23 universities and colleges and 5 high schools from Shanghai introduced themselves on 10 June at the University of Szeged. The Study and Information Centre of the University of Szeged gave home to the exclusive exhibition. The „2013 Education Fair Shanghai China” was organized in Hungary in Szeged for the first time with the ultimate aim of strengthening cultural and educational cooperation between Hungary and China. The organizers aspire to enhance and encourage student exchange programs between the two countries.

Visitors had the chance to meet the representatives of the most significant Shanghai universities including Fudan University (90th on the international ranking list) and Jiatong University (125th). The partner of the University of Szeged, Shanghai International Studies University also sent their delegates to attend the Fair together with representatives of the East China University of Science and Technology, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai University of Sport, East China University of Political Science and Law, Shanghai Maritime University, Shanghai Ocean University and Shanghai Theatre Academy among others.

The Chinese delegation was welcomed by Botka László, Mayor of Szeged in the morning at the City Hall, which was followed by a three-hour education exhibition in SZTE TIK. The head of the delegation was Xue Mingyang, Deputy Director-General of Shanghai Municipal Education Commission and Li Xinhua, Educational referent of the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Hungary also participated the event together with Szabó Gábor, Rector of the University of Szeged and Ujhelyi István, Deputy Speaker of the Hungarian National Assembly, President of the Advisory Board of the Confucius Institute at the University of Szeged and at the same time the main patron of the event.

Ujhelyi István declared: the best way to get to know China is through getting to know Shanghai. He also considered the owl „sitting” at the entrance of TIK as a lucky sign of the educational cooperation between Szeged and Shanghai. Mr Ujhelyi also expressed his pleasure that the management of the University of Szeged is extremely open to China best proven by the fact of opening the second Confucius Institute of the country.

Educational referent of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Hungary, Li Xinhua, emphasized that the Hungarian government’s strategy of opening towards the East (with China as a major focus) is an excellent opportunity to develop higher education cooperation. In the near future a dynamic development is about to take place in educational cooperation including the expansion of exchange programs. He also added that Chinese leadership encourages foreign students to go and study in China, especially in Shanghai and they are willing to support these students with full scholarships. Also, they are planning to send around 100 Chinese students to Hungary with government scholarships during the next school year.

Rector of the University of Szeged mentioned that based on his experience of meeting representatives of Western universities, Chinese relations of a higher education institution is an indication of its excellence. Szabó Gábor also talked about his visits of Shanghai universities in 2011, as a result of which some Chinese students have already started their studies at the Faculty of Law. He also added that Shanghai, with a population of 23 million people is a great opportunity in itself, for example the Shanghai based Optics and Fine Mechanics Institute is a “citadel” of laser physics which may result in a fruitful cooperation with the Szeged Extreme Light Infrastructure (ELI) project.

Xue Mingyang, Deputy General presented the Shanghai educational system in a slideshow. More than 800 000 students study at the 66 higher education institutions. 35 universities and colleges welcome foreign students, from a total of 180 countries. He also announced that there is an autonomous system of scholarships in Shanghai, operating since 2006 and that the city is ready for a mutual cooperation with the city of Szeged in terms of exchange programs.

On behalf of the Shanghai institutions, Xue Mingyang expressed special thanks for the University of Szeged and the Confucius Institute for organizing the event.

SZTEinfo, Confucius Institute at the University of Szeged