University of Szeged, Shaanxi Normal University launch double degree program in computer science
The University of Szeged has launched a joint undergraduate program in computer science engineering with Shaanxi Normal University in Xi’an, starting with the 2025/26 academic year, marking a new chapter in Hungarian–Chinese higher education cooperation.
The four-year program admitted its first cohort of 120 students this month. Under the arrangement, students will complete three years of study in China before finishing their final year in Hungary. Graduates will earn a Bachelor of Science degree from both universities.
While international double degree programs are relatively uncommon in China, what makes this initiative stand out is its nationwide reach: unlike most Chinese programs that restrict applicants to a single province, the Szeged–Xi’an program is open to students from across the country.
The collaboration traces back to a 2022 agreement between the two universities. Planning and coordination were led at Szeged by Dr. László Nyúl, director of the Institute of Informatics, with support from advisor Cao Zheng Yin.
As a precursor to the program, a group of Chinese students spent the summer in Hungary as part of a joint summer university organized by the two institutions. After two weeks of activities in Xi’an, the group continued in Szeged, where they studied Hungarian language and culture, visited national heritage sites and toured the university’s Nobel Prize exhibition.
Prof. Dr. Péter Zakar, vice rector for international and public relations at the University of Szeged, formally welcomed the group upon arrival.
“It is a great honor to welcome you on behalf of the university’s leadership,” Zakar said. “As you may know, the relationship between Hungary and China is excellent — and so, too, is the partnership between the University of Szeged and Shaanxi Normal University. That is why we are especially pleased that this autumn will mark the launch of our first joint degree program in computer science.”
The summer university program was coordinated by Dr. Anett Árvay, a linguist and expert in Hungarian Studies at Szeged’s Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. The visiting delegation was led by Dr. Jianzhi Gao, vice dean at Shaanxi Normal University, and researcher Dr. Yifei Sun.
The joint degree comes as Szeged expands its Chinese-focused programs. This semester, the university’s Department of Altaic Studies also introduced a new specialization in Chinese language.
Source: University of Szeged
Featured image: Students and staff from Shaanxi Normal University pictured in front of SZTE’s Main Building with the university’s Vice-Rector for International and Public Relations, Director for International Affairs, and instructors from the summer university program. Photo: Ádám Kovács-Jerney / University of Szeged
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