Call for Submissions
Széchenyi István University
Scientific and Artistic Student Conference

29 April 2026

Submission deadline (title and abstract): 9 March 2026
Final paper upload deadline: 13 April 2026

We are pleased to invite you to participate in the Scientific and Artistic Students’ Conference and Talent Day, to be held on 29 April 2026.

We welcome applications from all students who wish to present their work in any scientific or artistic field. Based on the results, students may qualify for the National Scientific Students’ Associations Conference (OTDK), the most prestigious academic competition in Hungary, held biannually. The next OTDK will take place in 2027.

Call for Participation

The Scientific Students’ Associations movement (TDK) is the broadest and most comprehensive talent development framework within Hungarian higher education. It serves as a cornerstone of independent learning, elite training and academic career development. Within the inspiring environment of TDK research groups, built around supervisors, teachers and researchers, many students experience their first genuine engagement with scholarly inquiry.

The University Council of Scientific and Artistic Students’ Associations (ETDT) invites university students to submit high-quality papers and artistic works to the Conference in the 2026/27/1 semester. Successful participants will earn the right to compete at the 38th OTDK in 2027, where they may present their work before peers and leading experts in their field. We also encourage lecturers, researchers and professionals from academic and applied fields to support the next generation as supervisors and reviewers.

Submission Requirements

Participants are required to write, submit and orally present a scientific or artistic paper. During preparation, students receive guidance from their chosen supervisor. The topic does not have to be tied to the student’s degree programme; however, it must be elaborated in greater depth than a standard semester assignment.

The written paper must meet the content and formal requirements of the relevant OTDK section: https://otdk.hu/otdk/szekcio-felhivasok.
Exception – Cover page: The paper must include the author(s)' name(s), title of the work, degree programme, year of study, and the supervisor(s)’ name(s) and academic position(s).

Accepted submissions must be presented in person at the section meetings on 29 April 2026, following the written evaluation. In justified cases, online presentation may be permitted. As the working language of OTDK is Hungarian, we encourage the use of Hungarian at the institutional Conference as well. (English-language papers and presentations may be submitted at the institutional stage, but Hungarian may be compulsory at the OTDK, depending on the section.) For international students at Széchenyi István University, the Conference language is English.

Presentations are limited to 15 minutes, followed by a five-minute discussion. Presentations will take place within disciplinary sections on the day of the Conference. PowerPoint files do not need to be submitted in advance; presenters should bring them on a USB drive or send them by email on the day.

All authors and supervisors of presented papers will receive a certificate of participation.
Up to one third of the papers in each section may receive prizes (First, Second or Third Place), and up to half may receive awards (including special prizes). Placement is determined by the combined score of the written and oral evaluations.

Written submissions are reviewed by one or two referees; oral presentations are evaluated by a panel of experts on the day of the Conference.

The TDK Conference will also feature a Talent Day, including a joint opening and closing ceremony where results will be announced. Qualification for the OTDK will be communicated by email in the week following the Conference.

Application Process

Please complete the application form available at tdk.sze.hu under:
Preparation and Application / Application
(Accessible after logging in.)

If you wish to designate more than one supervisor or have questions regarding the application process, please contact us at tdk@sze.hu.

• Title and abstract submission deadline: 9 March 2026
  (Abstract length with spaces: min. 1300, max. 2000 characters)

• Final paper upload deadline: 13 April 2026

Additional Information

A paper may be excluded if:

• it receives less than 33 percent of the maximum score (45 points) during written evaluation (i.e., fewer than 15 points);
• it is a resubmission of a paper previously entered into a Conference without substantive development.

Application portal after login: https://tdk.sze.hu/examiner/index/

We wish you successful preparation and productive work!

OTDK – the National Scientific and Artistic Students’ Associations Conference, held biennially. The next event takes place in 2027. Students who qualify at the institutional level compete nationally across 16 academic fields, each represented by a dedicated section hosted by different universities. More information: https://otdk.hu/