The strategic partnership between Széchenyi István University and Waberer’s has reached another important milestone. With support from Waberer’s, which also carried out the refurbishment, a lecture room on the University’s Győr campus has been refurbished to serve as a new research and demonstration facility for the Waberer’s Transport and Logistics Competence Centre. Officially opened on 13 October, the Logistics Innovation Lab will support the shared professional objectives of the University and Waberer’s in addition to serving its regular teaching functions.

A new educational and innovation facility has opened at Széchenyi István University’s Győr campus under the name Logistics Innovation Lab. Room D-411, refurbished by Waberer’s, will support the activities of the Waberer’s Transport and Logistics Competence Centre, established through a partnership between the University and the company.

The Logistics Innovation Lab of the Waberer’s Transport and Logistics Competence Centre at Széchenyi István University. (Photo: Gergely Nagy)

At the opening ceremony, Prof Dr Péter Földesi, Head of the Department of Logistics and Transportation at the Faculty of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Transport Sciences, emphasised Waberer’s close ties with the University and its decades-long support for practice-oriented education. He described the company’s role in strengthening links between higher education and industry as exemplary. As he noted, partnerships of this kind enable students to enter the world of work with valuable knowledge that meets the needs of the labour market.

Participants at the opening ceremony. (Photo: András Adorján)

The Waberer’s Group has close ties with the University, as does Zsolt Barna, Chairman and CEO of Waberer’s International Plc, who graduated from the University with a degree in transport engineering exactly 30 years ago. In his speech, he highlighted how experts from Győr and the projects they had carried out jointly with the company had contributed to its operations and renewal in numerous areas. These experiences also laid the foundations for the establishment of the Waberer’s Transport and Logistics Competence Centre.

The Chairman and CEO recalled that several initiatives involving students had been launched since the strategic agreement was signed in September last year. “We have set up a shared workshop at our service centre in Mosonmagyaróvár, where young people can see first-hand how modern vehicles are maintained. We have developed recruitment software that uses artificial intelligence to support the selection process, launched a dual training programme, and completed several projects for major partners. We will continue to play an active role in practical education, while also receiving valuable professional support from the University,” he said, outlining the results achieved so far. He added that, by refurbishing the room, they also hoped to set an example for other industry players, as supporting higher education brings long-term benefits to companies through a well-trained workforce.

Dr Bálint Filep, President of the University, emphasised that one of the University’s key objectives is to ensure that students gain real-world industry experience while still studying. Business partnerships play a vital role in achieving this, and Waberer’s support is an excellent example. He pointed out that corporate and alumni giving has a long tradition in the Anglo-Saxon higher education system, where rooms are often named after former students, professors or companies in recognition of their support. “This is a collective effort in which successful professionals who graduated from the University give something back to their alma mater. We provide the framework, and active partnerships bring it to life,” he said.

Staff from the Department of Logistics and Transportation also attended the official opening of the refurbished room. (Photo: András Adorján)

Dr János Szép, Dean of the Faculty of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Transport Sciences, pointed out that while higher education in many places is becoming increasingly detached from day-to-day professional practice, Széchenyi István University maintains particularly close ties with businesses. “Thanks to our extensive partnerships, we can incorporate industrial experience directly into our programmes, particularly through project-based learning. The recently established Competence Centre is making this cooperation even more effective,” he said.

Dr Tamás Bódis, Head of the Waberer’s Transport and Logistics Competence Centre at Széchenyi István University, explained that the Centre aims to help students develop through mentoring and real-world industrial projects, as well as to lay the groundwork of innovations for the logistics sector and assess their practical applicability. The resulting solutions can be presented both as part of training activities and to market players. He added that the new facility provides a modern, versatile environment for these activities. In addition to university classes and final examinations, the room can also host student projects, professional discussions, and collaborative work between academic staff and industry professionals.