Owing to its famous high schools and university, today the city of Szeged is not only well-known for its Hungaricums, but has also become a real knowledge-center and school town. Reputed for its exciting everydays, Szeged is the symbol of youth and carefree school years for many people. As a scientific and cultural center, the University of Szeged places special emphasis on ensuring that the inhabitants of its hosting region can relate to its successes and achievements, making sure that people are part of its important events. We can proudly say that it is partly due to the university's mission and responsibility that Szeged has become the city of sunshine and festivals and a popular destination for many people who come here with the goal of long-term settlement or to complete university studies.
Having celebrated its 85th anniversary term in 2006, the University of Szeged is one of the centers of Hungarian higher education, and the country's second largest university. Serving its thirty thousand students as an Alma Mater, the institute assumes an excellent position not only among Hungarian but also international institutions of higher education. According to the list of the Shanghai University ranking higher education institutions, the University of Szeged assumes a position in the ranking region of 80-123, so it is considered to be not only Hungary's best university, but also one of Central Europe's best ranking higher education institutions. National rankings – whether based on student satisfaction or the value of degrees – also classify the University of Szeged as one of the excellent universities.
Owing to the university integration completed in 2000, the 12 faculties of the University of Szeged, including law and music, offer a wide variety of sciences for its students. Starting from the term of 2006/2007, the University of Szeged publishes its training programs as majors in harmony with the Bologna process. The renewed training program and the opportunities of specialization offer the chance to gain such practical knowledge and competences that increase the usability of degrees extremely. The majors of Szeged represent an excellent departure point for anyone regardless of whether their goal is to enter the labor market or complete master's studies.
Szeged's higher education emerged from the encounter of traditions and modernity. Both preserving traditions and continual innovation characterize the spirit that makes the University of Szeged a center of knowledge and creativity. Representing the greatest investment of recent years, the József Attila Study and Information Center hosts the University Library, its Conference Center and various organizations providing student services. Equipped with wireless internet connection, a terminal including 300 computers and printers, the building was included in OPEC's 2005 publication among the world's most significant university facilities.
Driven by the intention to meet the challenges of the society and science at a high standard, today's Universitas must also perform new tasks. The University of Szeged is a University in the noblest sense of the word, which means that it does not merely represent a creative community of scientists and their students, but following the university's modern mission, it is also the link between theoretical science and its practical realization. The knowledge centers of the University of Szeged make sure that the achievements born in laboratories and research rooms serve everyone. By managing the innovation process departing from the conception of an idea until the sales of an invention, knowledge centers contribute to the economic development of Szeged and the South Great Plain, as well. The number of inventions and patents at the university and the formation of spin-off and start-up companies all evidence that, as the region's education and research center, the University of Szeged excels in strengthening the knowledge-based economy.
The University of Szeged is not simply the venue of education and research, but the institute represents a university community for its students and colleagues. The wide range of its services all strive to ensure that its students can regard their university as a partner in all walks of life. It is almost impossible to list all the events that offer opportunities of having fun, studying or sporting during the terms. The programs of the Autumn Cultural Festival and the University Spring, the performances of self-organized groups and the lectures of Encompass – Szeged offer programs for almost every evening, let alone sports cups and student-teacher tournaments.
In harmony with its reputation and traditions, the University of Szeged offers its students high quality training and an excellent community to belong to. The university's mission in training and education as well as its national and international achievements have guaranteed acknowledged degrees and up-to-date, valuable professional knowledge for many generations.