Ballet artist Nikolett Németh, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Classical Ballet of the Hungarian Dance University, was nominated by her students for the Teacher of the Year Award organized by the National Conference of Student Self-Governments (HÖOK). Based on the students’ votes, she received the Teacher of the Year Award in the Role Model category among small higher education institutions. The award was presented on July 8, 2026, at the 6th Educatio+ Conference organized by HÖOK.
Nikolett Németh began her studies at the Hungarian Dance Academy in 1992 at the age of ten and graduated as a professional ballet artist in 2001. She then joined the Hungarian State Opera as a ballet dancer. Alongside her performing career, she earned qualifications as a dance pedagogue and later completed a master’s degree in dance education, specializing as a classical ballet teacher.
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Since 2013, she has been a faculty member at the Hungarian Dance Academy (now the Hungarian Dance University), and has held the position of senior lecturer since 2025. Prior to her university appointment, she also taught ballet to synchronized swimmers and young children. She currently teaches Classical Ballet, Skills Development, Historical Ballroom Dance, and Methodology of Historical Ballroom Dance.
Ms. Németh was nominated for the award by her own current third-year class, who are in the first year of the undergraduate program. During the 2025–2026 academic year, her students presented two independently produced, sold-out performances at the National Dance Theatre and took part in numerous events representing the Hungarian Dance University, including the Educatio Exhibition. Among the students in her class were the university’s Talent Ambassador and two recipients of the National Higher Education Scholarship. Together with her students, she has proudly represented the Hungarian Dance University on several international professional visits, including the Hungarian Days in Shanghai and the summer programme of one of the university’s partner institutions in the United States.
One of the core principles of her teaching is that when students receive the dedicated, wholehearted attention they deserve from their teacher, it significantly strengthens their commitment and motivation.
The Hungarian Dance University is proud of Nikolett Németh’s nomination and achievement, as the award reflects the value and effectiveness of the university’s personalized, student-centred approach to teaching. It demonstrates that the close, individual relationships between faculty and students, one of the defining characteristics of education at the Hungarian Dance University, are deeply appreciated by students and contribute meaningfully to their success.
