Under the presidential decision published in the 29 July issue of the Hungarian Gazette, Csaba Kovács’s term runs from 1 August 2026 to 31 July 2030. His appointment was proposed and countersigned by Minister of Education and Children's Affairs Judit Lannert.  

He has led MOME as Interim Rector since March 2025, and his appointment, which followed over a year of close collaboration and extensive consultation across the university, was backed by 70 per cent of the University Senate. 

He was selected as the university’s candidate for Rector by the MOME Senate on 1 June 2026. His programme focuses on ensuring stable and predictable operations, strengthening university autonomy, participatory decision-making, and making active use of the knowledge accumulated within the MOME community.  

“I want to involve the different parts of the MOME community with a stake in a particular issue throughout both the discussion and the decision-making process”, he said following his appointment. 

For the new Rector, institutional autonomy is one of the essential foundations of the university’s academic performance and long-term development. “A university can perform at its best only when it operates autonomously. It needs to be guided by its own internal motivations and values, rather than being pulled in different directions to align with plans or ideas imposed from outside.” 

Csaba Kovács has been part of the MOME community for more than three decades. He joined what was then the Hungarian College of Applied Arts in 1989, after completing a degree in architecture and gaining professional experience. In his own words, it was like coming home. He later taught at the university, headed the Institute for Architecture, and served as Interim Rector, giving him an in-depth understanding of MOME across its various periods and levels of operation. During his time as Interim Rector, the university began to regain stability, with its ethical and institutional frameworks strengthened. MOME was also included in the QS World University Rankings by Subject for Art & Design for the first time, placing in the 101–150 band.  

In a recent interview on the MOME website, the new Rector discusses his programme and his broader outlook.