This year, it is for the sixth time that Rosatom is announcing calls for the event called Global Atomic Quiz, in which teams of university students have to answer questions about the diverse applications and latest achievements of nuclear energy, all within the time frame of 24 hours. This international science competition continues to attract more and more participants every year, with students and young researchers from more than 70 countries having taken part so far. Students from the University of Debrecen have achieved outstanding results at Hackatom several times. Most recently, in 2024, two young researchers from the Faculty of Science and Technology finished in the top three.
In 2025, unlike in the case of the previously held online competitions, Hackatom will be held in the format of physical attendance, and the University of Debrecen has been invited by the nuclear energy company to host the Hungarian round. The delegation from Tomsk Polytechnic University, which delivered the invitation, was received at UD by Rector Zoltán Szilvássy and Director of Coordination and Strategy Okszána Kiszil, while their meeting was joined online by the coordinator of the Hackatom program, representing Rosatom Network International.
The parties agreed that the University of Debrecen would host the Hungarian round of the National Hackatom on Nuclear Medicine in the second half of the month of May, in cooperation with Tomsk Polytechnic University. The competition will be open to students from Hungarian universities forming teams of up to five members, with the best teams qualifying for the final in September, which is scheduled to be held at the event called Atomexpo in Sochi. The two-day competition in Debrecen will be accompanied by scientific presentations arranged by the University of Tomsk.
At the meeting, the details of further developments of the long-standing relationship between the University of Debrecen and Russia's leading technical university were also discussed. Vera Verkhoturova, Rector's Adviser for International Affairs, Director of Research and Head of the International Centre for Nuclear Education and Career Training, highlighted that Tomsk Polytechnic University is ranked among the top 400 universities in the world by QS. TPU is a recognized center for research and education in nuclear and hydrogen energy, oil and gas production and transportation, information technology, non-destructive testing, energy and electrical engineering, electronics, nanotechnology and biotechnology.
Among the plans for cooperation, Vera Verkhoturova called for sending/hosting visiting lecturers, encouraging teacher-student mobility and developing joint master's programs.
Following the official discussions, the head of the Russian delegation and her colleague Olga Mazurina, the Rector's Delegate for Foreign Affairs and Head of the International Cooperation Development Department, visited several facilities of the University of Debrecen, including Innovation Centre (Innovációs Központ) and Vehicle Laboratory (Járműlabor) in Science, Technology and Innovation Park at Vezér Street (Vezér utcai Tudományos, Technológiai és Innovációs Park), Medical Imaging Clinic (Orvosi Képalkotó Klinika) and its Nuclear Medicine Unit (Nukleáris Medicina egység), as well as Oncoradiology Clinic (Onkoradiológiai Klinika).
Press Centre - TH
