More than thirty students from Széchenyi István University took part in an international short-term study programme, during which they became acquainted with the most advanced machining technologies at GROB-WERKE GmbH & Co. KG, often referred to as the “Rolls-Royce of machine tools”. In addition to professional development, the study trip to Germany – supported by the Pannonia Scholarship Programme.

In the current academic year, students and staff of Széchenyi István University once again have the opportunity to participate in the Pannonia Scholarship Programme, which not only supports their personal development but also enhances their prospects in the labour market. The institution has partner organisations in nearly fifty countries, spanning South and North America, Europe, Africa, Asia and Oceania, from which applicants may choose their destination. The programme offers long-term mobility opportunities, allowing students to spend 2–12 months abroad studying, conducting research or undertaking internships. Short-term mobility is also available, covering periods of 2–30 days, providing an excellent opportunity to attend conferences, short study programmes or participate in research projects.

Through the latter scheme, 34 mechanical engineering and doctoral students, accompanied by several lecturers, recently travelled to Germany for five days. “It was a tremendous opportunity for all of us to gain insight into the operations of market-leading industrial companies,” said Dr Szabolcs Szalai, Vice-Dean for Educational Affairs at the Audi Hungaria Faculty of Engineering. He added that this year’s destination was the 210,000-square-metre GROB factory in Mindelheim, which is celebrating the 100th anniversary of its founding this year. To mark the occasion, the company organised a four-day professional exhibition. In addition, participants had the opportunity to join guided factory tours, during which they explored 14 production halls with different functions, as well as the company’s training centre.

The GROB-WERKE training centre was also highly appreciated by the students of Széchenyi István University (Photo: András Adorján)

“Since last summer, GROB Hungaria Kft. has been a member of our Faculty’s advisory board, which aims to support the development of education. The company contributes by offering professional assignments and thesis topics to our students, and both our students and staff regularly attend its professional events held in the industrial park of Győr,” highlighted the Vice-Dean.

Practice-oriented education aligned with industry needs is of key importance in the life of the Faculty. To achieve this, it is essential that students encounter cutting-edge technologies not only within the University’s classes but also in a corporate environment, where they can receive first-hand answers to their own questions from professionals working in the field.

At the GROB 100 professional exhibition, both students and lecturers gained valuable new insights (Photo: András Adorján)

“The success of the initiative is demonstrated by the measurable improvement in the professional performance of participating students following the educational programmes. We have also reported on our trip to several international partners, as a result of which additional Czech, Polish, German and Austrian companies have expressed interest in participating in similar joint programmes. We therefore plan to continue, aiming to open even broader opportunities for our students towards international industrial stakeholders and the academic world,” summarised Szabolcs Szalai.

The students of Széchenyi István University were welcomed by two Hungarian employees of GROB, who also interpreted the professional guided tours conducted by their German colleagues into Hungarian (Photo: András Adorján)

Important information for students of Széchenyi István University is that applications for short-term mobility in the current semester are open until the end of May. Further information about the Pannonia Scholarship Programme and the application process is available from the staff of the International Directorate on the Győr campus (Egyetem tér 1, New Knowledge Building, Office 107, e-mail: exchange@sze.hu).