Unique identifier: TÁMOP-4.1.1.C-12/1/KONV-2012-0002
The cooperating universities, colleges and research institutes signed the Automotive Cooperation Agreement on 13 July 2012 in Pannonhalma, which served as the background for the joint work, to which the automotive companies also joined. The joint work is managed and organized by the Vehicle Industry Research Center.
The general goal of the project is to develop and operate differentiated, complex higher education services in the consortium partner institutions (Kecskemét College, Pannon University, Óbuda University of Alba Regia Center, University of Miskolc) in accordance with the requirements of the 21st century, as well as to create a high level of cooperation , the partners participating in the cooperation become service institutions.
Project description
The specific goal of the project is to create a network of higher education institutions in the automotive industry that meets the needs of the regional and regional labor market by creating a coordinated range of services in line with regional and sectoral capacity development. An equal goal is to create a high value-added training and service offer for the automotive industry highlighted by the New Széchenyi Plan. This cooperation also serves the implementation of the goals set in the partners’ Institutional Development Plans. Another goal is to increase the attractiveness of foreign students in rural higher education institutions in the convergence region and to expand their international relations.
The effects at the level of higher education institutions are the following:
- The conditions for higher education research and development at partner institutions are improving
- Strengthening cooperation between higher education institutions operating in a common professional field creates new synergies
- Innovative research teams are created in an economically important area
- Higher education institutions are preparing to participate in Horizon 2020 research project
- The quality of training is strengthening and the supply of researchers is expanding.
With the help of the activities, we implement high-quality cooperation in the automotive industry, the activities of which induce sustainable social effects in the long run. Expanding the University’s educational activities will help fresh graduates stay in place. Preventing the outflow of expertise improves the accumulated knowledge of local businesses, which has a direct impact on strengthening the economic position of the region. At the same time, the skills expectations of the labor market and the competencies of recent graduates are converging. Based on these, the project has an impact on improving the living standards of the people living in the area, increasing the income and satisfaction level of the population, thus ensuring long-term social sustainability.
The operational objectives of the project envisage the development of five main directions are:
1. Development of industrial relations is a main direction
In this main area of research, the aim is to build close links between the higher education economy, mainly in collaboration with companies that have joined the Automotive Cooperation Agreement (JEM). In this context, recommendations will be made to involve industrial professionals in education, to participate in dual training and, in perspective, to support professional mobility between industrial higher education. The processes are defined on the basis of the experience of cooperation between higher education institutions and their key partners. Here, too, the contribution to state-level regulation appears by developing various recommendations.
2. Main direction of the development
The adult education / training module of the main direction serves the development of new programs adapted to the needs of the company and their wide dissemination. It formulates as a specific goal the unified development of the master’s degree programs in vehicle engineering and logistics engineering, which are especially important for the automotive industry, and the development of personal competencies (soft skills). Partners are developing new principles and frameworks to support the broad mobility of students and faculty. Part of this link is the dissemination of dual training with industry, taking into account regional needs and opportunities.
3. Research collaboration development main direction
The main objective of this strand is to strengthen synergies by coordinating the research capacities of partner institutions and to create critical mass resources that can lead to internationally competitive research. To this end, they develop R&D methodologies tailored to the needs of the automotive industry, gather institutional research capacities into a single database, coordinate new developments and mutually support each other in solving research tasks. They undertake to contribute to the development of sectoral and regional R & D & I strategies based on their own surveys and research experience, and to develop recommendations for specific development programs as required.
4. Development of international relations
This main direction is described in TÁMOP 4.1.1. It serves the practical implementation of the activities formulated for international relations in its specific objectives, the essence of which is to increase the attractiveness of foreign students in rural higher education institutions in the convergence region and to expand their international relations. One of its modules helps student mobility by defining a framework for international practical and part-time training, but this is supported by the planned increased participation in the International Student Organization of Engineering Students (IAESTE) and intensive involvement in youth work in automotive science organizations (eg FISITA). These activities serve to strengthen international participation and attract foreign students. Similarly, student self-activity is strengthened by supporting participation in international vehicle-building competitions, where Hungarian engineering students have achieved excellent results so far (Shell Eco-marathon, Formula Student, Pneumobil, etc.). Among the goals of the main field, we can mention that we have set a 20% increase in the number of students doing internships abroad. The increase in the number of foreign students achieved through the developments is not a direct goal of our project, however, following our international activities (professional language training of lecturers, foreign language training, expansion of foreign language services, promotion of the institution abroad, development of R&D collaborations) within approx. We expect a 10% increase.
5. Organizational and service development main direction
The aim of the main direction is on the one hand the development of the career services of the institutions and on the other hand the development of the institutional organization. In the case of career services, the most important goal is to expand the professional profile of career agencies, increase their institutional embeddedness, and develop the joint organization and services of career agencies operating in the same fields. The activities implemented as a result of organizational development promote the modernization of the management and management systems of the institutions, resulting in efficiency and flexibility.
Project data
Project duration:
April 15, 2013 – June 30, 2015
Professional leader:
Dr. József Bokor, Full member of Hungarian Academy of Sciences
(From 15.07.2014.)
Dr. László Palkovics, Full member of Hungarian Academy of Sciences
(Untill 14.07.2014.)
Amount of the support:
1 538 394 511 Ft
Beneficiary:
Széchenyi István Egyetem (SZE)
Institutional professional leader: Dr. Imre Czinege
Members of the konzorcium:
Kecskeméti Főiskola (KEFO)
Institutional professional leader: Dr. Károly Belina
Miskolci Egyetem (ME)
Institutional professional leader: Dr. László Czap
Óbudai Egyetem (ÓE)
Institutional professional leader: Dr. Zoltán Rajnai
Pannon Egyetem (PE)
Institutional professional leader: Dr. László Czúni, Dr. Dénes Fodor
Participating institutions:
Budapesti Műszaki és Gazdaságtudományi Egyetem (BME)
Szegedi Tudományegyetem (SZTE)
Automotive Higher Education and Research Cooperation Agreement (JEM)
An unprecedented cooperation agreement has been signed by Hungarian higher education institutions and the main players in the automotive industry. The aim of the signatories is to develop automotive training and R & D & I activities in a coordinated way, in line with economic interests. Eight Hungarian higher education institutions and research institutes – including the Széchenyi István University, the Budapest University of Technology and Economics, the University of Óbuda and the Research Institute of Computer Science and Automation of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences – sign the Automotive Higher Education and Research Cooperation Agreement.
Many large automotive companies and small and medium-sized enterprises have been invited to join the agreement, such as Audi Hungaria Motor Kft., Continental Hungaria Kft., Knorr-Bremse Fékrendszert Kft., Lear Corporation Hungary Kft., Mercedes -Benz Manufacturing Hungary Kft. And Rába Járműipari Holding Zrt. The importance of the topic is indicated by the fact that the Győr-Moson-Sopron County and Bács-Kiskun County Chambers of Commerce and Industry also joined the agreement.
The signatories of the agreement set the goal of jointly developing the curricula and teaching methods of the courses corresponding to the needs of the automotive industry, coordinating their accreditation activities, and establishing a unified structure and content of practice-oriented (so-called dual) training. The cooperation is expected to help strengthen domestic industry in the field of R & D & I in the European automotive industry. The agreement also stipulates that the signatories will establish close relations with state institutions and professional organizations, promoting the development of the automotive industry, ensuring the best compliance with the interests of the economy. The parties also aim to have a better chance of participating in European Union tenders together, reinforcing each other.
