A delegation from the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Szeged participated in the 9th China–CEEC Education Cooperation Exchange Conference, held in Ningbo, China, on May 24–25, 2025. This high-profile international event focused on strengthening educational cooperation between China and the countries of Central and Eastern Europe.
Held between May 24–25, the 9th China–CEEC Education Cooperation Exchange Conference aimed to strengthen China’s educational partnerships with institutions across Central and Eastern Europe. This growing focus on regional cooperation reflects broader trends in China’s international engagement: in recent years, the country has significantly expanded its involvement in the region – not only in education, but also in economic and trade relations. Within the educational sphere in particular, cooperation efforts have centered on promoting joint learning initiatives, launching educational exchange programs, and encouraging the sharing of knowledge and best practices between China and its Central and Eastern European partners.
As part of China’s growing engagement in Central and Eastern Europe, similar conferences have previously been held not only in Hungary, but also in Romania and Poland. As a result, China has now initiated collaborations with more than 200 universities, companies, and research institutes across the region. Currently, universities in Ningbo maintain partnerships with over 90 higher education institutions throughout Central and Eastern Europe. These collaborations encompass joint research projects, talent development programs, staff and student exchanges, as well as a variety of other academic initiatives.
“We gave a presentation on SZTE’s Faculty of Engineering and explored potential areas of collaboration between our institutions,” summarized Prof. Dr. József Sárosi, Dean of the Faculty. “In addition to promoting staff and student exchange programs and PhD co-supervision, we also emphasized the importance of attending one another’s academic conferences and identifying shared research interests.”
Prof. Dr. József Sárosi, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, at the 9th China–CEEC Education Cooperation Exchange Conference
During the conference, the delegation from Szeged also met with representatives of SZTE’s two current partner institutions in Ningbo: Ningbo University and NingboTech University. In a follow-up to the conference in China, a delegation from NingboTech University visited the Faculty of Engineering in Szeged to express its interest in further expanding collaboration with the University of Szeged.
Original Hungarian article by Gréta Újvári
Photos by József Sárosi
