Through knowledge transfer and the symbiosis of university and industrial know-how and culture, the cooperation between Egis and the University of Szeged aims to stimulate innovation and further expand bilateral relations. The SZTE-Egis Industrial Partnership Department, established in this spirit, not only integrates seamlessly into SZTE's existing high-quality educational structure but also offers new opportunities for pharmacy students in Szeged who are interested in industrial topics. With the involvement of Egis experts, the practice-oriented educational approach at the university can be further strengthened, as students can learn the most important knowledge applied in the pharmaceutical industry from recognized industry professionals with extensive practical experience, which can have a decisive impact on their career choices. Additionally, as several successful projects have shown, closer cooperation between the academic and industrial spheres can lead to numerous innovative ideas and initiatives.

"The pharmaceutical industry has traditionally been one of the high value-added driving sectors of the Hungarian national economy," said Csaba Poroszlai, CEO of Egis Pharmaceuticals Plc. "Our company has a long tradition of nurturing talent and supporting young professionals: we support talents on multiple platforms and participate in the training of future professionals. We have worked on numerous successful projects with the University of Szeged, from joint grant projects to educational initiatives. With the establishment of the department, this professional relationship is elevated to a new level: soon, esteemed employees of one of the region's leading pharmaceutical companies will be able to share their experiences firsthand with students under the leadership of my colleague, Dr. Tamás Spaits, at a department specifically dedicated to teaching industrial subjects.

As evidenced by our numerous Innovation Awards, innovation is an essential element at Egis. It is our duty to maintain and pass it on. This is primarily dictated by our responsibility to patients and our mission: to help as many people as possible lead a quality life with modern medicines. This agreement provides a new opportunity to strengthen innovation: it opens up broader spaces for the joint work of professionals from the academic sphere and those practicing in the industry."

"The University of Szeged ensures the freedom of scientific research and the pursuit of sciences for its educators, scientific researchers, and students, and supports the realization of these conditions so that continuously updated knowledge is incorporated into current curricula at all levels and areas of education," said Prof. Dr. László Rovó, Rector of SZTE. "To achieve this, it is essential to establish partnerships that enable us to quickly adapt to the complex and rapidly changing expectations around us with collective wisdom and cooperation. The concept of the industrial partnership department is organically connected to the thinking in the innovation ecosystem model, in which the University of Szeged, as a fourth-generation university, interprets its mission."

Prof. Dr. László Rovó emphasized that the university's task today, in line with Albert Szent-Györgyi's legacy, is to collect, disseminate, and expand human knowledge, to educate scientists for the future, and "to provide the nation with citizens equipped with the weapons of the mind." Speaking about SZTE's values, he also quoted Szent-Györgyi: "Our university has a fourth special mission, to be the intellectual center of the Great Hungarian Plain." The rector reminded that, in addition to expanding knowledge, it is also crucial to ensure its utilization for the benefit of society, which requires industrial partners who are open to the results of basic and applied research conducted at the university and capable of making these available for patient care.

The ceremonial signing of the establishment of the SZTE-Egis Industrial Partnership Department was attended by László Bódis, Deputy State Secretary for Innovation at the Ministry of Culture and Innovation and CEO of the National Innovation Agency. In his speech, he emphasized: "Higher education institutions now have a third mission in addition to education and exploratory research: to establish close relationships with the market, the economy, and society. The strategic goal of the National Innovation Agency is to effectively support universities in achieving success in this third mission."

Dr. Klára András, HR and Communications Director of Egis, reviewing the company's educational ecosystem and career orientation initiatives, emphasized that Egis's initiatives address young people at all ages, from schoolchildren to university students. Speaking about the relationship with SZTE, she said that years ago, the company handed over an interactive classroom to the Faculty of Pharmacy in Szeged, "and now the Egis department is also helping pharmacy students prepare in Szeged."