The corporate partner network of the Faculty of Economics at the University of Debrecen has expanded with another key industry player: it has signed a dual education cooperation agreement with Aero Space Power Kft., a company specializing in the repair and maintenance of civil aircraft and spacecraft. The aim of the partnership is to enable students to gain marketable experience in a real, international corporate environment during their university years and to enter the labor market with a competitive advantage.
The educational cooperation focuses on the joint development of practical training and on further strengthening the educational background tailored to corporate needs.
“The Faculty of Economics considers it essential to equip its graduates with knowledge and practical experience that meet labor market expectations and demands. Therefore, continuously expanding our corporate partner network is crucial, as we have more than five thousand students and would like to provide as many of them as possible with opportunities to gain practical experience in the corporate sector. We are proud that in our MSc programs we can launch full-time courses with 15–20 students. The popularity of our programs is largely due to dual education. The agreement signed today will offer even more of our students the opportunity to gain international corporate experience and broaden their knowledge,” said Veronika Fenyves, Dean of the Faculty of Economics, at the signing ceremony.
Aero Space Power Kft., part of the Xanga Group, is a dynamically developing company primarily offering MRO (Maintenance, Repair, Overhaul) solutions—maintenance, repair, and operational services—for the aviation and energy sectors.
“The University of Debrecen and the Xanga Group have maintained an active relationship for a long time. In line with our business model, we develop infrastructure, and the factories and logistics companies that move into our facilities establish direct connections with the university. As a developer, this relationship is indispensable for attracting high value-added companies to our industrial parks. We have made deliberate, strategic investments in the aviation industry. The agreement concluded through Aero Space Power, however, represents a direct partnership. We began developing the airport cargo base in 2010, took over operation of the airport in 2011, and in 2018 started establishing an MRO aircraft maintenance base. In 2021, we founded Aero Space Power, which has undergone tremendous growth over the past five years and now employs more than 250 people. The key to our future growth lies in the workforce we are able to recruit. At the same time, the development of the sector would be unimaginable without the university,” said István Herdon, CEO of the Xanga Group.
Within the dual education program of Aero Space Power Kft. and the Faculty of Economics, students enrolled in master’s programs in supply chain management, marketing, international business and economics, finance and accounting, enterprise development, and management and organization may participate.
“Our company is committed to meeting the highest quality standards of the aviation industry. In addition to accreditation by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, we are also accredited by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC). These certifications reflect our expertise. We are proud that in a relatively niche industry we compete successfully at an international level on a daily basis. Our partners range from Malaysia through Germany and France all the way to the United States. Since 2021, our workforce has more than doubled, while our revenue has quadrupled,” said Attila Kürthy, Managing Director of Aero Space Power Kft., presenting the company’s achievements.
Babett Bodnár, HR Director, added that in addition to engineering activities, the company also requires highly qualified professionals in areas such as market research, business development, procurement, and logistics, as international customs systems, invoicing, financial transactions, and accounting demand significant professional expertise. Based on their experience, attracting dedicated employees is most effective when students are engaged already during their university years.
Ágota Kiss, Assistant Professor at the Department of Accounting of the Faculty of Economics, recalled that Aero Space Power Kft. had previously provided internship opportunities for students of the Faculty, and the positive experience laid the foundation for the cooperation agreement. The first student will begin their dual training at the company the day after the signing.
