The Metropolitan State University of Denver and the University of Pécs (PTE) have signed a cooperation agreement aimed at joint training, educational cooperation projects, student and faculty mobility, and internationalization.
The cooperation between the two institutions has been a strategic partnership for ten years, with numerous student and faculty mobility projects between the two universities in recent years. On the part of the University of Pécs, the most involved are the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology and the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, the latter's Department of International Political Science cooperates with the US university in research, conference and teaching projects. The Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology is linked to the partner institution in a number of areas, including the development of the architecture minor in Denver.
Dr. Attila Miseta, Rector of PTE, emphasized that the cooperation plays a major role in further expanding the international network of PTE, but at the same time he drew attention to the fact that filling the contract with real content is a serious professional commitment and challenge for both parties.
The agreement will allow the institutions to set up joint educational cooperation projects, which will be developed on a reciprocal basis, and
the universities will continue to support direct contacts between their faculty, departments, institutes and research centres.
The two sides also agreed to provide opportunities for exchanges of teachers and researchers, preparation of studies and research, and publication in each other's scientific journals within their respective fields of interest. The agreement also provides a framework for the organisation of joint courses, seminars, study tours and conferences.
Dr. István Tarrósy, Director of the PTE International Center, stressed that the variety of quality collaborations is very important for the internationalization efforts of PTE, and underlined that the Pécs institution has a very extensive and increasingly expanding quality cooperation with the Metropolitan State University of Denver, which is important for both sides and which is seen as a strategic development by both institutions.
Dr. Gabriella Medvegy, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology of the University of Pécs, spoke about the specific areas of joint work in the past ten years, the areas of joint publications and the topics with great potential for the future. She emphasized that they would also like to implement a joint online course, in which Hungarian and Denver students would participate in a virtual classroom for joint education. There is currently no similar course in Hungary, so this is a pioneering effort.
The Metropolitan State University of Denver was represented at the event by Dr. Laura Niesen De Abruña, Vice President of the University, who also highlighted the establishment of a joint Denver architecture minor, which was preceded by the establishment of a similar minor at a US institution. At the same time, she said, they have several similar collaborations with other equally excellent universities around the world, all of which contribute to Denver students not only thinking within the borders of their own country, but also learning about other countries, other languages, other cultures. He stressed that exchange programmes and international study opportunities are a great advantage for all students and staff in higher education.
