Nanjing Normal University of Special Education. [Photo/Nanjing Normal University of Special Education]

The Ministry of Education of China has approved the establishment of the Pecs Digital and Intelligent Rehabilitation Institute, jointly founded by Nanjing Normal University of Special Education and the University of Pecs.

This marks the first undergraduate-level cooperative education institution between China and Hungary, as well as the first such institution in China focusing on the integration of special education and digital rehabilitation.

Founded in 1367, the University of Pecs is Hungary's first university and one of the oldest comprehensive universities in Europe. It holds an important position within the European higher education system, with degrees widely recognized across the European Union. Located in the city of Pecs, the university has approximately 25,000 students, including more than 5,600 international students, and over 3,000 faculty and staff. Its 10 schools and clinical centres span disciplines such as medicine, life sciences, natural sciences, humanities and social sciences, as well as fine arts, applied arts, and music.

The newly established institute will offer three undergraduate programs in Hearing and Speech Rehabilitation, Data Science and Big Data Technology, Mathematics and Applied Mathematics. With rehabilitation medicine as its core, data science as its driving force, and applied mathematics as its algorithmic foundation, the institute will build an interdisciplinary education model. Student enrolment is scheduled to begin in 2026.

This collaboration represents not only the deep integration of the two universities' disciplinary strengths, but also an important milestone in bringing Chinese standards in special education onto the international stage. By introducing the University of Pecs' mature accreditation systems, curricula, and faculty resources in special education and digital rehabilitation, the institute aims to cultivate interdisciplinary professionals with global vision and cross-cultural competence, contributing to the high-quality development and internationalization of special education and rehabilitation services in China.