Corvinus University and Mastercard Enter Collaboration

A thematic mini-course, a student team competition, and a new scholarship are among the opportunities outlined in the memorandum of understanding recently signed by Corvinus University of Budapest and the financial corporation Mastercard.

The agreement was signed on Tuesday 28th January at Corvinus University’s Gellért Campus by Bruno van Pottelsberghe, Rector of Corvinus University of Budapest; Lajos Szabó, Vice-Rector for Academic Programmes, on behalf of the university; and Gergely Márkus, Country Manager for Mastercard Hungary and Slovenia, representing Mastercard.

The parties aim to collaborate in five key areas, ranging from education to corporate scholarships. Mastercard has committed to developing a 2-to-3-day practical course in alignment with the syllabus of a university subject, in collaboration with Corvinus University faculty. They also plan to organise a complex student team competition involving multiple universities.

Additionally, Mastercard will participate as a presenter in relevant Corvinus events, such as roundtable discussions or professional programmes during freshman camps. The two organisations have also initiated discussions on the potential development of a digital university concept and a specialised corporate scholarship programme.

“This mutually beneficial collaboration is an exemplary opportunity for our university to strengthen its role in both the domestic and international business spheres while fostering dialogue between the academic and business worlds through the two-way exchange of knowledge and expertise. Through our joint efforts with Mastercard, our students can gain up-to-date practical skills, while the company obtains direct access to our most outstanding talents,” says Bruno van Pottelsberghe, regarding the signing.

“Innovation, creative business thinking and technological readiness are among the key drivers for the development of digital payments. For six decades, Mastercard has been developing secure, convenient and fast payment solutions and the ecosystems that build on them to create business value. I am confident that our collaboration with Corvinus University will help us in the long term to ensure that digital payment solutions create value for more businesses and consumers and benefit society. Mastercard is bringing its expertise in payment technology and cybersecurity to Corvinus, one of Hungary’s leading educational institutions, for the benefit of the next generation, and we are honoured to have this opportunity,” says Gergely Márkus, Country Manager for Mastercard Hungary and Slovenia, as well as a Corvinus University alumnus.

Even before the signing of the memorandum of understanding, Corvinus and Mastercard had maintained close professional ties. For example, in November 2024, the university hosted a cybersecurity conference supported by the company.