Catherine Vértesi is honorary doctor of the University of Pécs since 16 November 2017.
Catherine Vertesi recently retired as Vice President of Capilano University in Vancouver Canada. She has been a visionary leader, mentor and innovator in the field of International Education for over 35 years and has been a driving force behind the professionalization of International Education across Canada and beyond.
The contributions she has made to her institutions, specifically the University of British Columbia and Capilano University, where she was recognized with awards for teaching excellence, program innovation and outstanding student service, have been significant and lasting. At a time when few faculty on campus were engaged in international activities, Catherine initially focussed on the business school but subsequently led several successful campus-wide internationalization projects focussed on the student experience and curriculum change. But it is her outreach, sharing and community building that really sets Catherine apart. For over 25 years at the annual international education conferences in Canada, the USA and Europe she has led countless seminars on best practices.
In the last 10 years she pioneered and led 70 faculty members from 17 institutions across Canada on intensive internationalization trips in the EU and in 2011 Catherine became the only non-American to lead the 9,000 attendee NAFSA conference, the largest international education conference in the world. Catherine has been a trailblazer, and one who has always been so generous with both her time and experience, that both provincial and federal government organizations have given her their distinguished leadership and lifetime achievement awards. A constant and active mentor to so many she is most deserving of this recognition.