As previously reported, this year's Audi Development Camp was once again a success, organized jointly by Audi Hungaria and Széchenyi István University as a unique summer training programme.

The international community of 31 students from 22 countries, following intensive preparation, worked on real industrial problems representing the current challenges of the automotive industry. Through project-based, hands-on education and the latest knowledge, they acquired specialized expertise.

This year, the young participants were given two tasks: one team had to develop a battery simulation for Audi's electric vehicle, while the other team examined the effects of synthetic (ethanol-enriched) fuels on engines. As we reported, the solutions were so successful that over half of the participants received job offers from Audi Hungaria.

The camp took place at the Győr campus of Széchenyi István University from 3 July to 29 July, which meant that the students dedicated nearly a whole month of their vacation to work on a complex industrial project in an unfamiliar environment with unknown peers. They did this because they understood that they could gain experiences that would provide them a competitive edge in the job market, and as the event's slogan suggests, accelerate their careers towards the automotive industry.

The Audi Development Camp 2023 (Photo: Csaba József Májer)

"I've always wanted to work in the automotive industry, and this camp provided an excellent opportunity for that," responded Isabella Cerquozzi from Ottawa, Canada, when asked about her interest.

"As a space engineering student back home, I had some gaps in my knowledge in certain areas, but everyone was very patient and helpful. It was very useful to experience what it is like to work on a real project with strict deadlines, and it helped me understand my limits. I saw it as a big challenge, and I recommend that everyone come at least once if they have the opportunity because sometimes you need to step out of your comfort zone," she articulated.

Isabella Cerquozzi from Canada (left) felt at home in Hungary. (Photo: Csaba József Májer)

Novák Barnabás, who is of Hungarian descent but studies in Los Angeles, finds the Audi Development Camp an attractive offer from the perspective of the United States.

"The training is high-quality, it looks excellent on a resumé, and you can even get a job offer. Audi, as a globally recognized brand, is also very convincing. The only downside of the camp is that you have to travel to Europe for it. If it were held in the United States, not just a hundred students from around the world would apply, but thousands," said the young IT student.

Barnabás Novák (sitting in the front row, right) believes that by sharing his experiences, more people from the United States might be interested in applying for next year's camp. (Photo: Márton Horváth) 

The Audi Development Camp is particularly popular in Transylvania; this year, nearly a third of the participants came from Székely Land and the Partium region, thanks to Széchenyi István University's excellent connections beyond borders.

"We were strongly encouraged at home to apply, but one of last year's participants, Ádám Domonkos, convinced me. He praised the camp to the skies," shared Keresztes Kristof from Marosvásárhely (Târgu Mureș), adding that despite the studying and work, there was also time for leisure activities.

"My team found a common ground; we became very close and spent a lot of time together. Of course, we visited the Üveges pub in the evenings and enjoyed the University atmosphere. Some went on trips to Budapest, and a few even considered going to Hungaroring. It was more than just a summer training; it was more like a short Erasmus programme," summed up the Transylvanian student.

Kristof Keresztes (centre) noted that the camp provided opportunities for individual activities as well. (Photo: Márton Horváth)

 Egyptian Amro Khaled viewed the camp from a different perspective, as he contributed to the event's success as a mentor. Interestingly, the Audi Hungaria engineer had participated in the training programme as a student last year, and since then, with a master's degree in hand, he had helped the talented individuals working on the tasks.

"After last year's Audi Development Camp, I got an internship opportunity at Audi Hungaria. After completing my master's degree in Debrecen, I moved to Győr and got a full-time position with the company. Because of my experience in the camp and my current position, I was asked to mentor the students this year," he revealed.

He also added that he was somewhat worried about the difficulty of the assigned task, but the students exceeded all expectations by completing it on time and with high quality. "The camp's not-so-secret goal is recruitment, and I think we were successful in that. We owe many talented colleagues among us in the near future," he concluded.

Amro Khaled (centre) not only assisted the students as a mentor but also participated in the evaluating jury. (Photo: Márton Horváth)

The above demonstrates that the participants of the third Audi Development Camp were uniformly satisfied with the training. As Amro's example also shows, their participation here significantly advanced their careers. The continuation will take place next year, in July, at Széchenyi István University.