Universities are shaped by people who inspire others through their knowledge, character, and commitment to their community. The JATE Award provides an opportunity to recognize these exceptional people and the values they represent. Nominations for the second JATE Award are open until September 8, 2026, and members of the University of Szeged community are invited to nominate outstanding students, instructors, researchers, and alumni. The renewed JATE Award nomination platform is now just a click away, making it easier than ever to submit a nomination online, while submissions may also be sent by post.
Katalin Karikó established the JATE Award to celebrate outstanding contributions across the University of Szeged community and to give lasting visibility to those who inspire others through their knowledge, commitment, and character. A biology graduate of József Attila University (JATE), SZTE’s predecessor, and now a professor at SZTE, Professor Karikó created the award from the prize money she received with her 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Nominations for the JATE Award may be submitted in either Hungarian or English between April 16 and September 8, 2026.
Why put someone forward for the JATE Award?
Short answer: Because the people who shape a university deserve to be seen. They are the instructors who spark curiosity, the students whose drive inspires those around them, and the alumni whose knowledge, resilience, and sense of community leave a lasting mark. The JATE Award is a chance to celebrate these individuals – and the values they bring to life across the University of Szeged.
What sets the JATE Award apart?
1. Turning a Nobel Prize into a lasting legacy
Katalin Karikó established the award using the prize money she received with her Nobel Prize. Rather than directing the funds toward her own research or personal needs, she chose to support outstanding members of her alma mater – the University of Szeged and its predecessor, József Attila University – while creating a lasting legacy.
2. Keeping the spirit of JATE alive
The award takes its name from József Attila University (JATE), one of the legal predecessors of the University of Szeged. Katalin Karikó has repeatedly emphasized that, for her, “JATE” stands for quality, academic excellence, and a strong university community. The JATE Award was created to carry these values forward.
3. Looking beyond academic achievement
While many academic distinctions focus primarily on publications, research findings, or professional accomplishments, the JATE Award takes a broader view, also recognizing personal integrity, community building, and social responsibility. This gives the award a distinctly human dimension.
4. Bringing three generations together
The JATE Award is conferred in three categories, recognizing:
- a current student of the University of Szeged;
- a current instructor or researcher;
- a former student or instructor of JATE or the University of Szeged.
Taken together, these categories reflect a central idea: belonging to the university community does not end at graduation, but continues through connections that can last a lifetime.
5. Strengthening the University of Szeged identity
Rather than serving as a national or international competition, the JATE Award focuses on outstanding members of the University of Szeged community. In doing so, it becomes more than a recognition of individual achievement – it also reflects the shared identity and values that unite members of the university community.
6. Involving an international community
The JATE Award also reflects the international character of the University of Szeged community, inviting members from Hungary and abroad to nominate individuals who embody the institution’s values. To ensure the process is accessible to the wider university community, full information about the award and the nomination process is also available in English on the University of Szeged’s dedicated JATE Award webpage.
7. Accompanying the distinction with a substantial prize
Each JATE Award recipient receives a gross cash prize of USD 5,000, a unique artwork reflecting the spirit of the award, and a certificate of honor (in Hungarian).
Who can submit a nomination?
Current and former students, instructors, and researchers of JATE and the University of Szeged are all invited to put forward candidates they believe deserve the JATE Award. Nominations may be submitted in either Hungarian or English.
How can you submit a nomination?
Nominations can be submitted either electronically or in print by post.
The online nomination form is available on the JATE Award website and can be completed and submitted in just a few clicks.
Full information about the award and the nomination process is also available in English on the University of Szeged’s dedicated JATE Award webpage.
Alternatively, the completed printed form may be sent by post to:
SZTE Nemzetközi és Közkapcsolati Igazgatóság (Directorate for International and Public Relations)
H-6720 Szeged
Dugonics tér 13
Hungary
The envelope should be marked “Nomination for the JATE Award.”
How can you make your nomination stand out?
Once you have entered the details of the nominator and the nominee, add a short explanation – at least 100 characters – outlining why you believe your candidate deserves the JATE Award.
Then use the main nomination statement, around 25–30 lines, to bring the nominee’s achievements, character, and impact to life. A strong nomination should roughly follow this balance:
- 40% – Professional or scientific achievement: highlight key accomplishments, publications, awards, and other significant results
- 25% – Teaching and/or community engagement: include mentoring, talent development, community involvement, and the example the nominee sets for others
- 25% – Personal qualities: show the nominee’s integrity, humanity, collaborative spirit, diligence, and strength of character
- 10% – Concluding recommendation: bring the nomination together by showing how the candidate embodies the values of SZTE/JATE through their work and relationships, and add your own personal endorsement
These proportions capture what the JATE Award stands for: not only outstanding achievement, but also character, responsibility, and a genuine commitment to the university community.
By recognizing both what people achieve and how they inspire others, the JATE Award gives lasting expression to the values of the University of Szeged and helps carry them forward from one generation to the next.
Source: SZTEinfo
Photo: István Sahin-Tóth
Feature photo: Pictured at the inaugural JATE Award Gala (from left): Mihály Ilia, recipient in the alumni category; Katalin Karikó, founder of the JATE Award; Ágota Tóth, recipient in the instructor category; and Márton Simon Czikkely, recipient in the student category. Photo by István Sahin-Tóth.
Discover more about the JATE Award on the dedicated JATE Award page of the University of Szeged website.
