Professor Dr. Bálint Heil Elected President of the European Forestry Higher Education Network

The SILVA Network currently includes over 60 European forestry universities and has been operating continuously since its founding in 1987, making it one of the oldest and most prestigious professional alliances on the continent.

The success of this election is a recognition of the effectiveness of the educational and organizational reforms implemented at the University of Sopron and its Faculty of Forestry since 2020, as well as a tribute to Prof. Dr. Bálint Heil’s personal professional work—emphasized Prof. Dr. Attila Fábián, Rector of the University of Sopron.

He added that among the institutional developments, the Forestry Sectoral Knowledge Center (EÁTK), established in 2021, is of outstanding importance. This center promotes the modernization and sustainability of forest management, supports scientific research and practical knowledge-sharing, and has further strengthened professional cooperation with Agricultural Vocational Training Centers and the National Chamber of Agrarian Economy.

Thanks to the EÁTK, vertical coordination of vocational training—from vocational education to university level—has been achieved, and quality assurance in professional training has been placed on new foundations. This model is not only exemplary in Hungary but also contributes to the modernization of Hungarian higher education and agricultural vocational training.

The professional background of the SILVA Network’s Hungarian president is provided by the interdisciplinary environment of the University of Sopron’s four faculties and research institutes, where forestry, wood sciences, and economics education are complemented by teacher training with 125 years of tradition—highlighted Rector Prof. Dr. Attila Fábián.

The closing event of the SILVA Network’s scientific conference took place in Banská Štiavnica (Selmecbánya), which also holds symbolic significance: it was here in 1808 that Hungarian forestry higher education began, a tradition and spirit now carried forward by the University of Sopron.

"The leadership of the Faculty of Forestry is committed to maintaining high-quality education and research at an international level. The leading role in a prestigious network like the SILVA Network is a great opportunity but also a responsibility—to actively shape the forestry profession at the European level. Our Selmec-Sopron traditions oblige us to this," shared Prof. Dr. Bálint Heil in his presidential remarks.

He added: "We aim to strengthen strategic partnerships among the network’s members under the ‘European Universities’ initiative, including the development of core curricula, micro-credential standardization, and launching new joint programs across multiple educational levels. Ensuring international quality assurance in education is also a key priority."

Alongside Prof. Dr. Bálint Heil’s election as president, Dr. Mika Rekola, Director and Lecturer of the Forest Sciences MSc program at the University of Helsinki, was appointed vice-president. Previously, he also played a significant role as coordinator of the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) research group focused on forestry education.

The organization’s secretary-general remains Sandra Liebal, a staff member at the Technical University of Dresden’s Department of Forest Policy and Forest Economics, serving as communications and international project manager.Under its renewed leadership, the SILVA Network’s mission is to enhance the quality of forestry higher education in Europe. The organization supports inter-university collaboration, student and faculty mobility, international harmonization of curricula, and promotes knowledge-sharing and innovation in sustainable forest management.

2023 SILVA Network Conference in Sopron

Sopron, May 27, 2025