The signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Hungary's Miskolc University and CQUniversity will pave the way for formal collaboration in teaching, learning and research.

CQUniversity Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Angela Delves formalised the relationship between the 2 universities with the signing of the MOU (March 22) alongside Vice-Chancellor Professor Scott Bowman and the driving force behind the MOU Jansci John Márk (CQUniversity's Information Technology Division).

CQUniversity's Jansci John Mark with Vice-Chancellor Scott Bowman and Deputy Vice-Chancellor Angela Delves at the signing of the MOU with Hungary's Miskolc University.Professor Delves said the MOU was the first step towards an exciting collaboration between 2 like-minded universities.

"The MOU will allow CQUniversity to work with a very like-minded university in an exciting and growing part of eastern Europe," Professor Delves said.

"We anticipate student and staff exchanges in a number of disciplines including engineering [where we share research and teaching expertise] and very much look forward to hosting academic staff from Miskolc on our beautiful Central Queensland campuses.

"This MOU has the potential to enrich both universities' education and research environment for their staff and students."

Negotiations between the 2 organisations began back in 2008 when Mr Márk led a delegation from CQUniversity to Hungary to begin talks.

 "Miskolc University, like CQUniversity, 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," Mr Márk said.

"The first stage is to implement the Academic Common Interest Database. This will enable academics from both institutions to align themselves with each other to carry out research and/or joint papers, journals etc in a secure web format."

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.

Celebrating the collaboration with Hungary's Miskolc University: (back) Dianne Fletcher, Stephanie Crandall, Jennifer Kofoed, (front) Dr Patrick Keleher and Jansci John Mark. Dr Fae Martin (Director: Engineering and Physics UG Programs) was absent from the signingThe 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.