The University of Debrecen welcomed a delegation from Ulsan College, as well as Park Chul-min, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Hungary. During the visit, discussions focused, among other topics, on preparations for an internship programme planned for the end of the summer, to be implemented through cooperation between Ulsan College, the University of Debrecen, and EcoPro BM.
At the meeting, Attila Jenei, Vice-Rector for International Affairs, Géza Husi, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, and Orsolya Jánosy, Head of the International Office, discussed the professional and organizational conditions of the internship programme with the delegation members, as well as the preparation of the related cooperation agreement.
“The special feature of Ulsan College’s initiative is that, alongside the university partnership, a major South Korean industrial player, EcoPro BM’s Debrecen plant, is also actively involved in the programme. This provides students with direct opportunities to gain corporate experience. According to plans, South Korean students will arrive in Debrecen in August, spend two weeks at our university, and then participate in a one-week professional internship at EcoPro BM together with Hungarian students,” Attila Jenei told hirek.unideb.hu.
Lee Yeon Joo, Director of International Affairs and Global Education at Ulsan College, pointed out that innovation and development in South Korea are strongly driven by the battery industry.
“We would like to provide our students with direct practical opportunities to gain experience in energy technologies. We chose EcoPro as the internship location because of our long-standing partnership, while the University of Debrecen was selected due to the recognition it enjoys among our South Korean partners. We know that, in addition to its medical and dental programmes, the university has also achieved significant success in the fields of information technology and engineering education,” Lee Yeon Joo added.
Géza Husi presented the educational and research portfolio of the Faculty of Engineering, highlighting the synergies between the University of Debrecen and Ulsan College in areas such as manufacturing technologies, industrial automation, robotics, intelligent manufacturing systems, as well as electric vehicles and powertrain technologies. The Dean believes that this practical cooperation can therefore provide significant benefits for students of both institutions.
Kim Kang Yeon, Director of Planning and Development at Ulsan College, added that within the framework of the planned cooperation with the University of Debrecen, they aim to develop joint professional programmes and educational materials, as well as organize international student and faculty exchange programmes, taking advantage of the opportunities offered by Ulsan as a leading industrial hub.
Orsolya Jánosy highlighted that 116 Korean students are currently studying at the University of Debrecen. More than 7,600 international students are currently enrolled at the institution in English-language programmes, which were launched in 1987. Thanks to mobility programmes such as the Pannónia Scholarship Programme and the Stipendium Hungaricum, more than 2,300 young people arrive at the university every year. Through the latter programme, South Korean students also have the opportunity to apply for one- or two-semester mobility programmes.
Ulsan is one of South Korea’s largest industrial centres. The port city, with a population of 1.1 million, is dominated by the automotive industry, shipbuilding, and petrochemicals. Founded in 1973, Ulsan College has made engineering education one of its strategic priorities, with the aim of providing the labour market with highly qualified professionals equipped with strong practical experience.
The institution’s future plans include further expansion into mobility, artificial intelligence, telehealth, and biochemical manufacturing technologies, supported by a highly experienced teaching staff and state-of-the-art facilities.
Ulsan College is owned and financially supported by Hyundai Heavy Industries, one of the world’s leading shipbuilding and maritime industrial companies. The South Korean institution also maintains partnerships with several other major industrial players, including Samsung SDI, Hyundai Motor, and SK Energy, as well as more than one thousand local companies.
