College of Nyíregyháza is aware of the challenges of our times finds it necessary to meet the requirements of the turn of the centuy. in addition to maintaining its traditional forms of training. This is why we submited our application for establishing a European Studies Centre at our College with the support of PHARE. It is great honour and pleasure for us that the Department for Education and the selection committee of the European Union in Budapest accepted our application. As a result, training at the European Studies Centre at our College may commence in September 1998. The purpose of this training is providing the students, and also the general public of the north-east of Hungary with information on the structure. operabon_ economic and political integration of the European Union. The training is eltended to the major characteristics of the lefial and educational systems of the Union and European culture in general. Extra attention is paid to teaching English, French and Gennan special language. All this knowledge and expertise ser<~es as a good means for participants to contribute to Hungary's smooth accession into the Union. The European Studies Centre does not only coordinate preparabon for our accession into the Union within the framew-ork of college education, but also wishes to offer assistance to various professional groups in the county in their efforts to prepare for Hungary's accession. The support granted now is for the period 1998-2000 only. but the College of Nyíregyháza is pleased to undertake operating the Centre for another five years. The tasks of the Centre do not only include offering training in European awareness at various fields of college education, but also launching new courses in order to train experts qualified in European issues. We also wish to use the PHARE grant to establish a European Resource Centre, in cooperation with the town and the county so that we are able to supply the conununity of Nyíregyháza and its region with   upto-date information material on the European Union.