More than 12,000 freshers are beginning their studies at the University of Debrecen as of this September. At the ceremonial senate meeting of the university on Sunday for marking the start of the new academic year, Minister for Education and Children’s Affairs Judit Lannert underlined that the future of Hungary is inseparable from the University of Debrecen, which serves as a model for other institutions of higher education in our country in so many respects. This year’s ceremony was also about honoring outstanding contributions to the reputation of our university. It was for the first time that titles of rector emeritus and decanus emeritus were conferred upon former leaders who have played a decisive part in the history of the institution.
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The director of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Clinical Center of the University of Debrecen, Zoárd Krasznai, has been appointed as a “proctor,” as a result of which, he will not only be able to perform robot-assisted surgeries in the future but he will also be able to take part in the practical training of specialists both in Hungary and from abroad. This act of prestigious international recognition also serves as confirmation of the high standard of robotic gynecological surgery in Debrecen and of the consistent professional development achieved at the clinic in recent years.
The “final countdown” to the biggest party at the University of Debrecen has already begun. The performers are already rehearsing for the stadium show, which promises to be spectacular and impressive once again this year, tickets are selling out and the construction of the monumental stage in Nagyerdei Stadium is to begin next week. At a press conference held on Wednesday, the organizers shared the following report on the preparations for the upcoming yoUDay scheduled for September 16.
Professor László Nagy will serve as an advisor to the dean at the University of Debrecen’s Faculty of General Medicine, helping to strengthen academic and international relations, with a particular focus on expanding collaborations in North America, developing opportunities for study abroad, and nurturing talent. In addition to his work at the University of Debrecen, László Nagy works at the Florida campus of Johns Hopkins University and is a researcher with extensive domestic and international connections.
In 2026, the University of Debrecen hosted the annual meeting of the Hungarian Biochemical Society, which will be held in conjunction with an international conference. The event is the most prestigious domestic forum in the field of biochemistry, featuring scientific presentations and professional discussions, and two faculty members from the university will also receive prestigious professional recognition. The three-day conference opened on Wednesday, August 26, at the Learning Center.
A more thorough recognition and understanding of the various cell types in cartilage may lead to the development of new therapeutic options for the treatment of osteoarthritis. The latest research findings on this topic have been analyzed and synthesized by Csaba Matta, a researcher at the University of Debrecen, and his co-authors. His review article is now published in Nature Reviews Rheumatology, one of the leading journals of the field. The scientific achievements of his work have also been recognized by earning a Publication Award from the University of Debrecen and the Count István Tisza Foundation for the University of Debrecen.
Bertalan Meskó is a “medical futurist” who believes that practical methods of futures studies, like foresight and scenario analysis, should play a greater part in scientific decision-making. In his view, the examination of possible futures and risks could turn out to be helpful in planning research programs more flexibly and in making well-informed decisions concerning research funding. Together with his co-authors, he has published his proposals related to this topic in Nature, one of the most prestigious scientific journals in the world. Meanwhile, Bertalan Meskó is already busy establishing a workshop at the University of Debrecen focused specifically on medical futures studies.
A research team at the Faculty of Health Sciences of the University of Debrecen has explored the connection between periodontal disease, as a risk factor for neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs), and its possible inflammatory, microbial and genetic background. The research team members concluded that periodontitis is normally associated with a heightened risk of developing later neuro-degenerative diseases, even after having been accounted for cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, metabolic and inflammatory comorbidities.
The 2026 course of Debrecen Summer School has come to an end, and a total of 116 certificates have been awarded by the organizers to the participants, half of whom studied Hungarian for the entire length of four weeks, while the other half took turns in staying for either the first or the second two weeks of the course. As all of them passed the final exam successfully, these language learners were satisfied and happy without exception when they returned home on August 15.
Péter Lakatos will retain his position as Dean of the Faculty of Music at the University of Debrecen. According to the dean, who has been at the helm for the past seven years, the Debrecen institution covers the broadest spectrum of higher education in music at present, but expansion and development continue to remain primary goals at the Faculty of Music of the University of Debrecen (DE ZK). Péter Lakatos, who has just been re-elected for another five years, regards it an important task to make studying music both for Hungarian and international students at our university even more attractive than it currently happens to be, while making sure that the Faculty of Music should continue to be ranked among the best institutions.