The visit of international students within the framework of the Ceepus RS-0704-12-2324 (Umbrella) – Research and Education in the Field of Graphic Engineering and Design program to the Rejtő Faculty of the Obuda University was a great success. The aim of the program was to harmonize research and education in the fields of graphic design and engineering.
As part of the program, Katarina Maričić and Teodora Gvoka, MSc students from the Department of Graphic Engineering and Design at the University of Novi Sad, arrived at Obuda University. The two students worked together with Dr. habil. Róbert Németh, associate professor, and got acquainted with the latest technologies and developments of the faculty.
During their visit, the students had the opportunity to get to know the work of the faculty’s teachers and researchers. The joint work resulted in numerous new ideas, and the students gained valuable experience in the intersection of graphic design and engineering.
Regarding the visit, Dr. habil. László Koltai dean emphasized: “The Ceepus program plays an important role in enabling universities and research institutions in the region to cooperate and work together to develop various scientific fields. The Rejtő Faculty of Obuda University is committed to such cooperation, as it contributes to increasing the institution’s international recognition and provides new opportunities for students to learn and develop.”
The cooperation between the two universities will continue in the future, as both parties are interested in ensuring that students acquire the most up-to-date knowledge and work with the latest technologies.
The Rejtő Sándor Faculty of Light Industry and Environmental Engineering at Obuda University successfully hosted its 15th International Council of Environmental Engineering Education (ICEEE) online conference, themed “Global Environmental Development & Sustainability: Research, Engineering & Management” with a special workshop on Environmental Health and Climate Change. The event garnered significant interest.
The conference was ceremoniously opened by Dr. Viktória Sugár, Vice-Rector for Sustainability and Key Developments at Obuda University, Dr. Rita Bodáné Kendrovics, Vice-Dean for Education at the Faculty, and Prof. Dr. Hosam Bayoumi Hamuda, President of ICEEE.
Over two days, the event provided an international platform for the latest research in sustainability, environmental protection, public health, soil biology, natural sciences, and industry. Over 150 participants from 40 countries joined (including 7 plenary speakers), and presentations were held simultaneously in six sections, fostering scientific dialogue and exchange.
The conference’s success was attributed to the high-level academic presentations and the large number of attendees, further solidifying Obuda University’s internationally recognized role in environmental and sustainability research.
A special workshop organized by Prof. Dr. Hosam Bayoumi Hamuda was a conference highlight. The workshop focused on “Environmental Health and Climate Change.” Prof. Bayoumi addressed the topic of “Environmental Sustainability and Biotechnology: Global Climate Change and Human Health.
The Rejtő Faculty of Obuda University recently hosted a group of academic guests. As part of the Ceepus RS-0704-12-2324 (Umbrella) – Research and Education in the Field of Graphic Engineering and Design program, PhD Saša Petrović, assistant professor, and Predrag Ubović, a student from the Department of Graphic Engineering and Design at the University of Novi Sad in Serbia, visited the faculty. The guests were welcomed by Dr. habil Róbert Németh, the faculty’s Ceepus coordinator.
The purpose of the visit was to strengthen cooperation between the two universities in the fields of graphic design and engineering. The guests presented their latest research results and projects and toured the Rejtő Faculty’s modernly equipped laboratories. During the meeting, the participants engaged in a lively professional exchange and discussed the possibilities of implementing joint research projects.
The cooperation realized within the framework of the Ceepus program provides an opportunity for students and teachers to gain international experience and participate in joint research projects. The cooperation with the University of Novi Sad further strengthens Obuda University’s international reputation in the fields of graphic design and engineering.
At Obuda University’s recent joint scientific and innovation event with China, the university’s faculties actively participated, including the Rejtő Faculty. At the mini-expo, the faculty presented its latest research results and innovations, strengthening the university’s international scientific reputation.
The meeting and the associated mini-expo provided an excellent opportunity for Obuda University and its Chinese partners to learn about each other’s research activities and lay the groundwork for joint projects.
The Rejtő Faculty showcased its latest developments at the event, which achieved significant results in environmental engineering, materials science and technology, and product design, among others. During the exhibition, visitors to the faculty’s stand could attend a medical brace demonstration, view a poster-dress-model exhibition by RKK students, learn about RFID and NFC technology-based bookbinding developments and the role of printing in AR technologies, and receive detailed information about the “urban farming” project developed within the framework of the Interreg CoFarm4Cities grant.
Visitors showed great interest in the innovations presented at the faculty’s stand, and numerous professional discussions took place with Chinese partners.
The Rejtő Faculty’s participation in the event further strengthens the faculty’s international relations and contributes to the RKK researchers being able to apply the most modern technologies and methods in their work.
The 360 Design Budapest exhibition was held for the fifth time between 15-20 October 2024 to showcase the best of Hungarian and regional design. Organised by the Hungarian Fashion & Design Agency (MDDÜ), the 360 Design Budapest exhibition drew attention to the role of design in our everyday lives, which surrounds us 360 degrees. This year, the creative event, which has attracted thousands of visitors in recent years, was held in the former waiting room of the Western Railway Station, a historic architectural heritage site. The event was enriched by guided tours by well-known artists and experts.
The exhibition also featured works by students of Industrial Product and Design Engineering at Óbuda University.
Vajk Szebedy, who took part in the exhibition with his multifunctional furniture “Alfred”, made for his bachelor’s degree. After a thorough preparation of the task, and as a result of a well-thought-out design and an experimentation process, he created a piece of furniture that can be used for the organized storage of different groups of objects. Clothes and small personal items can be placed on the bars and open sections, while the removable box can be used to store items to be taken out of the room, such as glasses, etc. The furniture is made of pine wood.
The COFFEEINARE-01 table lamp by Laura Rajnai, a graduate student of the ITF, was awarded second place in the Product Design section of the Spring 2024 TDK, and was made in the spirit of environmental and social responsibility. In addition to performing the expected functions, the lamp has an installation and awareness-raising role, focusing on sustainability, alternatives to plastic, waste reduction and waste management. Its main materials are glass, concrete and a 100% biodegradable, highly compostable biopolymer containing coffee grounds.
We wish our students further success in their work!
The Obuda University had a great opportunity to strengthen its international relations when a delegation visited Kyrgyzstan to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the KSTU Kyrgyz State Technical University. Prof. Dr. András Molnár, Vice-Rector, and Dr. habil László Koltai Dean led the Hungarian delegation accompanied by Kristina Varias and Tibor Virág, responsible for international relations.
The Kyrgyz State Technical University (KSTU) is one of Kyrgyzstan’s leading higher education institutions, training top engineers for the region for seven decades. It is actively involved in international research projects and cooperates with several universities abroad.
As part of the visit, the staff of Obuda University had a professional meeting with the Rector Prof. Dr. Chynybaev Mirlan Koichubekovich, who also received the personal greetings and congratulations of the Rector Prof. Dr. Levente Kovács. During the meeting, a supportive consensus was reached on developing a double degree in MSc Light Industry Engineering.
At the gala dinner following the grand anniversary celebration, Vice Rector Prof. Dr. András Molnár presented the “Ad optimum opus” certificate of honour to Prof. Dr. Mirlan Koichubekovich Chynybaev, Rector of KSTU, in recognition of 70 years of achievements.
In addition to the protocol events, the Hungarian delegation paid special attention to exploring concrete possibilities of cooperation, focusing on the establishment of closer ties between the Rejtő Sándor Faculty of Light Industry and Environmental Engineering of Obuda University and KSTU, with special emphasis on light engineering and product design training.
During the visit, members of the Hungarian delegation visited the modern laboratories and workshops of KSTU, where they were able to see for themselves the high quality of the university’s teaching and research activities. Issues related to other areas of technical education were also discussed during the talks, during which both sides expressed their commitment to the success of the cooperation.
One of the important outcomes of the visit was the cooperation between Dr. Imiila Rysbaeva, Head of the Institute of Technology of KSTU and Dr. habil. László Koltai, Dean of the Rejtő Faculty of Obuda University a detailed work plan was signed. This document sets out the tasks for the next two years, which define the concrete steps of cooperation between the two universities. With the signed work plan, the two universities have committed themselves to jointly developing light engineering education and strengthening their cooperation in other areas. This agreement is a major step forward and opens up new opportunities for both institutions.
Prof. Dr. András Molnár, Vice Rector of Obuda University, said, “We were delighted that the delegation of Obuda University could participate in the celebration of the 70th anniversary of the KSTU Kyrgyz State Technical University. The visit was not only an opportunity to strengthen the relations between the two universities but also to take concrete steps to deepen our cooperation. The planned joint training in the field of light engineering could open a new chapter in our education and provide an opportunity for our students to gain experience in an international environment. I am confident that thanks to the signed work plan we will be able to implement several successful projects with our cooperation partner in the coming years.“
Dr. habil. László Koltai, Dean of the Rejtő Faculty, also underlined the importance of cooperation when he said. “The University of Kyrgyzstan has an excellent professional background, and our joint work will provide us with a wealth of new knowledge and experience. By implementing the tasks set out in the signed work plan, we can significantly strengthen the international relations of the Rejtő Faculty and contribute to making our students even more competitive on the labour market. I consider the planned joint courses in the field of light industrial engineering to be particularly important, as this is a unique field for which there is a demand in both countries.”
The visit of Obuda University to Kyrgyzstan proved to be a success and opened a new chapter in the history of relations between the two universities. Thanks to the agreement, several joint projects and programmes will be implemented in the future, which will contribute to increasing the international recognition of both institutions.
On September 12, 2024, Daniella Koós DLA, a designer and associate professor at the Design Department of Széchenyi István University, and Secretary General of the Hungarian Furniture and Woodworking Association – Fabunio, gave a presentation to students majoring in Industrial Product and Form Design Engineering about the WOODCircle Erasmus+ project. Since the end of 2020, the Hungarian Furniture and Woodworking Association – Fabunio, in collaboration with five other institutions, has developed an Erasmus+ funded online course worth 1 ECVET point.
The project partners are:
ATLANTIC TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY from Ireland;
FEDERAZIONE ITALIANA DELLE INDUSTRIE DEL LEGNO DEL SUGHERO DEL MOBILE E DELL’ ARREDAMENTO ASSOCIAZIONE and CONSORZIO DEL MOBILE SCPA from Italy;
CENTRE DE DIFUSIO TECNOLOGICA DE LA FUSTA I DEL MOBLE DE CATALUNYA from Spain;
MAGYAR BÚTOR ÉS FAIPARI SZÖVETSÉG from Hungary;
and INTERPROFESSIONNELLE AUVERGNE RHÔNE ALPES from France.
The goal of the WOODCircle Erasmus+ project is to address the dual transformation of the industry, focusing on the creation of a new profile for the circular and sustainable wood industry. This transformation aims to address both technical and environmental issues, supporting an ethical process that is production-based while respecting sustainability principles (e.g., waste reduction, recycling, and the use of eco-friendly materials). The project results in 25 hours of new, collaboratively developed learning material. The high-quality online course is available in 5 European languages as an open and free online course. The course quality is ensured and reinforced by an experimental test conducted in five countries, following the dual system methodology and including mixed virtual and physical mobility between different European countries.
Students showed interest in the online training related to their specialization, which also offers new opportunities for growth and advancement in the industry.
The Rejtő Faculty of Óbuda University hosted an important event: in keeping with the institution’s tradition, the faculty and staff held a staff meeting to mark the start of the new academic year.
At the event, the faculty staff looked back on the past academic year, evaluating the results achieved and the objectives for the autumn semester of the 2024/25 academic year and plans.
The meeting noted that the Faculty has continued to achieve outstanding results in teaching and student recognition, as in previous years. The participants also discussed recent research projects, successful professional collaborations, and the development of teaching methods.
Dean Dr. habil László Koltai highlighted the importance of student satisfaction and presented new initiatives to further improve the learning environment. The expansion of dual training, the strengthening of international relations, and support for student innovation activities were discussed.
The all-staff meeting was an opportunity for the ERC staff to learn about the main tasks and challenges for the autumn semester 2024/25. The educational tasks were presented by Dr. Rita Bodáné Dr. Kendrovics Rita, Deputy Dean for Education, and the research tasks by Dr. Edit Csanák DLA, Deputy Dean for Research. The participants agreed that joint efforts will further strengthen the Faculty’s position in higher education and ensure the best possible learning conditions for students.
“Rejtő Faculty remains committed to quality education, research, and innovation. My staff are looking forward to the new academic year with great determination to ensure that the institution remains at the forefront of higher education in Hungary,” said the Dean after the event.
Another milestone of the CoFarm4Cities project was achieved by the colleagues of the RKK Institute of Environmental Engineering and Natural Sciences of Óbuda University. They prepared a study presenting the possibilities of applying sustainable technical solutions supporting the efficient cultivation of the land. Exploratory studies were carried out on the territory of the future urban farm designated in the suburban environment of Csúcshegy in Óbuda. Based on these, the document proposes the establishment of rainwater collection that reduces groundwater use, the establishment of community composting accessible to people living in the area, which helps maintain the fertility of the soil, and possible ways to supply the area with energy and renewable energy.
The lecturers of Óbuda University discussed the inclusion of the CoFarm4Cities sample area in educational tasks during 🔭📖 a field visit. The construction of the city farm continued during the summer with the cleaning of the area 👨🌾, which was carried out by the lead partner of the project – the owner of the Óbuda sample area – Óbuda-Békásmegyer Municipality.
Beforehand the construction of the CoFarm4Cities project community garden, both native 🌸and ruderal weed species 🏵 are flourishing in the abandoned gardens. As a result of the construction, weed species will certainly be reduced, but the population of steeper plots will provide shelter for native species 🌲🌳. The population will be preserved and the surviving species of the former ecosystem will be preserved.
In the pilot area of CoFarm4Cities’ community garden in Óbuda, there might be a harvest of fruit even before the start of the works 👷: walnut trees and vineyards are also growing. Since the cultivation of the area was abandoned many years ago, the crops 🍇 are certainly chemical-free crops.
Irrigation water in CoFarm4Cities’ Óbuda community farm
In preparation for the project implementation, a study was carried out on the potential supply of irrigation water. The experts assessed the existing wells on the designated plots and their surroundings and prepared a plan for the necessary developments. The conditions are already in place for two plots of the site, while the groundwater collection shaft and water shafts for mechanical units still need to be built on the other three plots. Although the potentially collected water does not cover the amount of irrigation water needed, it can supplement it, thus reducing the amount of groundwater extracted from individual water supply.
The planned system will also serve as a demonstration, thus helping to raise awareness and provide an opportunity for the quality analysis of collected rainwater. Furthermore, it can provide data on whether rainwater is available in sufficient quality for irrigation or even for use as toilet flush water after mechanical pre-treatment on a simple gravel filter layer.
Figure: Monthly rainfall amount between 2018 and 2022 Budapest, at János hill measuring station
(Source: https://odp.met.hu/climate/observations_hungary/monthly/ in CoFarm4Cities D.1.3.3 Application of sustainable technical solutions in the Csúcs-hegy Urban Farm pilot project (Rita Bodáné Kendrovics Ph.D., Krisztina Demény Ph.D., Csaba Ágoston Ph.D., Norbert Berecz – Óbuda University Rejtő Sándor Faculty of Light Industry and Environmental Engineering, Institute of Environmental Engineering and Natural Sciences)
Delegation from Ege University in Izmir, Turkey, paid a visit to the Óbuda University Rejtő Faculty. The aim of the visit was to further develop cooperation opportunities between the two universities in addition to educational tasks. The delegation was headed by Prof. Dr. A. Candaş Adigüzel Zengin, Coordinator of International Relations at Ege University. The delegation also included university lecturers Prof. Dr. Gökhan Zengin and Dr. Ebru Bozaci.
During the visit, the delegation met with the management of Óbuda University Rejtő Faculty, including Dean Dr. habil. László Koltai, as well as the coordinator of cross-border education Dr. Gabriella Oroszlány and the Faculty’s international coordinator Tibor Virágh. The parties discussed possible areas of cooperation between the two universities, the Pannonia student and faculty exchange program, further opportunities for joint implementation of research projects, and joint publications.
In his welcoming address, Dr. habil. László Koltai emphasized the importance of international cooperation in education and research. “We are convinced that cooperation between the two universities will be mutually beneficial for both institutions,” said the dean.
Prof. Dr. A. Candaş Adigüzel Zengin expressed his gratitude for the warm welcome and emphasized Ege University’s commitment to international partnerships. “We look forward to further cooperation with Óbuda University,” said the Coordinator of International Relations at Ege University.
In addition to professional presentations, the delegation visited the campus and laboratories of Óbuda University Rejtő Faculty and met with students and teachers during their visit. In addition to the professional content, those interested could also learn that Ege University (Ege Üniversitesi) in Izmir is one of the most prestigious universities in Turkey, founded in 1955. It is located in the city of Izmir, Turkey’s third most populous city, on the Aegean coast. The university has 19 faculties, 102 departments and 13 research institutes, and educates more than 40,000 students.
Ege University offers a wide range of science and technology programs, including engineering, medicine, natural sciences, social sciences and arts. The university also offers a number of English-language programs for international students.
Ege University is actively involved in international research projects and has strong ties with other universities and research institutions around the world. The university is committed to sustainability and leads a number of initiatives to protect the environment.
This visit was an important step in strengthening the relationship between the two universities and is hopefully leading to long-term and fruitful cooperation.
