A delegation from CQU's Faculty of Sciences, Engineering & Health was welcomed at Hungary's Miskolc University recently, fostering links for teaching, learning and research.

CQU's Associate Dean of the College of Engineering and Built Environment, Dr Patrick Keleher visited Miskolc with colleagues Dr Prue Howard and John Mark.

L-R: CQU's Dr Patrick Keleher, Miskolc's Associate Professor Laszlo Kalmar, CQU's Dr Prue Howard, CQU's John Mark, and Miskolc's Professor Adam Dobroczoni

They were welcomed by the host university's Dean of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Informatics, Professor Adam Dobroczoni and Rector Professor Gyula Patko (who has the equivalent position to an Australian Vice-Chancellor).

According to Dr Keleher, the visit provided avenues to highlight current practices at the individual universities and for exploring opportunities for teaching and learning and research between the institutions.

"We were sincerely grateful for the opportunity to discuss current projects and explore future possibilities," Dr Keleher said.

"We had access to university facilities and laboratories and there was extensive hospitality shown by Professor Patko, Professor Dobroczoni and members of their university team, Associate Professor Laszlo Kalmar, Dr Laszlo Sarkozi, Dr Baan Maria Kocsisne, Robert Dudas and Robert Fekete."  

Miskolc University, located in the city of Miskolc, was originally established as a School of Mining and Metallurgy in 1735 at Selmecbanya.

The School was the first technical higher education institution in the world. The University has greatly diversified and consists of the Faculties of Earth Science and Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Informatics, Law, Economics, Health Care, Arts, the Comenius Teacher Training College and the Bartok Bela Music Institute.

The institution has more than 800 academics and 1000 non-academic staff servicing 15,000 students.

Dr Keleher said that "Miskolc University, like CQU, is a regional university, with a proven reputation for engaging with its community to establish learning and research foci that have a local, regional, national and international perspective".  

The 2007 European Society for Engineering Education (SEFI) conference was conducted at Miskolc University and it was through the relationship established by Mr Mark, with Professor Gyula Patko and Professor Dobroczoni, that an invitation was extended to the Faculty to formally visit in 2008.

Dr Keleher said that, while discussions focused upon comparisons of the types of engineering programs conducted, their delivery modes and the manner in which industry engagement occurs, the opportunity was also taken to showcase the extensive range of programs offered by all Faculties at CQU and for the consideration of possible initiatives, including the establishment of Miskolc University as a partner university.

Dr Keleher said he would be approaching other CQU Faculty representatives to discuss how there could be a unified institutional approach to consideration of partnership possibilities.