The students visited the unique cart-shaped bridge under construction over the Tisza River on the M44 and the road 83 construction project connecting Pápa to the expressway network, and the evenings concluded with beer and wine tastings.
Following the prominent successful ending of last year's Duna Group Summer University, the leading Hungarian infrastructure development group decided to continue the initiative. Thus, from last Thursday to Saturday evening, students participated in a variety of theoretical and practical professional programs all three days long and relaxed together in a pleasant atmosphere at the end of each day. Students from all civil engineering programs across the country attended the event, including:
thus, many students got to know each other and the circle in which they will spend their careers.
Values of the Duna Group
The first day started at the Kármán Tódor Students’ Hostel in the capital, where the 70 participants were welcomed by László Szíjj, the owner of Duna Group, before the professional lectures on the latest trends in the industry.
László Szíjj expressed his gratitude to the students for accepting the invitation and was pleased with the lively interest surrounding the construction summer university. Answering students' questions, he spoke about the three-decade history of Duna Aszfalt and the core values necessary for growth as well.
From ZalaZone to the M44 Bridge
The event's main organizer, Péter Kincses, highlighted in his speech that the focus of the event would be on digital construction, an area where the Duna Group leads in infrastructure building.
After that the lectures covered the unique Zala test track, the road 83 project, and the bridge constructions by the Duna Group. (Currently, the group is working on the Tisza bridges of the M4 and M44, the reconstruction of the Southern Connecting Railway Bridge in Budapest, and the Kalocsa-Paks Danube bridge construction.)
Innovation and Practical Experience
On the second day, students visited one of the Duna Group’s (and at the same time of Hungary’s) most modern asphalt mixing plants near Tét, which will also serve the construction of the Győr-Pápa expressway 83. Here, they learned in detail about the work processes and the number of the steps required to produce perfect asphalt, gaining insights into laboratory tasks as well.
Laboratory, Machinery, and a Wine Tasting in Etyek in the Evening
Afterward, they visited construction site of the road 83, where Duna Aszfalt is building the 2x2 lane road section between Pápa and Tét using digital construction technology of pioneering importance, InfraBIM. Students could sit in the machinery and experience road construction on-site. The 30-degree day ended with a cool cellar visit and a mood-boosting wine tasting at Hernyák Estate in Etyek, then they returned to Budapest for more relaxation in a definitely elevated mood.
Hungary’s Most Spectacular Bridge Under Construction and Kecskemét Beer Manufactory
Despite the previous night’s fun, students gathered enthusiastically at 7:30 AM the next day for setting off as they visited then the nearly complete, cart-shaped bridge over the Tisza River on the M44 at Tiszaug, and the nearby asphalt mixing plant in Lakitelek, where they learned about another spectrum of Duna Group's innovations. At the end of the professional programs at three o’clock in the afternoon, they already headed to the Kecskemét Beer Manufactory to learn about proper beer tasting and brewing methods as well. Then they could be awarded with their certificates for the completion of the summer university in an increasingly elevated mood.
Hands-on Experience, Professional Technology, Great Fun
The students were also enthusiastic about the event: Áron Kovács from the Ybl Miklós Faculty of Óbuda University among others highlighted the importance of on-site practice. He was noting that the program was a great opportunity for civil engineering students to gain direct experience in their future work, something not always possible at university.
Others emphasized the importance of networking within the profession: Bernadett Csatári (also from Ybl) mentioned the chance to meet potential future colleagues as the infrastructure engineering students from other universities attended the event as well. Tamás Selinger from NKE's Water Science Faculty among others mentioned that he was most happy about the fact that he could met such a high standard of road construction in Hungary that is classified as a high one even in Europe. He noted that "the great surplus for me was that I could see with my own eyes that the Hungarian road construction and technology is of such a high quality I wouldn’t even think of", respectively added that ‘here he could see projects of such high quality that ordinary persons wouldn’t expected to see domestically.
Besides profession entertainment also was mentioned, students finally couldn’t decide whether they enjoyed the beer or wine tasting more.
Creating Value for Civil Engineers
At the end of the event, organizer Péter Kincses concluded for magyarepitok.hu: “I firmly believe we achieved the main goals of the Summer University. We successfully showcased the variety of exciting projects in infrastructure building at Duna Group and we created such an event that is unique in the country, turning it into a tradition, into a common value for the future civil engineers in front of our eyes.”
According to Péter Kincses, "the upcoming generation of infrastructure engineers represents an entirely new line where digital solutions are already part of everyday life, making innovative solutions easily understandable to them, those being a key for the future growth of Hungarian companies."
Organizers are also entitled to thanks
The expert who gave an interview after having completed a long week-end and was however enthusiastic laid a separate emphasis on the energy of the employees of Duna Group put into the event. "Everyone was extremely well-prepared and showed worthily that such a company was hosting the young that has over 1,700 employees and could still maintain a family-like atmosphere, that could absolutely be attractive for them as well".
Finally, Péter Kincses reminded them that they also created the Duna Group Talent Development program after last year’s Summer University that already stirred up a great interest at its launching. "I obviously believe that the interest in the talent development program will also be even greater following this year’s summer school," he concluded.
