The University of Debrecen joins a global collaboration

The University of Debrecen is the only Hungarian institution of higher education that has become a member of a partner university network of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), called University Network for Research Collaboration. This year's presidential forum and conference of this network, which brought together 15 institutions from 11 countries worldwide with the aim to promote sustainable development globally, was held in Chongqing, where Vice Rector Károly Pető officially received a membership plaque.

The University Network For Research Collaboration: a Belt and Road Science and Technology Initiative (IUNRC) was established in 2023 at Chongqing University with 12 founding members worldwide to promote scientific knowledge transfer, technological innovation and research collaboration between universities.

The network, which brings together universities from China, South Africa, Malaysia, Belarus, Montenegro and other countries, has already made significant progress during the past year in its research collaborations in as many as nine distinct disciplines for sustainable development: big data, sustainable cities, industry-innovation-infrastructure, clean water and public sanitation, sustainable and smart agriculture, climate change-planetary protection, renewable and green energy, responsible production and consumption, as well as digital transformation and education.

The leaders of partner institutions held this year's conference on October 8 in Chongqing, where they shared the experiences of their universities in addressing global challenges and promoting sustainable development and technological innovation.

At the above event, the network approved and endorsed the admission of three new member institutions. The University of Debrecen, Northwestern Polytechnical University (China) and the University of Yangon (Myanmar) joined the IUNRC, thus making it a 15-member network. The University of Debrecen was represented at the forum by Okszána Kiszil, Director of Coordination and Strategy, and Károly Pető, Vice Rector General, who received the membership plaque.

At the event, the leaders of the 12 founding universities presented reports on the activities of their jointly established international research teams, which have received grants of up to USD 10,000 from the Chinese government over the past year. The second year of research, starting now, will make it possible for new members to join the existing collaborations.