Debrecen4U
July 17, 2026
Delegation from Leading Chinese Automotive Organisations Visits University of Debrecen
Debrecen and the University of Debrecen are poised to become one of Europe’s most important emerging hubs for electromobility and battery manufacturing. This ambition was reinforced during a meeting held on Thursday, when the university’s senior leadership welcomed a high-ranking Chinese delegation to the Rector’s Council Chamber in the Main Building. The meeting was attended by senior representatives of China’s most influential automotive and electromobility organisations, led by Lijin Zhao, Deputy Secretary General of the China Society of Automotive Engineers (China SAE), who also serves as Secretary General of the China Strategic Alliance of Electric Vehicle Innovation.
“China SAE is China’s most prestigious automotive engineering association, representing more than 115,000 individual members and 2,400 corporate members, while our electric vehicle alliance is at the forefront of cutting-edge battery and powertrain technologies. We have come to Debrecen because we recognise the city’s remarkable industrial development, and our goal is to welcome the University of Debrecen into our alliance, further strengthening global technological and research cooperation,” Lijin Zhao said during his introduction.
The university’s leadership and faculty representatives expressed high expectations for the emerging partnership. Attila Jenei, Vice-Rector for International Affairs at the University of Debrecen, highlighted the institution’s strategic objectives. “In the future, we aim to develop our international partnerships in a strategic way that supports both research and development and education. We hope that foreign companies already operating in Hungary, as well as those planning to establish themselves here, will increasingly focus on research and development. This would enable local businesses and our researchers to build deeper collaborations that result in concrete joint projects,” Attila Jenei explained.
According to Ferenc Kun, the university’s Vice-Rector for Scientific Affairs, electromobility and battery technology are among the institution’s key strategic research areas, making cooperation with Chinese partners particularly promising. “It is essential that we fully understand the needs of these companies so that we can adapt our educational programmes accordingly and train highly qualified engineers who meet industry expectations. We also intend to launch new research projects in areas such as solid-state and sodium-based batteries, which are expected to succeed lithium-ion technology in the near future, as well as fuel cell technologies. We already have several examples of best practice and patented innovations in battery research, including one patent that has specifically been validated for Chinese industrial partners,” Ferenc Kun explained.
The visit also marked a significant milestone for the Faculty of Engineering. Dean Géza Husi pointed out that the faculty already cooperates with almost 900 companies, while major international manufacturers such as BMW, Schaeffler and Eve Power have established their own laboratories on campus. Nevertheless, hosting this delegation represented a new level of international cooperation. “I believe it is a tremendous honour that they have approached us here in Hungary. They are not a university seeking educational services; they are looking for strategic partnerships. In recent years, the University of Debrecen has made significant investments in automotive research infrastructure, including our vehicle laboratory and advanced testing equipment, which are ideally suited for vehicle testing. Every vehicle entering the European Union must comply with EU regulations, and someone has to carry out those tests and certifications. Thanks to the direct presence of corporate laboratories, we receive first-hand information about technological and engineering developments, enabling us to pass that knowledge directly on to our students and provide genuinely practice-oriented education,” Géza Husi emphasised.
As part of the professional programme, the participants reviewed the current cooperation between the University of Debrecen and the automotive industry. The Hungarian Scientific Society for Mechanical Engineering also introduced its activities, before the parties discussed future joint projects and the details of the university’s formal accession to the international alliance.
Source: dehir.hu | Photo credit: Debrecen városa (Facebook)
