The University of Szeged, known in Hungarian as Szegedi Tudományegyetem, is a public research institution located in Szeged, Hungary. Its origins date back to 1581 when it was established as the Jesuit Academy of Kolozsvár in what is now Cluj-Napoca. The academy was re-established as a university by Emperor Franz Joseph I in 1872. In 1921, the university moved to Szeged, making it one of Hungary’s oldest research universities. Throughout the 20th century, the university underwent several transformations, eventually splitting into distinct, independent universities.
The present-day University of Szeged, formed in 2000, comprises twelve faculties and nineteen doctoral schools, each with various departments and research groups. These faculties operate independently. Additionally, the university manages the Health Centre of the University of Szeged, a significant teaching hospital providing regional healthcare, and three laboratory schools that integrate public education with teacher training. The university’s buildings are dispersed across downtown Szeged, except for the Health Centre and the Department of Arts buildings, which are located close to each other. As part of the Bologna Process, the university offers Bachelor’s, Master’s, and PhD programs, along with undivided master’s programs.
Furthermore, the university runs the Klebelsberg Library, the largest university library in Central Europe, and six university presses. In the fiscal year 2014, the university had a budget of $220 million. The University of Szeged boasts numerous notable alumni, including Nobel laureates Albert Szent-Györgyi and Katalin Karikó, political scientist István Bibó, and poets Attila József and Gyula Juhász.
1581-1871
Founding and Predecessors
The earliest predecessor of today’s university was established by Stephen Báthory in the city of Kolozsvár in 1581 as a Catholic academy, focusing on humanities and theology. By 1598, the academy offered university-level education in the arts, with various departments organized. However, before a full university system could be established, the academy ceased operations in 1605 due to the Reformation and the Long Turkish War. It was eventually re-opened with Habsburg support in 1698 as the Jesuit Academy of Cluj, and was granted the title Universitas by Maria Theresa in 1753. The university was notable for educating Saxon, Romanian, and Hungarian students, and the university press published books in three languages.
Following the dissolution of the Society of Jesus in 1773, the university was taken over by the Piarist teaching order, which was responsible for modernizing education. The Faculty of Law was established in 1774, followed by the Faculty of Medicine in 1775, comprising multiple departments. In 1784, King Joseph II downgraded the university to a Royal College of the Academy, hindering its further progress. Despite this, the institution became the largest college in Transylvania. The Faculty of Theology was closed in 1786, but the other faculties continued to offer a wide range of education, including economics and sciences. After the Civic Revolution and War of Independence of 1848-1849, the Faculty of Arts and Faculty of Law were closed, with the latter functioning as an independent academy starting in 1863.
1872-1944
University of Cluj and Move to Szeged
The predecessor to the modern university was the University of Kolozsvár, founded in 1872 by Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria. Established as a four-faculty institution following the European model, it included the Faculty of Arts, Languages and History, the Faculty of Law and Political Sciences, the Faculty of Mathematics and Sciences, and the Faculty of Medicine. In its first school year, 269 students were enrolled in its programs. The university was renamed Ferenc József University of Cluj in 1881. This change marked a period of significant growth, transforming the university into a major national center of education.
Following the invasion of Cluj in December 1918 during World War I, the university was occupied and reorganized as a Romanian institution. Consequently, the original university was temporarily relocated to Szeged in 1921, maintaining its legal and structural integrity. At that time, the university operated 62 departments within its four faculties. Between 1922 and 1931, the university experienced substantial development: teaching hospitals were constructed along the Tisza River, and additional university buildings, including research institutes on Dóm Square and the Auditorium Maximum at the Faculty of Arts, were built. Notable faculty members included Albert Szent-Györgyi, a founder of the Faculty of Science, who won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1937 for his research on Vitamin C.
In 1940, the university was divided into two legally separate entities: a smaller part moved back to Cluj, while the larger part remained in Szeged, becoming a new institution named Miklós Horthy University.
From 2000 to today
University of Szeged
By 1996, multiple institutions were offering tertiary education in Szeged. Leaders from these institutions, including the Attila József University, the Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical University, the Gyula Juhász Teacher Training College, and the Franz Liszt Musical College, signed a letter of intent to establish the Szeged University Association.
On 1 January 2000, these institutions were unified as the University of Szeged. The university, functioning as a public institution, initially comprised ten faculties, eventually expanding to twelve. Since 2004, a new system in tertiary education was introduced, dividing most majors into Bachelor’s and Master’s programs.
Since 2000, numerous developments have taken place. In 2004, the Attila József Study and Information Centre, a new university building, was opened. This building houses the Klebelsberg Library, the Career Centre, the Students’ Service Office, and several study spaces. In 2010, the university was awarded the title of research university. In 2014, the ELI-ALPS Research Institute, focusing on attosecond light pulse research, was inaugurated.
In 2021, the university senate voted in favor of an operative transformation, resulting in the university being sustained by a state-established foundation instead of operating as a public university. This decision led to nationwide controversy surrounding the model change of numerous universities in Hungary.
Apáthy István Kollégium Dormitory
Apáthy István Kollégium Dormitory, located at 6720 Szeged, Apáthy u. 4, is situated near the Szeged Dóm and primarily serves students studying general medicine. The dormitory houses 234 rooms, each accommodating three students and equipped with furniture and internet access. Each floor features a shared kitchen, lounge, and study room, providing ample space for communal activities and study. Residents enjoy wireless internet throughout the building. The Student Committee organizes various sporting and cultural events, including a freshmen’s ball, championships, and access to performances at the Szeged National Theatre. Additional facilities, such as a washing facility and a gym, are available on a pay-per-use basis.
