Hosted by the Hungarian University of Sports Science, the 25th International Student Science Conference (ISSC) was held in Budapest at the end of April. In the physical education and sports science section, international student science conferences are regularly held every two years, usually during the year in between OTDK events, the year 2026 marking the 25th occasion. From our Institute of Sports Science Coordination at the University of Debrecen, there were two students, Tamás Horváth (Faculty of Engineering) and Bálint Karap (Faculty of Humanities), participating in the conference, along with Laura Mázik, representing the Faculty of Economics and Business.
During the course of the three-day international event, undergraduate, master’s and doctoral students showcased their research findings in various thematic sessions within an international setting. The presentations covered topical issues in exercise physiology, training theory, sports psychology and health promotion, reflecting the inherent diversity of sports science. Involving more than a hundred participants from universities around the world, this event provided them with a chance to present a variety of features comprised in their recent or current research.
Representing the University of Debrecen, Tamás Horváth (a fourth-year physical education and adapted physical education major) won first place in the section called Sport and Performance II with his paper titled “Effects of Holistic Training on Sprint Speed, Explosive Power and CODS in Youth Football Players” (Supervisors: Melinda Bíró and Anetta Müller). Meanwhile, Bálint Karap (a junior physical education and history major) came in third in the section Sport Management and Society with his paper titled “Integrating Artificial Intelligence into Physical Education: Teacher Attitudes, Generational Differences and Pedagogical Potential” (Supervisors: Melinda Bíró and Anetta Müller). In the Sport Management section, it was Laura Mázik (a junior majoring in Business and Management) who represented the Faculty of Economics at UD with her presentation titled “From Performance to Health Preservation: Analyzing the Hungarian Dietary Supplement Market.” Laura also held her own pretty well in the international competition. Her thesis advisor was Anetta Müller.
Press Center