Debrecen4U April 21, 2026

Schaeffler and Agora Jointly Promote Robotics to Young People in Debrecen

Over the next two years, the company will support robotics sessions organised at the institution as a title sponsor. As a result, applicants will be able to take part in the Schaeffler Robotics Club programmes free of charge, without paying a membership fee.

While the dual training programme of the Schaeffler Academy is primarily intended to support the development of vocational secondary school pupils and university students, the company is now also opening towards the primary school age group through its new collaboration with the Agora Science Centre. Over the next two years, Schaeffler will support the robotics sessions organised at the institution as a title sponsor. As a result, applicants will be able to participate in the Schaeffler Robotics Club programmes free of charge, without paying a membership fee.

The motion technology company, which has more than a quarter of a century of history in Debrecen, had already established strategic cooperation with the Debrecen Vocational Training Centre and the University of Debrecen in the 2000s in order to strengthen local talent development.

“We continuously strive to spark young people’s interest in STEM fields, thereby bringing the innovative world of motion technology closer to them. We regard robotics as an exciting opportunity not only in industry; it also enables us to present the beauty of modern technology in an interactive way, even to the youngest audiences,” Péter Szabó, Director of Schaeffler Debrecen, said.

At the Agora Science Centre, which has been operating since 2015, the development of digital competences and robotics has been a key area from the outset.

“Over the past decade, hundreds of children have taken part in the experience centre’s robotics clubs, and Agóra robotics teams achieve outstanding results year after year in prestigious national and international robotics competitions. We are delighted that we can now also rely on Schaeffler’s support, and that we are working together to make robotics even more popular among primary and secondary school students in Debrecen,” Viktória Bacsó Borbélyné, Managing Director of Agora, pointed out.

Thanks to the support, applicants to the Schaeffler Robotics Club can take part in Agora’s robotics sessions without paying a membership fee. In addition to competition preparation sessions, six-occasion courses will be launched from autumn for a total of 24 children in two groups. Alongside the programmes, Agora’s robotics competition teams will also bear the Schaeffler name at this year’s WRO international robotics construction and programming competition, and next year Schaeffler and Agora will also enter joint teams in the RoboCup Junior and the FIRST LEGO League competitions.

According to Deputy Mayor Lajos Barcsa, this type of cooperation demonstrates that multinational companies in Debrecen also feel a sense of ownership of the city’s education system. “They, too, want to build the future here in Debrecen. This is a win-win situation for all of us, as the company is building its future workforce, and parents in Debrecen need not fear that young people will seek their prospects elsewhere in the coming decades,” he explained.

The agreement also provides Schaeffler with the opportunity to introduce a third course, for which teaching duties will be carried out by students currently studying mechanical engineering at the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Debrecen, who have been trained through the dual technician programme of the Schaeffler Academy. The mentors achieved first place among university teams last December at the robotics competition entitled “Hungarians on Mars”, enabling them to support young participants with valuable experience during their preparation, particularly those wishing to test their knowledge in competitive settings.

In addition, from May onwards Schaeffler will also support lectures at Agora aimed at those who are just beginning to explore the world of robotics.

Source and photo credit: debrecen.hu