On this page, you can find out more about the OTDK. We’ll tell you about the benefits of taking part and how to apply. Scroll down for more information.
The National Student Research Conference, or OTDK, is the largest scientific event in Hungary, presenting and evaluating the scientific and artistic achievements and research projects of the most outstanding students. The 16 disciplinary sections of the bi-annual conference are open to those students who have achieved the best results at the institutional TDK conferences, as judged by a professional jury. Hungarian students from abroad and outstanding secondary school students also have the opportunity to present themselves and participate in the competition. At the OTDK, young people from different institutions who are researching in similar fields get to learn about each other’s achievements and get feedback from the best professionals in their fields and from each other. The event brings together more than 4,000 applicants, their supervisors, reviewers, judges, sponsors and many interested people. Every two years, it is the meeting place for most of the professionals and the Hungarian research intelligentsia.
The closing event of the Conference is always held in a venue of high scientific prestige. It is the occasion for the evaluation of the current OTDK, the awarding of the best students and their most successful masters, the Pro Scientia, Pro Arte and Junior Pro Scientia Gold Medals, the Master Teacher Gold Medals and other OTDT awards, with the participation of professional leaders at ministerial and state secretary level and guests from the MTA Board.
The significance and uniqueness of the TDK and the OTDK is not only that it is a voluntary commitment and engagement (for both students and teachers participating), but also that it is the first entry point for students into academia, even the first milestone in a research career. In addition, participation in the TDK and OTDK events offers a number of benefits that can only be achieved here. Main benefits of (O)TDK are:
You can enter if you have participated in the institutional TDK, have been nominated for advancement and have uploaded your entry to the OTDT online system in time. The application period runs from the autumn of each even-numbered year until the deadline for the relevant section. The deadlines for each section can be found here. For details on how to enter, please refer to the call for your section.
If you have already made it this far, you will know that your application and participation will be supported by your section’s website and Facebook page, where you will find all the information you need. The OTDK series of events takes place every odd spring across the country and across the border. Word of advice: if you’re already attending OTDK, it’s a good idea to be present for the 2-3 days of the conference. Listen to the presentations of your fellows, get to know each other at the section meetings and the relaxing activities. This is actually the best part of OTDK!
