Research & Academic Units

The Soós Ernő Research and Development Center was established in 2014 by the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Pannonia, the Municipality of Nagykanizsa and Hidrofilt Water Treatment Ltd.

The Center builds on decades of experience and expertise in water treatment and purification in Nagykanizsa, continuing this strong tradition through its research and development activities.

Its mission is to conduct internationally recognized research in various areas of water treatment and purification. In addition to basic research, the Center plays an active role in industrial development, with a strong focus on: drinking water treatment, power plant and cooling tower water management, horticultural and irrigation water treatment, seawater desalination, pharmaceutical water supply technologies (including infusion solutions) and related control procedures and measurement technology.

The Center is equipped with advanced laboratory and pilot scale facilities, including MF, UF, NF, RO and EDI systems, as well as various packed columns and ion-exchange resins.

Application Areas

The Center’s research and development results are applied in the following areas:

• Drinking water treatment technologies
• Process water treatment
• Complex thermal water treatment
• Purified Water (PW), Highly Purified Water (HPW), and pre-treatment of Water for Injection (WFI)
• Water treatment for horticulture and irrigation
• Industrial wastewater treatment
• Greywater recycling
• Seawater and brackish water desalination
• Water treatment for swimming pools
• Removal and analysis of microcontaminants in surface waters

The Renewable Energy Research Group of the Soós Ernő Research and Development Center focuses on the scientific study and education of renewable energy sources and related technologies, as well as on a range of practical engineering and economic applications.

Through its activities, the group aims to provide practical and innovative solutions to the challenges of energy security, climate change and the circular economy, supporting businesses, society and the natural environment.

Our team is a dynamic, practice-oriented professional community, where multidisciplinary expertise is complemented by both industrial and scientific experience.

Our Activities

• Education: We provide up-to-date, project-oriented training in renewable energy, energy systems, energy efficiency, and sustainable, circular engineering design.
• Research: Our research and development activities focus on areas such as solar energy utilization, biomass and biogas technologies, optimization of heat and power systems, energy storage solutions, smart grids, and improving energy efficiency in industrial processes.
• Services and collaborations: We participate in development and demonstration projects in partnership with industry, municipalities and other professional organizations. These include the design of renewable energy systems, the development of demonstration and pilot facilities, energy use assessments, and supporting the development of local and regional energy strategies.

We believe that renewable energy sources are not just new technologies, but essential tools for creating a climate-neutral, resilient and circular economy.

Through our expertise and partnerships, we strive to support the development of sustainable energy systems, the circular economy, and regional green innovation, working in close collaboration with our students, partners, and local communities.

The Institute of Applied Economics is a key, practice-oriented organizational unit of the University of Pannonia Nagykanizsa – University Center for Circular Economy, focusing on economic and social challenges. The Institute supports professional development through an innovative and sustainability-driven approach, aligned with the strategic goals of the University and the needs of the economic environment.

The Institute’s staff bring together extensive, interdisciplinary expertise, enabling a complex, systems-level understanding of economic processes. Our approach integrates perspectives from management, marketing, tourism and the social sciences, with a particular emphasis on the relationships between consumer behavior, economic and social impacts, and sustainability. This approach ensures that our research and development activities deliver practical, real-world solutions.

Education

Our educational activities focus on the circular economy, tourism, and trade and marketing. We place strong emphasis on practice-oriented learning, the interpretation of market trends, and equipping students with the ability to provide innovative responses to complex economic and social challenges.

Research

Our research activities focus on the local (settlement-level) ecosystem of the circular economy. Within this framework, we address issues related to local and regional development, analyze the circular operation of businesses and institutions, study consumer behavior, and explore sustainable development opportunities in tourism destinations.

The Institute’s primary goal is the practical application of the knowledge generated within the Center and the enhancement of the competitiveness of economic actors. We believe that long-term competitive advantage is built on continuous organizational learning, innovation, and proactive adaptation to a changing environment. In this process, the Institute serves as a reliable partner for businesses and institutions.

The Department of Applied Information Technology at the University of Pannonia Nagykanizsa – University Center for Circular Economy serves as a hub for IT expertise, technological innovation, and industry collaboration.

Our goal is to deliver practical, future-oriented solutions using IT tools—for the benefit of businesses, society, and the environment. Our department is a dynamic, practice-oriented professional community that combines engineering, IT and programming expertise with industrial and research experience. Our faculty and researchers are committed to preparing students to become competitive and responsible professionals, capable of addressing the challenges of Industry 4.0 and the digital economy.

Main Activities

• Education: We offer modern, project-based programs in information technology.
• Research: We conduct innovative research in areas such as intelligent systems, self-adaptive solutions, formal languages, optimization and digital manufacturing processes (Industry 4.0/5.0, Operator 4.0).
• Services and collaborations: We work closely with our industrial partners in development projects: including the implementation of applications, data-driven systems, and production-supporting IT solutions.

We believe that IT is not just technology, but also a key driver of a human-centered and sustainable future.

Our goal is to contribute through our expertise to the advancement of the circular economy, digital transformation and regional innovation, in collaboration with our students, partners and the wider community.