The University of Szeged has been awarded the title of Charitable University of the Year in recognition of its wide-ranging social responsibility efforts. The distinction reflects a broad spectrum of initiatives, including the Bálint Sándor Wellbeing Program launched in 2025, more than ten active charitable partnerships, volunteer activities in healthcare, education, and mentoring, as well as research addressing urgent social challenges. Established by the Ministry of Culture and Innovation, the award was presented at a gala ceremony held on March 30, 2026, at the Royal Palace of Gödöllő.
At the University of Szeged, charitable engagement and social responsibility are embedded at the institutional level as an integrated, strategic, and measurable system within the framework of the University’s third mission strategy and the BeneFit approach, which reflects a commitment to employee well-being and supportive institutional practices.
Since its launch in 2025, the Bálint Sándor Wellbeing Program has emerged as one of the University’s flagship initiatives in the field of social engagement. In Ruzsa, the small village selected as the pilot location, the program has delivered significant results already in its first year, including the rollout of a week-long comprehensive health screening campaign covering 50 types of examinations, alongside professional and agricultural expert programs, as well as community and social development initiatives structured around five key pillars: education, research, healthcare, social development, and the economy.
In healthcare, the University of Szeged is dedicated not only to providing high-quality patient care but also to advancing disease prevention, promoting health awareness, and shaping an accessible, community-centered culture of prevention. Reflecting this commitment, SZTE launched a comprehensive, institution-wide screening program in Szentes, a town that is being shaped as a ‘Blue Zone’ model community, with the goal of lowering chronic disease rates and improving the health of the local population. Its long-term objective is to make prevention and early detection part of everyday life, reducing the burden of preventable diseases and premature mortality over time.
In addition, SZTE hosts numerous free public lectures and events each year – including the Open University lecture series Szabadegyetem, Researchers’ Night, the University Spring Festival, and the Autumn Cultural Festival – bringing the arts and scientific knowledge closer to the wider public in an accessible and meaningful way. Alongside these initiatives, the University regularly organizes blood donation events, fundraising campaigns, aid initiatives, and targeted health and social programs at both faculty and central levels, all within a structured and sustained framework.
In 2025, the University of Szeged implemented seven major charitable initiatives: a fundraising reception in support of pediatric oncology care; the ÁGOTA Run for children growing up in foster care; a blood donation event marking World Health Day; a school supply campaign; a Christmas donation appeal; the NemLuxusTáska – A Bag of Love initiative; and a Children’s Day fundraising campaign.
Through these efforts, the University provided support to a range of organizations, including the ÁGOTA® Foundation, Elszalasztott 1000 Év KHE (a Hungarian public benefit organization supporting disadvantaged Roma communities), the Szeged Temporary Home for Families, Fatima House, and the Hungarian Charity Service of the Order of Malta.
The University of Szeged has built more than ten active partnerships with civil society organizations, local governments, healthcare foundations, and national initiatives. These include the Hungarian Red Cross, the family-supporting Three Princes, Three Princesses Foundation, and the Örökké Haza Association, which supports infants left in hospital care and helps improve their well-being and future prospects. Among the University’s most important collaborations is the Teach for Hungary Program, in which 373 students mentor children from disadvantaged regions.
Volunteering is not only encouraged at the University of Szeged but also integrated into its academic structure, as at several faculties such activities may count toward academic credit or professional practice requirements. Thanks to this strong institutional support, nearly 1,000 students are actively engaged in volunteer programs.
The University of Szeged also stands out for its socially impactful research. Within the Center of Excellence for Interdisciplinary Research, Development, and Innovation (IKIKK), the Digital Society Competence Center has launched 12 research programs, while the Social Responsibility Competence Center has carried out seven. Together, these projects address pressing issues such as digitalization, artificial intelligence, mental health, the situation of Roma youth, work–life balance, and social inequalities. The University’s prevention-focused research is further strengthened by the work of the Student Counseling Center.
Social inclusion is another key priority at the University of Szeged. More than 1,800 students from disadvantaged regions are supported through mentoring programs, academic advising, and integration services aimed at improving student retention and long-term success.
In partnership with the Szeged Christian Roma Advanced College, around 800 participants took part in catch-up and talent development programs in 2025. In addition, students with disabilities are supported by the SANSZ Office, which provides comprehensive assistance to approximately 340 students each semester.
The University of Szeged also maintains a wide-ranging social support system for students, offering regular need-based scholarships alongside one-time financial support in response to unexpected life situations and health-related challenges, as well as in recognition of outstanding academic achievement, all granted on the basis of equity and fairness.
The University of Szeged’s efforts illustrate how higher education institutions can play a role far beyond teaching and research. Through active, responsible, and measurable social engagement, they can become powerful drivers of community development. The Charitable University of the Year award recognizes precisely this broad and lasting commitment.
Speaking at the award ceremony on March 30, Prof. Dr. László Rovó, Rector of the University of Szeged, described the recognition as a great honor for the institution. He added that the University had also received an innovation award last year, and emphasized that it considers this latest distinction for its charitable efforts equally significant. “Charitable activity is deeply connected to the historical mission of the University of Szeged,” he said. “Following the Treaty of Trianon, Minister of Education Kuno Klebelsberg relocated the institution from Cluj-Napoca to Szeged, placing its intellectual resources in the service of regional development.”
The rector also highlighted the work of Chancellor Dr. Judit Fendler and her team, who are committed to ensuring that the University’s expertise is translated into practical impact. As one example, he pointed to a pilot program in Ruzsa, a small rural community, where residents now have access to services – including healthcare and legal support – that would otherwise be unavailable locally. He emphasized that initiatives like this not only set an example but also reflect Albert Szent-Györgyi’s vision of a university that plays an active, transformative role in the life of its region.
Source: SZTEinfo
Feature photo by Hédi Tumbász
