Last year brought many challenges for the Hungarian Economic Association due to the coronavirus pandemic in respect of both domestic events and international partnerships. We managed to conquer these challenges thanks to the activity of our sections. 2020 was reviewed via podcasts at Növekedés.hu by the President, the Secretary General as well as the heads of several sections of the HEA.
‘Participation in the online events exceeded the usual levels probably due to the fact that no travelling was involved which made it much easier to follow’, Gyula Pleschinger said in his podcast. The President of the HEA recalled that even the annual Itinerant Conference of Economics had to be organised in the online space. This, however, proved so popular and attracted so much audience that the HEA will definitely take advantage of internet technology in the future as well.
‘The coronavirus pandemic made a rapid impact on the economy, and the governments are helping businesses with substantial rescue packages. The events of the Hungarian Economic Association were primarily focused on pandemic-induced crisis management’, said Éva Hegedüs, Secretary General of the HEA, CEO-Chairperson of Gránit Bank in a podcast interview available at Növekedés.hu.
‘2020 was a sad year not only because of the coronavirus pandemic and the resulting crisis, but also because our president Szabolcs Fazakas passed away earlier in the year’, said in his podcasts at Növekedés.hu the President of the European Union Section of the HEA, adding that it was an honour to carry on the momentous work of the founder Szabolcs Fazakas. Gábor Iván said that the Section would continue to hold video conferences in the first few months of 2021 as well: according to plans the deputy German ambassador will assess the past six months of Germany’s EU presidency in January as a guest of the EU Section. After that the Portuguese ambassador will discuss the priorities of the next EU presidency lasting until June 2021.
‘Home office, distance learning, digitization and atypical employment gained much focus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Labour Section of the Hungarian Economic Association held numerous events dedicated to the labour market processes, addressing and analysing the macro, meso and micro-level issues and problems in 2020’, said President József Bagó in his podcast at Növekedés.hu.
‘The coronavirus had no major negative impact on the activity of the Fintech and Financial Culture Section of the HEA. As a result, however, digital solutions became more prominent for the Hungarian Economic Association as well. The presentations were held online without the need for physical presence. Consequently, a much wider audience could be reached, including many young participants. In 2020 the Section organised six professional events’, said Éva Pintér, President of the Fintech and Financial Culture Section assessing the past year.