Press Releases

Budapest, November 25, 2009 15:00

Accompanied by an unconventional event, Magyar Telekom today adopted the Artificial Intelligence Laboratory of Eötvös Lóránd University's (ELTE) IT Faculty. The adoption, a first of its kind, took place in the framework of the Telekom Day at the IT Faculty, offering students an attractive "interactive pleasure trip" as well as professional insight. The three-year cooperation between Magyar Telekom and ELTE, which also includes a HUF 10 million grant, is financed from the company's vocational training contribution. With the establishment of this partnership, the largest Hungarian info-communication (ICT) service provider wishes to renew cooperation between the business and academic spheres, as well as to promote the training activities that lay the ground for the future of the whole industry.

In the framework of the three-year partnership, Magyar Telekom has adopted the Artificial Intelligence Lab of ELTE's IT Faculty, and granted HUF 10 million to support the replacement of the university's computer fleet, thus promoting the training of IT experts of the future. The adoption document was handed over by Magyar Telekom's Chief Operating Officer, the Head of T-Systems, István Papp to the Dean of ELTE's IT Faculty, László Kozma.

On the occasion of handing over the adoption document, Magyar Telekom's Chief Operating Officer, the Head of T-Systems, István Papp emphasized:
"We chose to adopt the Artificial Intelligence Lab, because the outstanding scientific research conducted by ELTE's IT Faculty fits perfectly into the innovation efforts pursued by T-Systems. The grant of HUF 10 million is the first step of a process whereby T-Systems would like to strengthen its network of contacts to the academic education sphere of Hungary, with the aim of promoting innovative projects to be utilized by Hungary's economy.
The aim of our cooperation with ELTE is for students to receive practice-focused training and experience, thus providing a marketable labor force for both the universities and companies. On the basis of this partnership, T-Systems and ELTE's IT Faculty can better exploit their R&D contacts and apply for funding, as well as mutually benefit from their shared experience. The training activities pursued by the IT Faculty are of utmost significance for T-Systems in the context of the whole industry. At the same time, the cooperation is of strategic importance for us, as it ensures a supply of trained specialists for the company."

Magyar Telekom, as a responsible corporate citizen and a responsible employer, has supported Hungarian academic education for years. As an innovative means of this cooperation, we decided to adopt an academic research institute, the Artificial Intelligence Lab. By being the first employer to do so, we set an example to follow.

The grant to ELTE fits well into Magyar Telekom's academic cooperation and sponsorship objectives. Beyond the financial grant, the cooperation serves the purpose of strengthening the contact between the two entities. In this way, Hungary's market leader ICT service provider assumes an active role in establishing mutual knowledge transfer, and gains access to results of international research. Closer cooperation with ELTE, a leading academic institute active in developing potential future professionals of the company, is also important from the aspect of Magyar Telekom's HR development strategy.

Magyar Telekom, which won a Best Workplace Award in November 2009, offers internship for ELTE's IT students, who can thus apply the theoretical knowledge they gained at the University in practice, in a corporate environment. The best students may also join Magyar Telekom's top-priority projects. As an employer committed to equal opportunities, the company opened in October 2009 the Telekom Internship Program for economics and engineering students, and close to 700 students have applied so far.

This new form of cooperation between Magyar Telekom and ELTE is also a continuation of the dialogue and initiative which was started by the Company, the first to do so among the leading companies, in November 2009 when it hosted the Academic Dialogue event, where senior executives of the Company met leaders of the academic sphere. One of the main objectives set by the Academic Dialogue and the cooperation strategy is to revitalize the dialogue between the business and academic spheres and to conclude long-term, mutually predictable partnership agreements. Besides further improving its already existing contacts, the largest Hungarian telecommunication provider also plans to offer cooperation to other academic institutions, too.

In the Academic Dialogue process, the first specific result of the cooperation between Magyar Telekom and ELTE's IT Faculty is the adoption of the Artificial Intelligence Lab. At the same time, the grant provided to the Artificial Intelligence Lab exemplifies Magyar Telekom's leading position within the industry's innovation.

On the occasion of the adoption, a first of its kind, announced today, Magyar Telekom invited ELTE's students to take part in an "interactive pleasure trip" in the framework of the Telekom Day. Students got the opportunity to get an insight into the exciting activities of the corporate group by test driving the most innovative products, to learn more about Magyar Telekom's Internship Program, and to listen to interesting presentations, as well as to take part at a LAN party.

About Magyar Telekom
Magyar Telekom is the principal provider of telecom services in Hungary. It provides a full range of telecommunications and infocommunications (ICT) services including fixed line and mobile telephony, data transmission and non-voice as well as IT and systems integration services. The business activities of Magyar Telekom are managed by two business units: Consumer services (the home-related services brand T-Home and the mobile communications brand T-Mobile); Business services (T-Systems brand). Magyar Telekom is the majority owner of Makedonski Telekom, the leading fixed line and mobile operator in Macedonia and it holds a majority stake in Crnogorski Telekom, the leading telecommunications operator in Montenegro. Magyar Telekom's majority shareholder (59.21%) is MagyarCom Holding GmbH, fully owned by Deutsche Telekom AG.
For further information visit www.telekom.hu.