Széchenyi István University has a state-of-the-art infrastructure at ZalaZone in Zalaegerszeg, where the construction of its innovation park was completed last year. During their visit on 11 March 2024, Hungary's Ambassador to Vienna, Edit Szilágyiné Bátorfi, and Balázs Jávori, the Embassy's diplomat for science and technology, were briefed by the institution's staff, visited the university's facilities and one of the world's most modern automotive test tracks, and took part in a drone demonstration.
Dr. Eszter Lukács, the university's Vice President for International Affairs and Strategic Relations, said that the 14 thousand students of the institution, which offers its courses in Győr, Mosonmagyaróvár, Zalaegerszeg and Budapest, now come from nearly eighty countries of the world. The Vice President also highlighted the international study opportunities open to students. She stressed that their students can engage in research in a wide range of disciplines, from self-driving vehicles to info-communications and health technologies.
The Innovation Park of the University in Zalaegerszeg was presented by Dr. Zoltán Weltsch, Head of the Centre. He stressed that the three pillars of their operation are the industrial base, the scientific knowledge of the university and the complementary local knowledge. Dr. Ferenc Szauter, Director of the University's Automotive Industry Research Centre, presented the Centre's activities in Győr and Zalaegerszeg. He presented their achievements in the fields of electromobility, self-driving vehicles and autonomous transport. He added that young people can participate in these research activities and improve their practical skills in successful student teams. Balázs Lukács, Head of the Info-communication Technologies Development Division of the University's Digital Development Centre, spoke about further developments with industrial partners and students. He presented a spraying drone developed in collaboration with ABZ, various IoT devices such as tracking devices, and healthcare developments such as an eye movement instrument.
"The purpose of my visit to ZalaZone was to learn about the potential of this unique test environment and the Innovation Park of Széchenyi István University in Zalaegerszeg. I gained a lot of new information and positive impressions about the activities taking place here. Based on what I have seen during the professional presentations, I think that we can exploit new potential in the Hungarian-Austrian relations, and my goal is to see this translated into concrete cooperation as soon as possible" – Ambassador Edit Szilágyiné Bátorfi shared her experiences.