With the traditional copper baton in hand, the National Conference on Educational Sciences returned to its original home at the University of Szeged. Launched in Szeged a quarter century ago, the event – known by its Hungarian acronym ONK – celebrated its 25th anniversary between November 13 and 15, 2025, marking a symbolic homecoming for the country’s most prominent gathering of education researchers.
The jubilee conference brought together 800 scholars and professionals, showcasing 550 presentations that explored the key challenges of the recent past, the present, and the foreseeable future of education. To provide a deeper look at the three-day program, we asked Krisztián Józsa – professor at the Institute of Education of SZTE’s Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences and chair of this year’s ONK – to share his reflections on the event.
The National Conference on Educational Sciences (ONK) is organized within the professional framework of the Pedagogical Scientific Committee of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (MTA), and each year a different Hungarian university takes its turn as host. The series draws on international best practices, taking inspiration from the European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction (EARLI). Since EARLI’s founding in 1985, its large-scale biennial conferences have served as vibrant forums where researchers present, debate, and develop their findings further.
A total of 800 participants registered for the 25th National Conference on Educational Sciences, with the congress hall of SZTE’s József Attila Study and Information Center filled to capacity for the plenary lecture by Nobel laureate SZTE professor Katalin Karikó.
Photo: István Sahin-Tóth
Back to where it all began: A Szeged-to-Szeged milestone
A group of participants at the jubilee ONK
Photo: István Sahin-Tóth
“Having hosted the event in 2016 and 2021, the University of Szeged once again served as the venue for the National Conference on Educational Sciences in 2025 – now an increasingly international forum,” noted Krisztián Józsa, professor at the Institute of Education within SZTE’s Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences and chair of this year’s ONK.
While not record-breaking, the figures for the November 13–15 conference are nonetheless remarkable: 800 participants registered, and across the three days they delivered 550 presentations spanning the full spectrum of educational sciences. The program was structured around ten parallel sessions running in ten time blocks – with lectures, symposia, and poster sessions – forming the organizational backbone of the event.
Krisztián Józsa, chair of the 25th ONK, with Anikó Zsolnai, who delivered the conference’s welcome address
Photo: István Sahin-Tóth
“Most of the questions explored at the conference reflected the current priorities of educational sciences,” said Krisztián Józsa. In honor of the 25th conference, the main theme spanned both past and future: Educational Sciences Yesterday and Today – Challenges for the Future. While some topics from the recent past resurfaced, presenters were far more concerned with pressing contemporary issues than with revisiting the history of the discipline itself.
On November 22, 1930 – 95 years ago – Albert Szent-Györgyi delivered a lecture in Szeged at the National Congress of Physical Education. The professor, who was member of the faculty at what was then the Franz Joseph University of Szeged, drew attention to the traditions of two historic English universities, Oxford and Cambridge, emphasizing that “apart from their scientific research (…) who they educate are not lawyers, chemists, or doctors, but first and foremost human beings,” with sport serving as a key educational ‘tool.’
The first day of the 25th ONK spotlighted the latest findings in sport and exercise science, among other key areas. The sessions addressed pressing issues in talent development in sport – including the practical implementation of daily physical education in schools – and offered fresh perspectives on the field’s current challenges.
Driven to inspire
For the 25th ONK, the organizers invited two distinguished plenary speakers: Suzanne E. Hidi, a leading figure in interest theory from the University of Toronto, and world-renowned biochemist and Nobel laureate Katalin Karikó, professor at the University of Szeged.
“Hungarian-born Suzanne E. Hidi focuses on what ignites children’s interest in a given subject and how that interest links to their learning motivation and success,” explained Krisztián Józsa as he introduced the topic of the first plenary lecture.
Suzanne E. Hidi has maintained close ties with the University of Szeged for several years. After presenting her study Exploring Interest Theory, its Relation to Other Motivational Variables, and the Brain at an event organized by the MTA Presidential Committee on Public Education, she returned in September 2024 to deliver a lecture at a symposium jointly hosted by the SZTE Doctoral School of Education and the Hungarian Academy of Sciences.
At SZTE, researchers in educational sciences – along with the actual practitioners who train future teachers – have long placed a strong emphasis on how to spark students’ interest in the natural sciences.
Erzsébet Dr. Dombováriné Dr. Korom, habilitated associate professor and head of the Department of Learning and Instruction at SZTE’s Institute of Education, receiving a signed dedication from the University’s Nobel laureate professor Katalin Karikó
Photo: István Sahin-Tóth
Conference participants also gained practical guidance and fresh ideas on how to motivate students. At the Motivation Community (Motiváció Közösségi Tér) in Szeged, a range of educational tools for use in teacher training were demonstrated. Attendees learned about the work of the Community’s Learning Center and attended a lecture on how motivation and identity intersect, touching on themes such as levels of learning motivation, autonomy, music education, and sport.
Dr. Gyöngyvér Molnár – professor and head of the SZTE Doctoral School of Education (middle row, second from right) – was also among the attendees of the plenary lecture at the 25th ONK.
Photo: István Sahin-Tóth
The science of perseverance
Breaking Through – the title of the lecture by SZTE’s Nobel laureate professor Katalin Karikó – referenced both the scientist’s internationally acclaimed memoir, published in 14 languages, and her scientific achievements.
“If I had to summarize the pedagogical message of her life’s work in a single sentence, it would be this: ‘the science of perseverance’,” said Krisztián Józsa as he welcomed ONK plenary speaker Katalin Karikó, who then thanked him by holding up her Nobel Prize medal.
Photo: István Sahin-Tóth
“For the audience of the National Conference on Educational Sciences, it is a special privilege to reflect not only on laboratory breakthroughs, but also on a learning journey. Breaking Through: My Life in Science – Katalin Karikó’s memoir – is far more than a personal story: it is a lesson in curiosity, in learning from mistakes, in the value of mentors, and in the power of community. Page by page, it reveals the portrait of a researcher who never stops asking questions – and never loses sight of where she came from. I often say this book is ‘dangerous’ for teachers and students alike, because its power to motivate is truly extraordinary,” the chair of ONK noted.
Krisztián Józsa added that the wide range of honors professor Karikó has received “points to one essential truth: bold, consistent thinking can make the world a better place. And here, at a conference dedicated to education, this may be our most important shared mission – to awaken and sustain that same curiosity and perseverance in our students.”
Anikó Zsolnai, chair of the Pedagogical Scientific Committee of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, also welcomed the keynote speaker.
Katalin Karikó shared personal stories to illustrate how reading and thoughtfully processing and organizing information can inspire a lasting desire to learn.
Photo: István Sahin-Tóth
Nobel laureate Katalin Karikó’s remarks captured the audience’s attention.
The inspiring lecture and conversation – punctuated at times by laughter and applause – concluded with attendees lining up for Professor Karikó to sign copies of her memoir Breaking Through, ONK publications, and conference badges, before gathering for a series of group photos.
Where educators meet education researchers
“Teacher training in Hungary covers a wide spectrum of fields – from special education and early childhood education to elementary and subject-specific preparation – and nearly all of them were represented in at least one program at the 25th ONK. Doctoral students from five Hungarian doctoral schools in educational sciences also took part in the sessions,” summarized Krisztián Józsa.
A significant number of international doctoral students studying in Hungary took part in the conference – a bilingual event which featured presentations both in Hungarian and English.
About one in five conference participants came from abroad, including ethnic Hungarians from neighboring countries – among them educators teaching in Hungarian in Romania, Slovakia, Ukraine, and Serbia.
“My Chinese, Ethiopian, Kenyan, Russian, and Moldovan doctoral students exemplify the diversity present in the Doctoral School of Education at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences,” noted Krisztián Józsa.
Education research centers from Hungary and neighboring countries were all represented at the 25th ONK.
Photo: István Sahin-Tóth
During the closing autograph and photo session, Katalin Karikó was surprised with a name‑day song – a heartfelt gesture from participants.
Photo: István Sahin-Tóth
“The significance of the annual ONK event lies in the opportunity it creates for bringing together everyone involved in teacher training and educational research,” summarized Krisztián Józsa, chair of the 25th ONK. “We can learn about each other’s research topics and latest findings. Indeed, a broad spectrum of issues emerged this year – from the teaching of science subjects to physical education and music education.”
Volunteers significantly contributed to the success of the 25th ONK. Many were rewarded with autographs from Nobel laureate Katalin Karikó, making their copies of Breaking Through even more special.
Photo: István Sahin-Tóth
“At the 25th National Conference on Educational Sciences, we reflected on a quarter-century of work. Its impact is showcased in the 630-page abstract volume – a comprehensive record of all presentations – now available on the 25th ONK website,” noted Krisztián Józsa. He added that a curated selection of the conference's presentations will likewise be published next year for interested readers. “The event also fostered collaboration across generations and broadened participants’ professional networks – one of the most enduring values of ONK,” he said, summarizing the essence of the gathering.
Original Hungarian article by Ilona Újszászi
Photos by István Sahin-Tóth
