Debrecen4U October 8, 2025

A new partnership has started between the University of Debrecen and the BMW plant in Debrecen

The alliance of thr University of Debrecen and BMW Group Plant Debrecen introduces the FastLane program and a shared department to deepen ties between academia and industry.

The agreement on these was signed on Tuesday by the leaders of the university and the company. The cooperation between the University of Debrecen and the BMW Group Plant Debrecen is constantly expanding. A few weeks ago, the Faculty of Humanities and the Agricultural Research Institutes and Training Center joined the cooperation that has existed since 2023, so the Debrecen factory now works with eight faculties and institutions of the university, placing the cooperation between industry and higher education on an even broader basis.

Another new milestone in the joint work of the plant and the university is the establishment of a joint department of the Faculty of Engineering and BMW under the direction of Otto Murr, who is the head of the Quality Assurance Center of the Debrecen car manufacturer.

The aim of the new organizational unit is to more closely connect academic knowledge and industrial practice, which creates new opportunities in the fields of research, innovation, and practical education in one of the most modern automotive plants in Europe.

The cooperation agreement on the establishment of a joint department with the Faculty of Engineering was signed by Rector Zoltán Szilvássy on behalf of the University of Debrecen and by Hans-Peter Kemser, President and CEO of BMW Manufacturing Hungary Kft., on behalf of the BMW Group Plant Debrecen.

In connection with the signing, Rector Zoltán Szilvássy told hirek.unideb.hu that the relationship between the institution and the factory is developing extremely dynamically.

“The University of Debrecen responds with proactive flexibility to the demands of the BMW Group Plant, which affect the broad spectrum of the institution’s educational and research activities. The joint work extends from basic technical-engineering educational and technological cooperation to agricultural and environmental management to humanities and cultural sciences, and we hope that we will work together in further areas,” as Rector Zoltán Szilvássy put it.

The aim of the university’s dual master’s degree FastLane program is to enable talented students to join the factory’s professional work during their studies. During the two-year program, they can gain experience in several fields, prepare their diploma theses at BMW, and their development is supported by mentoring support, free training, and competitive benefits. The long-term goal of the program is for participants to continue their careers as employees at the plant after completing their studies.

The first two participants began their professional careers in September 2025 at the BMW plant in Debrecen as part of a dual MSc program.

Up to eight additional students, primarily from technical fields, can join the program from February 2026. The number of talents embraced by the program may continue to grow in the coming years.

The FastLane program cooperation agreement was signed by Hans-Peter Kemser, President and CEO of BMW Group Plant Debrecen, and Veronika Fenyves, Dean of the Faculty of Economics, Tamás Márton Bérczes, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Informatics, Géza Husi, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, and Ferenc Kun, Dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology.

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