On Thursday at noon in Budapest, the Duna Aszfalt Zrt. inaugurated the second Duna Group Summer University, as revealed in a statement from the organizers. In addition to providing a three-day meeting for future engineers, this event, the largest student event in the construction industry, also aims to promote the sector.
According to the summary, this year's event also attracted significant interest, with all spots filled within a few weeks, and finally, 70 students began the programs on Thursday. Participants once again came from all over the country, including students from universities in Debrecen, Győr, Pécs, and Baja, as well as representatives from the capital’s Óbuda University Ybl Miklós Faculty of Architecture and the Budapest University of Technology and Economics.
On the first day, held at the Kármán Tódor Dormitory in Budapest, the owner of the Duna Group, who brought the summer university to life, welcomed the participants. László Szíjj especially thanked the students for accepting the invitation and expressed his delight at the vibrant interest in the construction industry summer university. Answering students' questions, he also spoke about Duna Aszfalt's three-decade history, showcasing the core values necessary for development.
Péter Kincses, the main organizer, also spoke on the opening day, revealing that this year's event was built on the success of last year's. "However, the focus now will be on digital construction, in which the Duna Group is a leader in infrastructure construction. Accordingly, InfraBIM will be the main theme both on the innovation day and during the project tour of Highway 83."
Among the event's goals, Péter Kincses highlighted their desire to show future engineers the innovations at Hungary's leading road construction company. "Moreover, the summer university personally introduces the industry to the student group that represents its future. In addition to this, we help participants find professional internships and thesis topics, and we even offer job opportunities."
He also pointed out that students can apply to the Duna Group Talent Development Program at the end of the summer university, with the certificate they receive. This program was launched this spring by the group, making it the most comprehensive student program of its kind in the country. "These two programs are one of the largest commitments in the construction industry for future talent. It’s important to note that this requires not just financial investment but also a significant amount of time, energy, and knowledge from experts."
The Duna Group Summer University spans three days, starting with an innovation day in the capital and then moving to rural locations, covering two significant construction projects in the country. On Friday, participants will tour the Highway 83 expressway project between Pápa and Győr, and the next day, they will visit the unique Tisza Bridge project on the M44, which is notable even on a European level.
Team building, crucial for the industry's future, also features prominently over the long weekend: a wine tasting in Etyek on Friday and a beer tasting in Kecskemét on Saturday add color to the program.
