¾«¶«Ó°Òµ

Pannon University has signed a cooperation agreement with WIZZ Air Hungary Zrt. The strategic partnership aims to connect university education with the practical knowledge of the aviation industry, while creating new professional and career opportunities for students.

As part of the partnership, students will have the opportunity to gain first-hand insight into WIZZ Air's operations through professional visits. As an official professional internship partner of Pannon University, the airline will also be able to offer internship opportunities to Hungarian and international students who meet the relevant selection criteria. The cooperation will further strengthen practice-oriented education: WIZZ Air professionals will have the opportunity to share their experience through guest lectures, while student teams participating in the Talent Academy will be able to work on real-world business challenges with the support of university and corporate mentors.

The partnership is also linked to Pannon University's postgraduate Aviation Services Manager programme, which focuses on providing students with a comprehensive understanding of how the aviation industry operates, as well as the up-to-date business and management knowledge required in the field. The programme was launched in Hungarian in February 2026 by Pannon University's AACSB-accredited Faculty of Business and Economics, making it the first programme of its kind in Hungary. In autumn 2026, it will also be launched in English under the name Aviation Services Manager.

The two organisations will also participate in each other's professional programmes and events, further strengthening the relationship between the university and the corporate sector. In the long term, the cooperation will create new opportunities for Pannon University students in several areas, including education, talent development, gaining professional experience and career building.

Prof. Dr. János Abonyi, Rector of Pannon University, emphasised in his speech that one of the most important goals of the university's student-centred approach is to provide students with knowledge and competencies that will remain valuable in the long term and help them build successful professional careers. He stressed that student-centred education is not simply about acquiring professional knowledge, but also about enabling young people to adapt to an ever-changing environment, continue developing themselves and make confident decisions throughout their careers.

Achieving this requires strong corporate partners who can complement the knowledge students gain at university with up-to-date industry expertise, professional experience and real-world challenges. The Rector expressed his pleasure that Pannon University has found an international partner in WIZZ Air with which it shares a commitment to professional excellence and to supporting the development of talented and ambitious young people. He emphasised that through partnerships such as this, students can build valuable professional networks, gain new perspectives and shape their careers more consciously.

The Rector expressed his confidence that the opportunities created by the new partnership will lead to tangible results and generate long-term value for students, Pannon University and WIZZ Air alike.

Marion Geoffroy, WIZZ Air's Chief People Officer, highlighted in her speech that the partnership creates a bridge between education and the corporate sector, bringing the real-world professional challenges and opportunities of the aviation industry closer to students. She stressed that in a rapidly changing industry such as aviation, continuous learning, adaptability and an openness to new experiences are among the most important factors for success.

In this context, she also spoke about WIZZ Air's ULTRA framework, whose five pillars — Unstoppable Growth, Lively Environment, Top-Tier Team, Real Impact and Aviation Passion — highlight the importance of continuous development, an inspiring working environment, an outstanding team, making a real impact and a passion for aviation.

Through internships, company visits, guest lectures, student projects and mentoring opportunities offered as part of the partnership, young people will be able to experience first-hand how the knowledge they acquire at university can be transformed into real professional value.

Referring to her own career journey, Marion Geoffroy also pointed out that a single opportunity at the right moment can sometimes determine the direction of an entire professional career. For this reason, she emphasised that the significance of the agreement goes beyond a formal cooperation between the two organisations: it creates a connection between education and professional opportunities that can open up new paths for students.

She added that WIZZ Air looks forward to the programmes it will develop together with Pannon University and to a long-term partnership.

Evgenia Ivanova, Head of Recruitment, Organization Development and Compensation at WIZZ Air, pointed out in her speech that the world of aviation offers far more career opportunities than we might initially associate with the industry. The operation of a modern airline depends on professionals from a wide range of fields, from customer experience to finance, HR, marketing and technology.

Drawing on her own experience of starting her career, she emphasised that career development often begins not with a carefully planned path, but with an opportunity that comes at the right time — one that allows people to learn, meet experienced professionals and gain practical insight into how a business operates.

She also highlighted Pannon University's Aviation Services Manager postgraduate programme, which, with the professional partnership of WIZZ Air, combines academic knowledge with practical expertise from the aviation industry. The programme also focuses on areas such as customer experience, sustainability, safety, business strategy, service innovation and international cooperation.

In her speech, she also connected these ideas to the first pillar of WIZZ Air's ULTRA framework, Unstoppable Growth, emphasising that development requires real-world challenges, learning from experienced professionals and taking part in projects that have a genuine impact.

The guest lectures, internships, company visits and joint projects organised as part of the partnership offer precisely these kinds of experiences to Pannon University students, while also giving them a broader understanding of the career paths available within the aviation industry.

Evgenia Ivanova expressed her hope that some of the programme participants will eventually join the WIZZ Air team, but stressed that even more important is ensuring that students leave university with the knowledge, skills, professional connections and confidence they need to build successful careers.

The cooperation between Pannon University and WIZZ Air will strengthen, over the long term, the connection between academic knowledge and practical experience in the aviation industry. Through the partnership, students will be able to gain experience in a real corporate environment during their university years, build professional networks and move closer to the career opportunities offered by the international aviation industry.

At the same time, the cooperation will contribute to Pannon University's efforts to prepare its students for the challenges of the future through practice-oriented programmes that respond to the needs of the labour market.

Photos: Marcell Fux, Pannon University