A Brief History of the University of Szeged
The Báthory Heritage*

 On 1st of April, 1579 István Báthory, King of Poland, Grand Duke of Lithuania and Prince of Transylvania granted university status to the Jesuit college in Vilnius, thus he founded one of the oldest universities of Europe, the Academia et Universitas Vilnensi Societatis Jesu.

Two years later, on 12th of May, 1581, Báthory issued a deed of foundation in order to establish a Jesuit university (academia) within the framework of the local Jesuit college in Kolozsvár (present-day Cluj-Napoca, Romania). Due to its (Spanish, French, Italian, German, Polish and Hungarian) professors of European fame, from 1585 Báthory's academy was able to offer university-level education in the field of humanities and theology was taught at a high level too. The university was entitled to awarding scientific degrees and it was the only higher education institution in Hungary at that time.

In 1588 and then also in 1603 the Jesuits were expelled by the Unitarian citizens from their seat. In 1624 the expelled Jesuits established a grammar school in Kolozsmonostor and then also in Kolozsvár. From 1698 until 1784/86 not only theology but also humanities were available at university level in Kolozsvár. In accordance with the decree issued by Leopold I in 1698 the institution became an academia and it was given the name universitas by Maria Theresia in 1753. Right from the beginning of the 18th century the institution was entitled to awarding scientific degrees. In 1774 the Faculty of Law was established and medical training began in 1775.

In 1784/86 the university was downgraded to a liceum of higher education level but later on it was transformed into the Academy of Law and the  Institute of Medical Surgery. These two institutions became the basis for the Hungarian Royal University of Kolozsvár established in 1872. In 1881 the university was renamed "Ferencz József" University and it was moved from Transylvania to Budapest in 1919 and then to Szeged in 1921.

In 1940 the university was divided into two institutions: a part of the former "Ferencz József" University moved back to its ancient seat, Kolozsvár while the other part of it, the majority of the teaching staff and the students, remained  in Szeged and continued their work there.

The year 2000 was a mile stone in the history of our university, as it was then that the various higher education institutions of Szeged and the adjacent Hódmezővásárhely were united as the University of Szeged.


Based on the statement of the Committee on University History set up by the University of Szeged

 

Keydata of the University of Szeged

Official name Szegedi Tudományegyetem
Official Name in English University of Szeged
Official Name in German Universität Szeged
Official Name in French Université de Szeged
   
Contacts  
Address: H-6720 Szeged, Dugonics tér 13.
Phone: +36-62/544-001
Fax: +36-62/546-371
E-mail:
   
Rector  
Legal representative of the institution
(head of the institution)
Prof. Dr. László ROVÓ
   
Vice-Rectors:  
Vice-Rector for Strategic and
General Affairs
Prof. Dr. Márta SZÉLL
Vice-Rector for Science and
Innovation
Prof. Dr. Zoltán KÓNYA
Vice-Rector for Education Dr. habil Klára GELLÉN
Vice-Rector for Foreign Affairs and Public Relations Dr. habil. Péter ZAKAR
   
Structure  
Number of the faculties: 12
   
Faculties Dean
Faculty of Law (ÁJTK) Prof. Dr. Márta GÖRÖG
Faculty of Medicine (ÁOK) Prof. Dr. Ferenc BARI
Faculty of Arts (BTK) Prof. Dr. Zoltán GYENGE
Faculty of Dentistry (FOK) Dr. Zoltán BARÁTH, DMD
Faculty of Health Sciences and
Social Work
(ETSZK)
Edina BERTA HÉDERNÉ PhD
Faculty of Economics and
Business Administration
(GTK)
Dr. habil. Péter KOVÁCS
Faculty of Pharmacy (GYTK) Dr. István ZUPKÓ
"Juhász Gyula" Faculty of Education (JGYPK) Dr. András DÖBÖR
Faculty of Agriculture (MGK), Hódmezővásárhely Assoc. Prof. Edit MIKÓ JÓNÁS
Faculty of Engineering (MK) Assoc. Prof. István BÍRÓ
Faculty of Science and Informatics (TTIK) Assoc. Prof. László MUCSI
Faculty of Music (ZK) Dr. Róbert NÁTYI
   
Education  
Number of full time professors: 1.713
Number of students: 28763
   
Scientific life  
Number of the Full Members of
Hungarian Academy of Science
16
Number of the Corresponding Members of
Hungarian Academy of Science
2
Number of the Doctors of
Hungarian Academy of Science
114
Number of members with PhD degree 643
Accredited PhD schools 18 (with more than 100 doctoral programmes)