History of Bhaktivedanta College

Bhaktivedanta College is originally the idea of Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. In many of his lectures he shows concern about todays education. Modern education comprises many different areas of science but the knowledge of the soul is missing.

Generally, people are not educated in this confidential knowledge; they are educated in external knowledge. As far as ordinary education is concerned, people are involved with so many departments: politics, sociology, physics, chemistry, mathematics, astronomy, engineering, etc. There are so many departments of knowledge all over the world and many huge universities, but there is, unfortunately, no university or educational institution where the science of the spirit soul is instructed. Yet the soul is the most important part of the body; without the presence of the soul, the body has no value. Still people are placing great stress on the bodily necessities of life, not caring for the vital soul.
[Bhagavad Gita 9.2 purport]

That is why Bhaktivedanta College is very significant the unique one. It teaches the eternal principles of the soul and its relationship with the Supreme Soul Krishna; this material world and also other living entities.

Bhaktivedanta College in Finland is an offsite of the Bhaktivedanta College in Hungary, Budapest. In the following chapters there is a short description of the development of the College and factors that led to the foundation of secondary branch institution in Finland.

Bhaktivedanta College, Hungary

The Hungarian branch of International Society for Krishna Consciousness founded the cultural and educational institution of Bhaktivedanta College in 1998 to systematize an institution that was going to provide higher education in Vaisnava philosophy and Indian culture approved by the state. The process of the states accreditation started in 2000 and the College was officially accepted by the Hungarian committee of accreditation and scientific committee of negotiation in questions related to higher educational institutions in 2003.

The aims of Bhaktivedanta College:

- to display and represent Vaisnava philosophy in scientific and philosophic forums in Hungary and abroad
- to educate scientists of Vaisnava philosophy practicing Indian culture in European countries
- to create tight bonds with Hungarian representatives of other world religions and to develop cultural connections between Hungary, other European countries and Indian society

History in short

September, 1998: the foundation of Bhaktivedanta College Budapest, Hungarian Society for Krishna Consciousness (HSKCON) institute of higher education
September, 2001:the state starts the official accreditation of Bhaktivedanta College
October, 2003: the process of the states accreditation program is confirmed by the law, which Hungarian government has accepted
June, 2005: the first six Bachelors degrees in Vaishnava Theology were awarded in Bhaktivedanta College
Bhaktivedanta College is the first higher educational institution of Hindu theology in Europe that is accredited by the state and partly maintained by the state

Bhaktivedanta College, Finland

The idea of arranging Bhaktivedanta College came from Suhotra Maharaja. He instructed Tattvavada prabhu to look for means of establishing a university level of education in Finland. After hearing about the successful foundation of a Hungarian higher educational institution, Tattvavada prabhu started to negotiate with the local devotees about the foundation of a secondary branch in Helsinki. A short description of how the education became possible follows:

Suhotra Swamis and Tattvavada Dasas lecturing visits to schools, educational institutions and universities started in 1994
The systematic education in Krishna movement began in 1999. The first Bhakti Sastri certificates were approved and Bhakti Vaibhava studies began.
Teaching according to ones own religion became possible in 2003
From the above mentioned followed a need to educate teachers in their proprietary subjects and extended studies.
In 2005-2006 there were negotiations with the professionals of Ministry of Education of Finland and collaboration with Hungary began
The decision of the Colleges opening was made in November 2008: accreditation and official rights to earn a degree were received from the Hungarian Ministry of Education.
The official inauguration of the college was held by His Holiness Bhakti Vidya Purna Swami and the Bhaktivedanta Academy, Mayapur in June 2009
The first group of 20 students started their studies in the college in September 2009