This academic year, more than 1,500 Szent-Györgyi students were eligible to receive their diplomas, and more than 700 of them accepted them in person in the ceremonial hall of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (MTA). The ceremony, held in several sessions, was attended by prominent public figures, high-ranking officials from universities specializing in life sciences and natural sciences, among them several members of Academia Europaea, and leaders of MTA.


On the first Sunday in July, students of the Szent-Györgyi National Academy of Scientist Education (NASE) received their bronze, silver, or gold diplomas in biology and chemistry. This academic year, more than 1,500 high school students were eligible for one of these diplomas, and more than 700 of them received theirs in person in the ceremonial hall of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. It was a novelty that the event was organised jointly by NASE with the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and the Academia Europaea Budapest Knowledge Hub. Due to the large number of attendees, the graduation ceremony took place in five sessions, with approximately 150 students receiving their diplomas in each round. The event was attended by a total of more than 1,300 people, including students, family members, and invited guests.

The ceremony was moderated by Péter Hegyi MAE, NASE Program Director, who welcomed the VIP guests, including prominent public figures, leaders of MTA and several universities, and renowned professors. From the Ministry of Science and Technology State Secretary for Science Policy and Innovation Péter Horváth and Deputy Secretary of State for Science Policy Enikő Kubinyi attended the event. MTA President Mihály Pósfai MAE, Vice President for Life Sciences László Hunyady MAE, and Vice President for Natural Sciences Rita Kiss represented the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. Representing the Hungarian Young Academy (FKA) Tamás Beke-Somfai visited the event. The ceremony was attended by László Mátyus, President of the National Association for Student Research (OTDT), Béla Merkely MAE, Rector of Semmelweis University and current President of the Hungarian Rectors’ Conference (MRK), Norbert Németh, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, and Imre Kacskovics, Dean of the Faculty of Science, Eötvös Loránd University. Mária Deli MAE, Scientific supervisor of the National Academy of Scientist Education and a research professor at the HUN-REN Biological Research Centre Szeged, and Zsuzsanna Helyes MAE, Scientific supervisor of the National Academy of Scientist Education (University of Pécs) Professor of the Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy at the Faculty of General Medicine of the University of Pécs were both present. András Varró MAE, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, and Zoltán Rakonczay, Director of University Education and professor at the University of Szeged were also in attendance. The Secondary School Education Program was represented by Adrien Lengyel, Scientific Supervisor of the National Academy of Scientist Education (Biology), Master Teacher of Biology and Chemistry at the Calvinist Grammar School of Kecskemét, as well as Bence Balterer, Scientific Supervisor of the National Academy of Scientist Education (Chemistry), Research Assistant at the NMR Research Laboratory.





The ceremony was attended by parents and teachers from Szent-Györgyi School, whom Péter Hegyi specifically addressed during each session of the graduation ceremony, before asking the students to give them a round of applause. In addition to the teachers, principals from several schools also came to the graduation ceremony.

Although the graduation ceremony was primarily an event for secondary school pupils, those who had participated in the NASE programme as Szent-Györgyi students or PhD students were not to be left out. Four graduates received their diplomas. Their example also shows secondary school pupils that it is worth starting research as early as possible.

Photo galleries of each session.

Watch a video clip of the event on YouTube.