The delegation of the University of Szeged attended the China International Education Exhibition Tour in Shanghai on 16-17 March, 2013. The two-day exhibition was visited by several thousand people.
The English language education programs proved to be very popular: almost 4,000 flyers and brochures were distributed to future university students and their parents at the stand of our university.
Lívia Szentmártoni, Director of the Confucius Institute at the University of Szeged and Senior Advisor of Chinese Affairs of the university, was a member and the main professional supporter of the 6-member delegation. Besides the exhibition she took part in all the meetings, and conducted a negotiation with the Shanghai Music Conservatoire on behalf of the Music Faculty of the University of Szeged.
Representing the Faculty of Law, Krisztina Karsai completed successful negotiations with the Shanghai University of Politics and Law and the Shanghai International Studies University. Both universities were impressed by the education programs offered by the Hungarian faculty. As a result, more and more Chinese exchange students are expected to come to the Faculty of Law besides teacher exchange programs, mutual professional trainings and conferences.
On behalf of the Faculty of Medicine, István Leprán and Ilona Lantos discussed their future cooperation to be signed in summer with the Jiaotong and Tongji Universities. Representatives of the Faculty of Medicine invited their partners to visit the University of Szeged in order to sign the agreement on student and teacher exchange programs and common research plans in Hungary.
Zsófia Kürtösi representing the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration and Zoltán Mucsi on behalf of the Faculty of Science of the University of Szeged also discussed student exchange programs with the Shanghai International Studies University and Chinese student recruiting agencies resulting in Chinese students visiting the above faculties as well int he future.
Meanwhile, István Ujhelyi, Deputy Speaker of the Hungarian National Assembly and President of the Advisory Board of our institute also attended negotiations in China. During a friendly visit to the Shanghai International Studies University he expressed his appreciation of the cooperation of Chinese and Hungarian associates and at the same time assuring his support for the partners. Mr Ujhelyi was also welcomed by Weng Tiehui, Vice-Mayor of Shanghai Municipality. During their discussion, Weng Tiehui expressed her willingness to support the University of Szeged by establishing a Hungarian major at the Shanghai International Studies University; providing an opportunity for our university to promote their education programs on a regular basis and offering a special scholarship for Hungarian students in their Shanghai studies.
Based on the above, we can conclude that the University of Szeged was successfully introduced in Shanghai at the Exhibition Tour and strengthened its connections on both educational and governmental level. With the help of the Confucius Institute at the University of Szeged, university colleagues appointed by the given faculties are going keep contacts and build further cooperation with partner institutions.
We would like to express our gratitude to the Hungarian Consulate General in Shanghai, especially Ágota Révész, Consul for Culture and Education for their professional help and organization of meetings!
Special thanks to Szeged Táncegyüttes for lending us the Hungarian folk costume!