“Awards are meant to draw attention to science,” said Katalin Karikó at the University of Szeged’s ceremony one year ago.
The world-renowned mRNA researcher made headlines on April 16, 2024, when she donated an authenticated replica of her 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine to her alma mater. The medal is now on permanent display in an exhibition at the Klebelsberg Kuno Library, located on the ground floor of the József Attila Study and Information Center (TIK).
On the same day, Professor Karikó announced that she would dedicate the full cash prize from her Nobel Prize – more than $500,000 – to recognizing the University of Szeged’s most exceptional instructors, students, and alumni. That donation laid the foundation for the JATE Award, jointly created by Katalin Karikó and the University of Szeged.
April 16 is a landmark date in the history of the University of Szeged. On April 16, 2024, Katalin Karikó – joined by Rector László Rovó and others – presented an authenticated replica of her 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. She placed the medal in a display case within the university’s permanent exhibition and donated the full cash prize – more than half a million U.S. dollars – to her alma mater.
Archive photo: István Sahin-Tóth and Ádám Kovács-Jerney
Honoring the legacy of JATE
Katalin Karikó established the JATE Award to honor the former József Attila University (JATE), a predecessor of her alma mater, the University of Szeged. The roots of the University of Szeged actually reach back to May 12, 1581, when Prince Stephen Báthory of Transylvania issued the founding charter for a university in Cluj (Kolozsvár). Over time, this institution evolved into Franz Joseph University, which was forced to relocate from Cluj to Szeged in 1919 following geopolitical changes after World War I. In 1921, the university reopened in Szeged, continuing its academic traditions.
Having been called the University of Szeged since 1945, the university’s medical school separated from the institution in 1951. The remaining university, operating with three faculties, adopted the name József Attila University (JATE) in 1962, a name it retained until 1999.
Archive photo: postcard
The university in Szeged underwent several transformations before adopting the name József Attila University (JATE) in 1962, in honor of the renowned Hungarian poet and former student. At that time, the institution had three main faculties: humanities, law, and natural sciences.
Katalin Karikó studied biology at József Attila University in Szeged. In interviews, the now world-famous mRNA researcher has often described her student years there – from 1973 to 1978 – as the happiest five years of her life.
In 2000, József Attila University (JATE) merged with several other institutions in Szeged and nearby Hódmezővásárhely to form what is today known as the University of Szeged (SZTE), a university with 12 faculties and a broad academic profile.
Katalin Karikó’s JATE Club ID card from her time as a biology student. The JATE Club, located in the basement of the University of Szeged’s main building, takes its name from the acronym formed from the former József Attila University (JATE – József Attila Tudományegyetem). Over time, JATE has become a recognized brand and a symbol of quality.
This photo is part of the Karikó Collection at the Klebelsberg Library of the University of Szeged.
Call for nominations in three categories
The founders of the JATE Award invite members of the University of Szeged community to submit nominations for outstanding individuals who truly embody the spirit of the university through their exceptional scientific achievements and personal qualities.
The JATE Award will be conferred in three categories:
- A current student of the University of Szeged, enrolled both at the time of nomination and at the time the award decision is made
- A current instructor of the University of Szeged, employed both at the time of nomination and at the time the award decision is made
- A former student or instructor of the University of Szeged or its predecessor, József Attila University (JATE)
Announced on a symbolic date
On April 16, 2024, the University of Szeged unveiled a replica of Katalin Karikó’s Nobel medal as the centerpiece of its permanent exhibition, Katalin Karikó’s Journey to the Nobel Prize and Beyond.
During the day’s series of celebratory events, Professor Karikó – recipient of the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine – announced that she would donate the full cash prize that comes with the world’s most prestigious scientific honor to her alma mater. Her donation would serve as the foundation for a new university-wide recognition: the JATE Award.
At a press conference held the same day, she offered some insight into her decision during a public interview:
“As researchers, we never had much money. So, sure, money is nice to have – although it’s better if it doesn’t cause too many headaches. But here at the University of Szeged, the prize money can be used in a much more meaningful way – to inspire young people and instructors. I thought: students could nominate professors, professors could nominate students, and a small committee could decide who receives the award each year.”
Nearly one-fifth of Katalin Karikó’s more than 100 honors are on display at the University of Szeged’s permanent exhibition, located in the Klebelsberg Library’s gallery space inside the József Attila Study and Information Center. In addition, a touchscreen provides access to a virtual exhibition featuring detailed images of her other awards.
Photo: I. Ú.
The nomination period for the JATE Award began on April 16, 2025. Submissions must be made using the official nomination form, available for download [here].
Current and former students and instructors of the University of Szeged and its predecessor, József Attila University (JATE), are invited to submit nominations. The deadline for submission is midnight on September 8, 2025.
Completed forms, along with the accompanying declaration, may be submitted either in print or electronically to the University’s Directorate for International and Public Relations (Dugonics tér 13, Szeged, H-6720) or by email to jatedij@szte.hu.
All nominations will be reviewed by a five-member committee chaired by Katalin Karikó. The awardees will be selected by majority vote from among the nominees.
Honoring excellence through a work of art and a cash prize
Each recipient of the JATE Award will receive a cash prize of $5,000, a unique artwork that reflects the spirit of the award, and a certificate of honor.
The recipient’s name will also be engraved on the artwork created specifically for the JATE Award. In addition, the certificate of honor will be signed by Katalin Karikó, founder of the award, and also by the Vice-Chair of the selection committee.
The winners of the first JATE Awards will be announced on October 12, 2025 – a date that also marks the anniversary of Katalin Karikó’s first return visit to Szeged on October 12, 2023, following the announcement of her Nobel Prize.
The award ceremony will be held as part of a formal event. Professor Karikó herself – or a representative designated by her, if she is unavailable – will present the awards at the University of Szeged’s University Day event on November 11.
Following the inaugural JATE Award gala, the nomination and selection process will reopen annually, continuing to honor outstanding members of the University of Szeged community.
Further information:
Source: SZTEinfo
Previous articles on the JATE Award:
Awards Are Meant to Draw Attention to Science
Katalin Karikó's Message: Embrace Ideas and Overcome Regrets by Taking Action
Katalin Karikó's Nobel Prize on Display in One of the Central Halls of the University of Szeged
