The “final countdown” to the biggest party at the University of Debrecen has already begun. The performers are already rehearsing for the stadium show, which promises to be spectacular and impressive once again this year, tickets are selling out and the construction of the monumental stage in Nagyerdei Stadium is to begin next week. At a press conference held on Wednesday, the organizers shared the following report on the preparations for the upcoming yoUDay scheduled for September 16.

The general properties and the resistance of so-called aerogel materials, which are increasingly used in the construction, automotive, aerospace and oil industries, have been tested at the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Debrecen. The consequent findings of our researchers may contribute to further growth in the application of aerogels.

Zoltán Bács, Rector of the University of Debrecen, and Endre Harsányi, Vice Rector for Sectoral Development, held talks with senior officials of the State of Nebraska, including Secretary of State Robert Barnett Evnen, Deputy Secretary of State Cindi Allen, and the State Secretary for Food Economy, Distribution and Education of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Economy in Hungary, László Búza. The focus of the agenda of their meeting was on further expanding our university's international network of relations and exploring new educational, research and innovation collaboration opportunities in the United States.

Gábor Sramkó, Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Science and Technology, has received unique international recognition. The Ministry of Education and Science of Mongolia honored him with a state award for his work in developing Mongolian-Hungarian bilateral relations and education in Mongolia. The biologist-researcher, who specializes on the genetic protection of endangered plant and animal species, received the highest professional recognition, awarded to foreigners only in exceptional cases.

From to, to the application of AI, digital twins, and integrated modeling to climate and air quality protection, the Participants of a two-day CITDS Information Technology and Data Science Conference, hosted by the Faculty of Informatics of the University of Debrecen were able to get familiar with numerous IT innovations, including the challenges of autonomous driving, new paradigms of artificial intelligence and the application of AI, digital twins, and integrated modeling of climate and air quality protection. Once again, the central element of the event was the interaction of artificial intelligence and various technologies.

Professor László Nagy will serve as an advisor to the dean at the University of Debrecen’s Faculty of General Medicine, helping to strengthen academic and international relations, with a particular focus on expanding collaborations in North America, developing opportunities for study abroad, and nurturing talent. In addition to his work at the University of Debrecen, László Nagy works at the Florida campus of Johns Hopkins University and is a researcher with extensive domestic and international connections.

An international symposium was held at the Faculty of Informatics at the University of Debrecen on new trends in artificial intelligence, the innovative possibilities and challenges of the technology, and the significance of industry certifications and exam opportunities available in this field. At the AIDA AICET 2026 event, experts summarized, among other topics, the impact of machine learning, large language models, and agent-based systems on science.

In 2026, the University of Debrecen hosted the annual meeting of the Hungarian Biochemical Society, which will be held in conjunction with an international conference. The event is the most prestigious domestic forum in the field of biochemistry, featuring scientific presentations and professional discussions, and two faculty members from the university will also receive prestigious professional recognition. The three-day conference opened on Wednesday, August 26, at the Learning Center.

A more thorough recognition and understanding of the various cell types in cartilage may lead to the development of new therapeutic options for the treatment of osteoarthritis. The latest research findings on this topic have been analyzed and synthesized by Csaba Matta, a researcher at the University of Debrecen, and his co-authors. His review article is now published in Nature Reviews Rheumatology, one of the leading journals of the field. The scientific achievements of his work have also been recognized by earning a Publication Award from the University of Debrecen and the Count István Tisza Foundation for the University of Debrecen.

Researchers at the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Debrecen have investigated a physico-chemical treatment method for so-called bathroom greywater (BGW). This is water that has already been used once in the bathroom (gently) but can be reused for certain non-potable purposes after treatment. The findings were published in the journal Results in Engineering. This article has also been honored with a Count István Tisza Foundation for the University of Debrecen and the University of Debrecen Publication Award.

Bertalan Meskó is a “medical futurist” who believes that practical methods of futures studies, like foresight and scenario analysis, should play a greater part in scientific decision-making. In his view, the examination of possible futures and risks could turn out to be helpful in planning research programs more flexibly and in making well-informed decisions concerning research funding. Together with his co-authors, he has published his proposals related to this topic in Nature, one of the most prestigious scientific journals in the world. Meanwhile, Bertalan Meskó is already busy establishing a workshop at the University of Debrecen focused specifically on medical futures studies.

A research team at the Faculty of Health Sciences of the University of Debrecen has explored the connection between periodontal disease, as a risk factor for neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs), and its possible inflammatory, microbial and genetic background. The research team members concluded that periodontitis is normally associated with a heightened risk of developing later neuro-degenerative diseases, even after having been accounted for cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, metabolic and inflammatory comorbidities.