The National Scientific Students’ Associations Conference (OTDK)

National Scientific Students’ Associations Conference

Acronym (in Hungarian):OTDK

As the largest academic event of Hungary, the OTDK is a high-quality opportunity for talented and creative young people to introduce themselves, and is thus an important element of our national strategic efforts related to higher education. The conference looks back on a history of six decades, and its special role in the talent management activities of higher education is also emphasised by Act CCIV of 2011 on National Higher Education. The purpose of the conference series is to recognize the work of talented students in higher education, to reinforce and support the relationship of teachers and students, and to give national publicity to the research activities of students.

The Council of the National Scientific Students’ Associations (OTDT), in cooperation with the ministry in charge of education and under the aegis of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, as well as with the moral, professional and financial support of the ministries and other national institutions, organisations and foundations involved with higher education, organises the National Scientific Students’ Associations Conference in the spring of odd-numbered year in 16 disciplinary sections. The series is a defining event for the institutes of higher education hosting the sections, and is held with the active participation of thousands of students, advisers, judges, sponsors and other interested people. This is proof for the continuous demand of young people for high-quality education. The section events of OTDK have always been organized by the hosting institutions with a broad scale of social cooperation, with special attention to the support received from leading governmental organizations.

These events are the national finals of the competitions in the individual disciplines, open to students who qualified with their performance at the preceding institutional and faculty-level conferences. Hungarian students studying beyond the borders of Hungary and outstanding researchers still in secondary school are also given an opportunity to showcase their talent and participate in the competition.

The only joint event of the conference series is the ceremonial closing session, generally held in November, in the Ceremonial Hall of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. This is when, in the presence of the minister in charge of education and the president of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, the given year’s OTDK is evaluated, and the students with the most outstanding results, as well as their teachers are recognized, the Pro Scientia Gold Medals, the Master Teacher Gold Medals, and other prizes of the OTDK are awarded.

The national conference is a forum for the most excellent college and university students to present their research and artistic achievements, which encourages students’ involvement in the work of the associations of the respective institutions, and supports and recognises the participants, including talented students, as well as their mentors, masters and consultants, providing them assistance in their further research efforts and starting their professional careers. (source: otdt.hu)

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