right.