Between 20 September and 2 October, the works of outstanding talents from Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design (MOME), who has won the university’s Stefan Lengyel Excellence Scholarship, will be on display. MOME’s free exhibition presents experimental concepts and research that could be the first steps in effective decision-making shaping the ecosystem of the future and the prospects of the design industry.

The Stefan Lengyel Excellence Scholarship, established by the Foundation for Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design in 2020, places a major focus on enhancing the up-to-date industry competences of students and promoting their professional integration. The scholarship programme, named after internationally acclaimed Hungarian product designer Stefan Lengyel, embodies the MOME’s unique identity and innovative character, and provides meaningful support to reward outstanding student achievements.

The exhibition entitled Challenging Futures – Design for a challenging future opening in autumn is intended to present the works created by the scholarship recipients over the past two years in response to current challenges of our times. “The Stefan Lengyel Excellence Scholarship is nothing short of being the symbol of MOME’s reform. Never before had a student support comparable to this new scholarship existed at our university. It is essentially a process for the mutual recognition of students and the selection of the top achievements with the involvement of teachers and industry players. This is how the university of the future works”, said President of the Foundation for Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design Gergely Böszörményi-Nagy.

Winners of the Stefan Lengyel Excellence Scholarship are looking at ways to address various issues including the sustainability of urbanisation, the bridging of social gaps, and the critical interpretation of the past with the help of the design toolkit, while also seeking avenues to advance the creative industries. Their works explore essential issues and possible solutions that may, also by engaging visitors in the collective reflection, contribute to the shaping of the ecosystem of the future and the prospects of the design industry.

2022 marks the third time the scholarship has been awarded to 16 outstanding talents from MOME’s student pool. Scholarship recipients receive a monthly grant of HUF 150,000 for one semester and gain valuable, hands-on and competitive knowledge through project-based R&D courses in the fields of architecture and lighting design thanks to our partners Market Építő Zrt. and Be Light!. From the autumn semester, interior design, virtual design and technology toolkit courses will also be able with the support of GGREEN and Visual Europe.

The exhibition will be available free of charge between 19 September 2022 and 2 October at MOME GROUND. More information: kivalosagi.mome.hu

MOME, a model changing university

Since August 2020, the 142-year-old Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design (MOME), has been operating in a foundation model. As part of the model change, MOME has developed a long-term strategy, reinvented its research and development activity, launched the digitalisation of its internal processes, and proceeded to modernise training. In addition to providing a traditionally high level art and design education, the university will introduce entrepreneurial training for all of its BA students, and launch its first English-language MAs from 2022. In 2021, MOME's budget nearly quadrupled, and the foundation also decided to grant the most substantial pay rise to teachers in the history of Hungarian higher education.