History of the University
The University of Debrecen, like many other integrated institutions of higher education in the country, was formed on January 1, 2000 by (re)uniting formerly independent institutions. Its historical roots reach back to the foundation of the Reformed College of Debrecen (1538), of which three academic sections later served as the base for the Hungarian Royal University of Sciences, created by Statute no. XXXVI. in 1912. With this past of more than 450 years, the University of Debrecen is the oldest institution of higher education in Hungary with continuous operation located in the same city.
Higher education in agriculture began in 1868, when the National Higher School of Agriculture was formed in Debrecen. The University of Debrecen having 19,000 full-time students out of a student body of 29,000, and having more than 1400 instructors is one of the largest higher educational institutions in Hungary. Its 15 faculties and 21 doctoral schools undoubtedly offer the widest choice of majors and other forms of training. The quality of teaching and especially of research is indicated by the fact that more than half of the instructors have academic degrees, among them 26 professors are members of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences.
According to the yearly complex report of the Hungarian Ministry of Education, which serves as the base for the amount of research funding available to institutions of higher education, it is the best institution outside Budapest and is in the top three in the country, possessing 14-15% of the research volume carried out in Hungary. This outstanding intellectual centre, with a vast educational, research and development capacity, has a growing importance on the economic and social development, cultural progress of the region. It devotes special attention to serving the needs of a knowledge based economy and society more efficiently, and it strives to become the knowledge center of the region.
Adress: 4032 Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1. Tel.: (+36-52) 512-900 Web: www.unideb.hu