Artificial intelligence, the automotive industry, and research internships: the University of Debrecen is in talks with a leading Malaysian institution

The University of Debrecen has held discussions with the head of the Malaysian Embassy in Budapest and representatives of Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP) about opportunities for research cooperation and student and researcher mobility. Attila Jenei, Vice-Rector for International Affairs at the University of Debrecen, took part in the professional meeting, which also covered joint research projects in engineering, information technology, natural sciences and technology.

“The international visibility and competitiveness of the University of Debrecen depend to a great extent on our international student community. Our institution currently offers nearly 100 degree programmes taught in English, along with an extensive range of courses, providing exceptional flexibility. This diverse educational structure makes our mobility programmes much easier to organise, as students can choose freely from our courses with virtually no restrictions.

“However, we are aware that competition in the global higher education market is particularly intense, as Australia and the United States have traditionally been among the most popular destinations for Malaysian students. Nevertheless, thanks to our committed international marketing activities and the opportunities available at our university, we are successfully attracting Malaysian students who choose to build their future here,” said Attila Jenei, Vice-Rector for International Affairs at the University of Debrecen.

Malaysia’s Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP) has nearly 8,000 students. According to Times Higher Education (THE), it ranks among the world’s top 250 universities in the 2027 World University Rankings and is ranked 35th in Asia.

“The university’s annual research revenue exceeds HUF 60 billion. Between 2020 and 2024, it produced 8,828 publications, which received more than 157,000 citations,” said Norafizan Mustaffa, Chargé d’Affaires at the Malaysian Embassy in Budapest, while presenting the Malaysian institution.

Nor Adela Dinyati, Director of Talent Development and Student Affairs at Universiti Teknologi Petronas, added that in 2011, the Mercedes Formula One team and its title sponsor Petronas, the university’s founder and owner, launched an exclusive seven-month internship programme for UTP students.

Selected students have the opportunity to work alongside the team’s engineering, logistics and operations departments at Mercedes’ headquarters in the United Kingdom. Their work includes projects involving fuel chemistry and engine efficiency, as well as providing technical support during race weekends.

Orsolya Jánosy, Head of the Centre for International Relations, emphasised that the University of Debrecen’s key areas of focus include biotechnology, pharmaceutical research, agricultural and food sciences, information technology and engineering. Among the six industrial clusters closely cooperating with the university, the Debrecen automotive cluster, which is linked to BMW, plays a particularly important role.

Presenting the Faculty of Engineering’s educational and research programmes, Dean Géza Husi highlighted the importance of automotive industry projects. Key areas include vehicle development and the associated testing and manufacturing infrastructure, the integration of industrial robotic systems, the development of automation processes and the design of intelligent production lines. The faculty also conducts comprehensive research into the challenges facing green energy networks.

“The Faculty of Informatics is involved in several international collaborations. In one of our projects, for example, we are building a professional network connecting European and Far Eastern partners in the field of artificial intelligence. Our international partnerships also extend to the United States, Singapore, South Korea, India and Japan.

“We have developed our AI ecosystem with the aim of covering the entire spectrum of the field, and we are continuously expanding it with the latest knowledge and technologies. Other major areas of focus at our faculty include cybersecurity, robotics, IT related to autonomous vehicles and data analytics,” added András Hajdu, Dean of the Faculty of Informatics.

Sándor Kéki, Head of the Department of Applied Chemistry at the Faculty of Science and Technology, said that the faculty was committed to providing engineers with practical, hands-on training. The faculty maintains particularly strong partnerships with major petrochemical companies in the region, including MOL Petrochemicals Plc. and BorsodChem. These collaborations extend beyond education to include research and development as well as scientific projects.

During the meeting, both the University of Debrecen and Universiti Teknologi Petronas expressed their willingness to welcome undergraduate and master’s students, researchers and academic staff through exchange programmes. The two institutions are also exploring opportunities for seven-month research internships based on direct cooperation between research groups

(unideb.hu)