Széchenyi István University in conjunction with Audi Hungary have completed a €44m investment into the new Higher Education and Industry Cooperation Centre (FIEK) in the city of Gyor. The facility is expected to serve as an advanced hub for automotive research in a country’s whose automotive sector is valued at €26bn annually. Hungary’s Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó was on hand to open the new R&D center, stressing at the ceremony that education had to be at the heart of the country’s economic strategic plan. Audi Hungaria’s MD said that research projects are already underway on issues such as friction, emissions testing and virtual reality. The EU is promoting the establishment of such centers with a view to improving connections with universities and industry.
