Hungary’s Pázmány Péter Catholic University (PPKE) will begin a collaborative research project on the ethical implications of artificial intelligence with a Catholic university in Washington, the minister for culture and innovation announced on Thursday in Budapest after a student forum at PPKE.
Balázs Hankó also revealed that his ministry has signed a research agreement with the Museum of the Bible in Washington, enabling eight young Hungarian biblical scholars to take part in the museum’s future research programmes.
Both agreements stem from the Hungarian governmental delegation’s visit to Washington on 7 November, the minister noted.
Hankó highlighted that PPKE, while preserving its Catholic tradition, is steadily improving its competitiveness in higher education. He pointed out that the university is now ranked among the world’s top 1500 institutions in one of the most prestigious global rankings, a group representing only about 5 per cent of universities worldwide.
He added that PPKE is especially significant because it offers competitive answers to everyday challenges while remaining rooted in Catholic teaching. This makes the Washington partnership particularly important, supported by one million dollars in funding from the Hungarian government.
Hankó said he will continue related discussions at the Vatican on Saturday, as Pope Leo XIV has shown strong interest in the ethical issues surrounding artificial intelligence.
The minister also mentioned that during the student forum, participants discussed what values the Hungarian government aims to offer young people. He pointed out that the government has launched 250 targeted measures for different life situations and supports those under 25 with personal income tax exemptions worth 237 billion forints annually.
Benedek Tőczik, head of the university’s student union, thanked the organizers for giving students the opportunity to openly raise the issues that affect them.
Pastor Tamás Pafkó of the Baptist Theological Academy, one of the Hungarian scholars selected for research at the Museum of the Bible, said he hopes to deepen his work on Old Testament texts and adopt the institution’s integrative approach, which seeks to engage contemporary audiences in meaningful dialogue.
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