Semmelweis University and Gannan Medical University in China discussed opportunities for cooperation in drug development research, joint educational programmes and further institutional collaboration in Budapest on 21 September. As part of the full-day professional programme, Prof. Dr. Béla Merkely, Rector of Semmelweis University, and Prof. Sheng Yaohuan, Vice President of Gannan Medical University, signed a Memorandum of Understaning (MoU) providing a long-term framework for the further development of educational, research and mobility links between the two universities.
The delegation from Gannan Medical University was led by Prof. Sheng Yaohuan, Vice President of the University, and also included Prof. Huang Zhiqin, Director of the Doctoral School, Prof. Zhong Haijian, Dean of the Faculty of Medical Information Engineering and Prof. Zhong Fuyou, Dean of the Faculty of International Education. Semmelweis University was represented, among others, by Prof. Dr. Béla Merkely, Rector, Prof. Dr. Péter Ferdinandy, Vice-Rector for Science and Innovation, Prof. Dr. Alán Alpár, Vice-Rector for International Studies, as well as senior representatives of the Directorate of International Relations and Alumni Affairs.
The visit began at the Nagyvárad Square Theoretical Building, where the delegation took part in a professional discussion and visited the Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy. This was followed by a lecture by Bob Ruffolo entitled Discovery and Development of a Medical Breakthrough: Carvedilol for the Treatment of Congestive Heart Failure, focusing on the discovery and development of carvedilol.
The programme continued at the main building of Semmelweis University with presentations and professional discussions. Dr. Tamás Hegedüs, Director for International Relations and Alumni Affairs, presented the development priorities, international position and global network of Semmelweis University. In his presentation, Prof. Dr. Péter Ferdinandy introduced the University’s research, development and innovation activities, as well as the related infrastructure and opportunities for cooperation. Drug development support, translational and clinical research, and partnerships with industry all play a prominent role in Semmelweis University’s R&D ecosystem. The Center for Pharmacology and Drug Research & Development, established in 2023, aims, among other objectives, to connect research groups working on innovative drug discovery and development and to strengthen collaboration with the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors. Dr. György Purebl, Vice-Dean for Educational Affairs, focused on the changing educational environment in medical training and new approaches to learning. His presentation addressed digital and experiential learning, problem- and case-based collaborative education, the role of mentoring, and programmes supporting students’ personal and professional development.
Representatives of Gannan Medical University also introduced their institution and the potential areas of cooperation. The medical university, located in Jiangxi Province, currently has more than 18,000 students enrolled in 31 undergraduate programmes. Drug development and translational medicine are among its key research areas. The University participates in the operation of the National Joint Key Laboratory for Major Disease New Drug Target Discovery and New Drug Creation, while the Gannan Innovation and Translational Medicine Research Institute brings together more than 500 researchers and provides infrastructure covering the full research and development process. Clinical Medicine, Pharmacology and Toxicology, and Chemistry are all ranked within the global top 1% according to the Essential Science Indicators.
The cooperation agreement was signed by Prof. Dr. Béla Merkely, Rector of Semmelweis University, and Prof. Sheng Yaohuan, Vice President of Gannan Medical University. The delegation’s professional programme then continued at the Városmajor Heart and Vascular Center, where the guests were received by Dr. Dávid Becker, Deputy Director.
One of the most important potential areas of cooperation between the two universities is drug development. The partners have already jointly submitted a Chinese-Hungarian joint laboratory proposal, and the meeting also covered its continuation, further joint research projects and potential funding opportunities. Within the framework of the new agreement, the parties also plan to further develop student and faculty mobility alongside research cooperation.
In the field of education, pharmaceutical and health sciences programmes were given particular emphasis. The parties also discussed the possibility of developing Sino-foreign cooperative education programmes, and, in the longer term, the idea of establishing a Semmelweis off-campus training site at Gannan Medical University was also raised. Further discussions will focus on the academic and institutional requirements of such cooperation, as well as the potential involvement of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences and the Faculty of Health Sciences.
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