Department of Roma Studies and Educational Sociology has been working at the Faculty of Humanities at the University of Pécs as a unique workshop of educating the scientific knowledge related to the Roma population since 1997. The department integrates the research results of human sciences related to the Roma into the university education in the basic and discriplinary training of romology. The aim is to train specialists who know and understand the political, legal, linguistic, cultural, training, demographic and labour market position of the Roma people and can interpret the same.
Former romology specialisation - being the key aim of linguistic György Szépe - has been working in the framework of the Professorship of Linguistics of University of Pécs since 1996. The specialization was first organized by Andrea Szalai, since 1997 by Katalin R. Forray. The colleagues of the professorship have been working as an independent university faculty since the autumn semester of academic year 2000/2001; they receive the students both in full time and correspondence classes.
Beginning from the academic year 2005/2006 the professorship offers the possibility for teacher training too; the students can get primary and secondary school teacher’s diploma on romology. Thanks to the process of Bologna 5-year university training was replaced by 3-year BA and 2-year MA education since the academic year 2006/2007, where the students can finish Romani language and culture or Boyash language and culture specialization in teacher training. Since 2016 our professorship has joined the undivided teacher training, the training material of undivided romology teacher has been prepared.
The activity of the department is very diverse and versatile. Henrik Wlislocki Student College has been operating since 2002 with the purpose of joining and integrating students from Roma or disadvantaged families, learning at the different faculties of the university and those who are interested in romology. In addition to training it participates in language examination of both gypsy languages, the Romani and the Boyash. The colleagues compile, follow-up and evaluate the maturity subjects of lovári dialect of romani language, Boyash and roma ethnography at medium and raised level, they work closely with the Gandhi Grammar School both in the maturity examinations and higher degree schoolage of the young people. Our professorship participates in the content and organizational works of the National Study Competition of the Primary Schools (OÁTV) In addition several researches are under way in parallel in the topics gypsy/rom culture, language, education, employment and social situation.
