Debrecen4U March 30, 2026

University of Debrecen Signs Strategic Agreement with Hong Kong University

Staff and student exchanges as well as the launch of joint research programmes, are among the elements included in the cooperation agreement signed on Thursday, 26 March, by the leaders of the University of Debrecen and the Education University of Hong Kong.

The Education University of Hong Kong is a relatively young institution, founded in 1994, operating with three faculties and two academies; however, in terms of its achievements, it is already ranked among the international elite. In the latest QS ranking for Education, it is placed among the top ten institutions worldwide.

The delegation led by President Chi-Ki John Lee was welcomed by Károly Pető, Vice-Rector General of the University of Debrecen. The institution’s history, its achievements in education and internationalisation, and its network of relations with industrial partners were presented to the delegation by Okszána Kiszil, Head of the Coordination and Strategy Directorate of the Rector’s and Chancellor’s Cabinet.

Following initial contact based on previous research and educational collaborations in Asia, the guests first visited Debrecen in January this year, and the successful discussions held at that time have now been followed by the signing of the present agreement.

The agreement concluded with the Hong Kong university initially establishes cooperation in the humanities—education, linguistics, and psychology—through the hosting of visiting lecturers, joint research, and co-authored publications, including a journal issue on “shadow education”.

In addition, thanks to scholarship opportunities, students of the University of Debrecen will also be able to continue their studies there; doctoral candidates, in particular, may be hosted by the partner institution within the framework of the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship, potentially with joint supervision.

The agreement now concluded also creates opportunities to expand the framework of cooperation. During the discussions, institutional leaders agreed to extend collaboration in the near future to the fields of sport science, economics, law, and child development—particularly fitting given that the Hong Kong university explicitly includes “education” in its name.

The visit to the University of Debrecen continued at the Faculty of Humanities, where the guests discussed details of the cooperation with Péter Csatár, Vice-Dean for Strategy and Economics, and representatives of various faculty units.

At the meeting, leading lecturers of the faculty and the guests exchanged views on ongoing joint research and publication projects, the programme for psychology students travelling to Hong Kong in summer 2026, and the plenary lecture to be delivered by Balázs Venkovits, Director of the Institute of English and American Studies, at the Hong Kong university’s summer school.

Regarding the university’s international network and opportunities for students and staff to study and work abroad, the Hong Kong delegation also held discussions with Orsolya Jánosy, Head of the International Office of the University of Debrecen.

The visit concluded with an introduction and informal discussion at the Confucius Institute of the Faculty of Humanities at the University of Debrecen.

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