The construction industry is both vast and marvellous – the Duna Group Szabadegyetem has been launched

The Duna Group Szabadegyetem event began on Thursday at the group’s Budapest headquarters, with students from a total of seven universities taking part. At the opening of this multi-day professional event, now in its seventh year, the Chair of the Duna Aszfalt Board of Directors provided guidance on the students’ personal perspectives.

„Generally speaking, many civil engineering students still don’t know what they want to do, which is perfectly fine,” emphasised Attila Kerékgyártó. „Don’t be surprised if it takes several years before you can fully appreciate the vast scope of opportunities that the engineering profession offers.”

He put it this way: this profession is both immense and marvellous. „That is why it is so significant that you have the opportunity to get to know Hungary’s largest civil engineering company over the course of these days: and not just here in the lecture theatre, but out on the construction site as well,” emphasised the chairman, who also presented the group – which employs more than 3,500 people worldwide – to the students using key figures.

This year’s Open University places particular emphasis on the Duna Group’s increasingly prominent international role, the details of which were discussed by Attila Tompos, the day’s next speaker. The director responsible for international relations highlighted, amongst the activities taking place in the four countries – Poland, Romania, the Czech Republic and Slovakia – those in Poland in particular, as these currently account for the largest volume of work.

As one of the most significant and complex examples of an international presence, Tamás Jászberényi also presented a summary in the opening session on the GED Africa project. A board member of Duna Aszfalt Zrt. pointed out that,

Only a few people realise just how much potential Africa holds; at the same time, it has also demonstrated the extraordinary efforts required, under African conditions, to create the conditions for development as part of pilot projects in the Congo and Zambia.

Later on the opening day, Imre Vass, Production Manager for Duna Aszfalt and BIM, presented the company’s InfraBIM section. Szabolcs Rosta, Chief Innovation Engineer, along with Máté Gerencsér and Dr Nóra Csernusné Justh, introduced the students to the technological field of Duna Aszfalt; the students also received training in health and safety.

As the organiser of the Open University, Péter Kincses stated that one of the main aims of the event was to enable students to see what they had learnt put into practice. Hundreds of students have now taken part in the Duna Group Szabadegyetemen programme, and we still maintain active links with many of them within the industry. This year’s open university programme centres on the Mohács Bridge, currently the country’s largest infrastructure development: Friday will be filled with site visits and presentations organised on location.