Hungarian University of Sports Science (HUSS) is expanding its network of Chinese partnerships: this time, representatives from CUPES, the third-ranked sports university in China, visited HUSS to sign a long-term cooperation agreement in the fields of education, research, and sports science.
As many will recall, last autumn Hungarian University of Sports Science (HUSS) signed a historic cooperation agreement with the Shanghai Sports University. Now, HUSS is further strengthening ties with another prominent Chinese institution, the Capital University of Physical Education and Sport (CUPES), which was founded in 1956 and currently has about 5,500 students.
The similarities between the two institutions are striking, making the partnership seem almost inevitable. In fact, as was quickly revealed during a warm and friendly initial conversation, it was the Chinese side that first saw the opportunity for long-term collaboration in multiple areas with HUSS, one that could be mutually beneficial.
The similarities between HUSS and CUPES are evident across many domains: beyond their national prominence in physical education and sports science training, their educational structures, subject offerings, and programme portfolios are also notably alike.
Moreover, CUPES is currently undergoing significant campus expansion, scheduled for completion in 2028. Both institutions boast several English-language programmes and are firmly committed to increasing their numbers of international students and expanding their global networks. During the meeting, it also became clear that both HUSS and CUPES maintain strong ties with the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
With these considerations in mind, CUPES representatives visited HUSS on June 4 as the first stop of their European tour. The delegation included CUPES President Zhang Xia, Liu Haiyuan, Director of the Postgraduate Department, Ding Jinguo, Director of General Affairs, Zhang Yan, Director of Sport and Medicine Integration Research Center and Shen Shan, Deputy Director of University Office. They were welcomed by HUSS Rector Professor Tamás Sterbenz, Denissza Blanár, Director of International Relations and Györgyi Koppa, International Relations Coordinator.
Tamás Sterbenz welcomed the cooperation and emphasized that not only are Chinese-Hungarian sports diplomacy relations flourishing, but university-level relations between the two countries are also developing dynamically.
"I see a deepening cooperation between the two countries. To cite just one example, last December, Gao Zhidan, China's Minister of Sport and President of the Chinese Olympic Committee, was a guest of the Hungarian Olympic Committee. HUSS already has a partnership with the Shanghai Sports University, and we would be glad to strengthen ties with CUPES in Beijing as well. Two years ago, we participated in the World University Games in Chengdu across multiple sports, and our volunteers also contributed to organizing the Beijing Olympics," he said, highlighting HUSS's growing connections with China.
CUPES President Zhang Xia noted that this is not her first time in Budapest, but this visit had a clear purpose, specifically to HUSS.
"Browsing HUSS’s website, I saw that our programmes and curricula are extremely similar. We want to learn from you in several areas, particularly in physical education and sports science. We look forward to future cooperation. HUSS will be CUPES’s first Hungarian partner institution," she announced.
The two sides outlined potential areas of cooperation, notably:
- Student exchanges during the second or third year of undergraduate programmess (which at CUPES last four years; master’s programmes last three),
- Master's students could spend one year at the partner institution,
- PhD students could take part in three-month exchange programs.
In addition, faculty members could teach and share experiences at the partner university, allowing them to expand their international professional networks.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Zhang Xia invited Tamás Sterbenz to visit Beijing, an invitation he gladly accepted. The Chinese delegation also participated in a campus tour.
It is important to emphasize that this event marks another significant step in expanding the international relations of Hungarian University of Sports Science, contributing to the global development of sports science research and educational programmes. HUSS's network of international university and sports diplomacy relations has grown considerably in recent years, and this latest agreement represents another important milestone.
Photo: Gergely Vidor
