Debrecen4U January 21, 2026

Hong Kong may become available to university students and researchers in Debrecen

The delegation led by Chetwyn Chan, Vice President for Research, Development and Innovation at the Education University of Hong Kong, was welcomed by Endre Harsányi, Vice-Rector for Sectoral Development responsible for agricultural and food sciences at the University of Debrecen. The delegation – which also included Michelle Gu, Deputy Vice President for Research – was presented with the institution’s history, educational and research achievements, and international relations by Okszána Kiszil, Head of the Coordination and Strategy Directorate of the Rector–Chancellor’s Cabinet.

The Education University of Hong Kong is a relatively young institution, founded in 1994, yet in terms of its achievements – according to the Times Higher Education rankings – it already ranks among the world’s top 200 higher education institutions, while in the QS ranking in the Education category it holds 12th place.

“Based on the rankings, it is a leading university in research related to education and teacher training, but in addition it employs researchers who are at the forefront of the world in several other academic fields as well,” emphasized Chetwyn Chan in his presentation.

The January 16 visit continued at the Faculty of Humanities (FH), where Péter Csatár, Vice-Dean for Strategy and Economics, presented the faculty’s range of academic programs. At the meeting, he noted that teacher training is a particularly important area of development for the Faculty of Humanities.

“Therefore, the faculty would like to establish a relationship with the Hong Kong university – which holds a prominent position in international rankings and even includes the term ‘education’ in its name – that could be especially fruitful in the field of the use of artificial intelligence in schools and at universities,” emphasized Csatár.

Orsolya Jánosy provided information on opportunities for student and faculty mobility established with foreign universities. The Head of the International Office of UD highlighted that within the framework of the Pannónia Excellence Scholarship Programme, UD doctoral students may travel to Hong Kong for 1–6 months of partial studies or research work, and the university may also receive UD students under the Pannónia Scholarship Programme.

Representatives of the Hong Kong university also offered that, in addition, they could host doctoral students within the framework of the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship, even with joint supervision.

Following this, the guests were given an insight into the academic research conducted at the Faculty of Humanities.

Gabriella Pusztai, Director of the Institute of Education and Cultural Studies at the Faculty of Humanities, presented the interrelated and mutually reinforcing activities of the three institutional units she leads: the Center for Higher Education Research and Development, the Doctoral Program in Educational Sciences, and the Central European Journal of Educational Research. As she noted, several of the research topics overlap with areas of common interest shared with research being conducted at the Hong Kong university.

Ilona Dabney-Fekete, Associate Professor at the Institute of Education and Cultural Studies of the Faculty of Humanities, reported on the composition of the international doctoral community, the processes of application and admission, and integration into the world of the University of Debrecen. Finally, a recently graduated doctoral student of the faculty, Gabriella Hegedűs (Institute of English and American Studies), presented the most important results to date of her international research, including cooperation with Hong Kong, on out-of-school or shadow education.

At the meeting, several opportunities for cooperation in the fields of the humanities and education were outlined. In addition, discussions were held on joint research projects and publications, as well as scholarship opportunities that would enable UD students to continue their studies in Hong Kong.

Thanks to the successful visit, the leaders of the two institutions are expected to sign the cooperation agreement soon, likely as early as this spring, through which the University of Debrecen may become the Education University of Hong Kong’s first official partner institution in Hungary.

Source: dehir.hu | Photo credit: Debrecen városa (Facebook)