Some of the students from the Faculty of Sports Science of Ningbo University in China have been visiting students of the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Szeged for several years to continue their biomechanical studies. The PhD students' topics include sports shoe development and other research related to movement dynamics, which could lead to major innovations in sports and rehabilitation at a global level.
The most modern view of biomechanics is that it is the study of the movements of living organisms and their ability to move with an engineering eye. The goal is twofold: to better understand and model life phenomena using mechanics methods, and to improve the quality of life by using and improving different mechanical systems.
Load testing by Xuanzhen Cen
Prof. Dr. István Bíró, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Szeged, has been working on the function of the human body's locomotor system from an engineering point of view for two decades. In 2003, he dived deeper into the biomechanics of the human knee joint in the context of the development of a knee prosthesis. The research continued, and he is still in good contact with the members of the research team of that time. It was along these lines that the request was received from the Faculty of Sports Science at Ningbo University in China.
“Ningbo is an amazing city of 8 million people, 250 kilometres from Shanghai, and we've been in constant contact with our Chinese colleagues since 2019. The cooperation is that Ningbo University provides the sports science background and we provide the technical/mechanical background. Through the Dean of the Faculty of Sports Science, Prof Dr Yaodong Gu, SZTE and Ningbo University have been connected. I visited them in 2019 at their invitation and since then the cooperation has been fruitful. We have a steady flow of PhD students from Ningbo University, with 4 PhD students currently studying with us. This cooperation with China has also highlighted the fact that it is impossible to ignore what is happening in the world's most populous country in terms of engineering. The work ethic there and the effectiveness of working together in the community is amazing. We have a lot to learn from them and fortunately we can show them new things too." - Said Prof. Dr. István Bíró.
PhD students arriving from China usually come with a strong publication background. Their serious scientific work is also confirmed by the fact that while doing their Master’s degree, the students are co-authors of several articles in the most prestigious journals (Q1,Q2).
Prof. Dr. István Bíró and the first students arriving from China within the frames of this collaboration, Yang Song and Yao Meng
“The University of Óbuda's Doctoral School of Security Studies welcomes the Chinese students, and we offer them the status of visiting students, who can take the courses and receive guidance. This cooperation also works well. We started with two students, but every year there are more applicants, which shows that the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Szeged is popular among the Chinese people. They can enjoy a full academic life here while doing their research, and they form a close-knit community with their compatriots from other faculties." - Said the Dean of the Engineering Faculty of SZTE.
Asian students take courses related to their PhD subject at SZTE, such as biomechanics or movement studies. Publications and scientific articles published in journals are their main thrust of the academic output. The common goal is to produce successful and highly cited publications related to the subjects.
Professor Yaodong and students analyse the data together
"We not only provide them with education, but also a technical approach. This is exactly what they need. They use computers to model human feet, different joints, using engineering design programs. For example, the research results that PhD students summarise in their theses can be used in the development of sports and rehabilitation shoes." - Prof. Dr. István Bíró concluded his thoughts.
The Chinese students who were among the first to arrive at SZTE within the frames of this collaboration will graduate in the upcoming summer. In the future, even SZTE students will be able to go to China as part of an exchange programme.
Ferenc Lévai
Cover photo: Prof. Dr. István Bíró & Prof. Dr. Gu Yaodong
On opportunities for cooperation, Photo: SZTE, Faculty of Engineering
