Dr. Béla Merkely has been awarded an honorary professorship by the Central South University of China. At the ceremony, the Rector of Semmelweis University stressed the importance of international cooperation and knowledge sharing, without which, as he said, it is no longer possible to achieve great goals.
Dr. Béla Merkely, Rector of Central South University, received the title of Honorary Professor from President Li Jiancheng on 9 December 2024. Previous recipients of the award include academics and eminent scientists such as Nobel laureates Professor Mario Molina (chemistry) and Sir Martin Evans (medicine), and Dr Béla Merkely is the second foreign rector to receive the title.
Speaking at the ceremony, Dr. Béla Merkely said: “More than anything else, the two universities are linked by science. “Our countries are separated by more than 6,000 km, but we share a common goal, a common mission and a common set of principles: to provide the best possible knowledge at the highest possible level; to advance science and contribute to the results of research and innovation reaching as many people as possible and benefiting as many people as possible. And we are equally committed and persistent in fulfilling these missions,” he stressed.
Semmelweis University signed a cooperation agreement with the university in Changsha, capital of Hunan Province, in November 2024, following the 2018 Memorandum of Understanding. This laid the foundation for the exchange of teachers and students between the two universities, as well as the organisation of joint research and conferences. The Chinese institution’s educational activities cover 14 disciplines, including medicine, and is ranked 94th in the ShanghaiRanking Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU).
At the ceremony of the international award presented to the Rector, the members of the Semmelweis delegation were Dóra Szepesi, Director General of Communications and Dr. Marcel Pop, Director of International Relations.