The main task of the Vehicle Laboratory is to provide a well-equipped, modern and comfortable venue for the theoretical and practical education of students at the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Debrecen. Based on the plans of Monostudio Kft., the 2,700-square-meter building houses vehicle laboratories, laboratories for mechatronics and robotics training, vehicle repair workshops, and classrooms suitable for smaller courses. In addition, a 1,340-square-meter asphalt test track has also been built. Intensive work on researching the mobility of the future will also take place within the walls of the building.
The new facility aims to train engineers who are capable of designing, developing, testing, and manufacturing new, safe, and sustainable vehicles. Vehicle engineers who graduate from this program can find employment in the automotive industry, at development companies, vehicle manufacturing companies, or even at service centers.
At the opening ceremony, Balázs Hankó, Minister of Innovation and Culture, pointed out that the University of Debrecen ranks among the top two percent of universities worldwide and is ranked 563rd among 30,000 higher education institutions around the world.
-We are at a university that has increased the number of its scientific publications in the best international journals by 55 percent over the past four years. We are at a university that has increased its innovation revenues by 49 percent in three years, reaching 3.1 billion forints. We are a university that has increased the number of first-year students from 7,079 to 9,202 in four years- the minister said.
Balázs Hankó used the following words: DE is a living tissue that connects Debrecen, the Debrecen region, and the domestic and international companies located here.
It is a university we are proud of. That is why, when the government spent HUF 650 billion on higher education over the past decade, it was right to allocate every tenth forint to the educational and research developments of the University of Debrecen, one of the cornerstones of which is related to the automotive industry, explained the Minister of Innovation and Culture.
According to Balázs Hankó, the Hungarian government has increased funding for the University of Debrecen from 22 billion forints to 83 billion forints over the past four years, which the university and its maintainer are managing well.
The minister announced that Hungary ranks seventh in the world in high-tech manufacturing, ninth in high-tech exports, and tenth in young research talent.
György Kossa, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Count István Tisza Foundation for the University of Debrecen (GTIDEA), stated that today is a special day. We have not only gathered to inaugurate a new facility, a laboratory equipped with modern instruments that will generate measurement data, but we are also standing at a milestone that extends beyond the walls of the building. The Vehicle Laboratory is not only home to machines and sensors, but also a symbol of a new era of knowledge, innovation, and cooperation.
The world is changing rapidly, with technological developments dictating an unprecedented pace. What was the future yesterday is now the present. Mobility, energy use, and manufacturing are all undergoing transformation. In this world, only those who dare to think ahead, invest in knowledge, and build on values that sustain and uplift communities in the long term can stand out. That is why we have created the University of Debrecen's unique Vehicle Laboratory, a research and development center that not only follows but also shapes the future. Here, students will not only learn, but also understand, create, and contribute to the world, said György Kossa.
The chair of GTIDEA's board of trustees believes that this laboratory serves the university's mission, the development of the region, and the real, practical needs of industry. We are not pursuing abstract goals, but expect tangible results: the development of sustainable technologies, the modeling of modern vehicle systems, and the training of professionals on whom the industry of the future can build.
Zoltán Szilvássy, rector of the University of Debrecen, congratulated the Hungarian government on bringing BMW's investment to Debrecen amid fierce international competition for large industrial investments.
-It was not easy, as Hungary is small in terms of global politics, but quite different in terms of European science and innovation. When the work began, it was clear that the local leadership, the national government, the university, and industrial companies had come together to form the Debrecen Automotive Cluster. All major suppliers participate in this structured industrial innovation cooperation system. The University of Debrecen is represented as an associate member, while the city and BMW are represented as supporting members- explained Zoltán Szilvássy.
The head of the institution added that workshops are held almost weekly by BMW companies and university officials, where new and exciting ideas are constantly emerging.
Zoltán Szilvássy also mentioned that the UD Science, Technology and Innovation Park, which houses the Vehicle Laboratory, is not only the pride of the university but also of Debrecen.
Zoltán Bács, the university's chancellor, recalled that when it was decided in 2018 that BMW had chosen Debrecen as the location for its new world-class factory, it became clear that the city had to prepare for this. The Hungarian government therefore decided that Debrecen should become an automotive education and research center in both vocational training and higher education. The university was allocated 29.5 billion forints for developments and renovations for this purpose, and the investments are currently underway. The Vehicle Laboratory, which has now been completed, is part of this series of developments.
- The building has a unique shape. If we were to look at it from above, from a drone, we would see a large J and L, which stand for Vehicle Laboratory. The building was designed and equipped with instruments in collaboration with BMW so that their mechanics could be trained here, for example. Activities will take place here that are not available anywhere else in higher education in Hungary today- said Zoltán Bács.
The chancellor said about the UD Science, Technology and Innovation Park, which is also home to the Vehicle Laboratory, that Deutsche Telekom and Thyssenkrupp were the first to move into the 70-hectare site. Two years ago, the Innovation Center was opened, and last year, the Pilot Plant and the new headquarters and production plant of the Faculty of Pharmacy. The vaccine factory will also be located here.
- Many thanks to the Hungarian government for helping us become an automotive hub. What's more, the area will also have direct access to the motorway. Development in the area is ongoing, with construction machinery currently at work. In a few years' time, we will have a science park here like those found in Western Europe and many other places around the world- said Zoltán Bács.
László Papp, mayor of Debrecen, believes that the opening of the Vehicle Laboratory marks the beginning of a new era, a phase of development that builds on the stable foundations laid in the recent past. One of the key centers of Hungarian innovation and automotive research is now opening.
- With the opening of the BMW car factory, the goal of attracting more and more high value-added research and development activities to Debrecen, in addition to manufacturing, has become a reality. These are developments in which students and researchers from the University of Debrecen can also actively participate. We believe that this is the healthiest possible economic ecosystem, one that we can rely on in the long term. The presence of BMW has given rise to a number of significant developments, an important milestone of which is the Vehicle Laboratory- said László Papp.
The president and CEO of BMW Group Factory Debrecen emphasized that the company is committed to implementing innovations, for which they have found suitable partners here.
-We believe in the power of partnership, and we share a common belief in education and innovation. The goal is to shape the mobility of the future. This facility opens new doors for young talents- said Hans-Peter Kemser.
According to the German CEO, it is extremely important for BMW to have well-trained specialists and engineers working for them. Hans-Peter Kemser added that the company and the University of Debrecen can learn from each other, which is why cooperation is necessary, and the Vehicle Laboratory will be a good venue for this.
Press Center - OCs