The Fiji National University’s (FNU), College of Engineering, Science and Technology (CEST) recently hosted a visiting team from the Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences (MATE) to discuss partnership and collaboraiton opportunities.

The MATE team consisted of Professor Dr Livia Simonné Sarkadi (Institute of Food Science and Technology), Associate Professor Dr Katalin Kassai (Department of Agronomy), Associate Professor Dr Anikó Veres (Institute of Genetics and Biotechnology, Department of Genetics and Genomics) and the international credit mobility coordinator with the University’s International Relations Office, Papp Szilvia.

CEST Dean, Prof Tibor Pasinszki said the visit was possible through the framework of the Erasmus+ International Credit Mobility Programme.

“In addition, FNU’s relationship with MATE dates back to the mid-2010,” Prof Pasinszki said.

“Through the mobility programme, MATE, in partnership with FNU, won quotas for student and academic/staff mobility.”

“I had met the team in Hungary during a visit to the University earlier and i am glad that MATE staff could now visit FNU and host our counterparts on campus so they could gain further insight into the institutional developments and structure of the FNU.”

“The mutual visit is beneficial to both MATE and FNU as FNU’s learning, teaching and research differs from the Hungarian higher education system in several areas, but offers the opportunity to develop a very close partnership and cooperation at many points.”

The team were also met on campus by FNU’s Senior Leadership Team (SLT) that consisted of the Acting Vice-Chancellor, Dr William May and the Pro-Vice-Chancellor Learning and Teaching, Professor Lisa Harrison.

Prof Pasinszki said the team also visited FNU’s College of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (CAFF) at Koronivia Campus. A presentation on the courses available and site vists were conducted by CAFF Dean, Professor Paul Iji and Assistant Professor, Agribusiness and Extension, Dr William Kerua.

“Our Hungarian colleagues were informed about the growing conditions of many exotic plants, and we also learnt of the recently renewed research environment of animal husbandry, especially pigs and poultry.”

“Through the visit, we have expressed our ability to cooperate in several areas, such as food safety, crop cultivation, plant genetics, biotechnology and animal husbandry,” Prof Pasinszki said.