History

Brief History of ELTE

Brief History of ELTE HU

A modern university with 380 year old traditions

2021

Faculty of Business Economics founded from the Institute of Business Economics

2019

CHARM-EU formed on the principles of the European Universities Initiative by the University of Barcelona, Trinity College Dublin, Utrecht University, University of Montpellier and ELTE

2018

The Institute of Business Economics and the Berzsenyi Dániel Teacher Training Center are founded

2017 Savaria University Center was integrated into ELTE
2016

Member of the Central European Leuven Strategic Alliance (CELSA) /Member of the LERU CE7 initiative

2014

Member of Central European Network for Teaching and Research in Academic Liaison (CENTRAL)

2013

Awarded the University of Excellence / Member of Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF)

2012

Quality Award for International Cooperation

2010

ELTE was awarded the title "research university"

2006

Member of the European University Association (EUA)
ELTE was awarded the Erasmus E-Quality Label

2003

The Faculty of Informatics, the Faculty of Education and Psychology, and the Faculty of Social Sciences were founded / Member of CEI University Network

2000

The Faculty of Primary and Pre-School Education and the Bárczi Gusztáv Faculty of Special Needs Education were integrated into the University / Member of Utrecht Network

1994

János Harsányi, ELTE alumnus was awarded the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences

1991

Member of Coimbra Group

1990

Member of UNICA Network

1983

Member of Danube Rectors' Conference

1961

György Békésy, ELTE alumnus was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine

1957

Eötvös University Orchestra and Folk Dance Group were founded

1951

The Medical Faculty (today: Semmelweis University) became an independent higher education institution

1950

The University adopted the name of the world-renowned physicist Loránd Eötvös
The Faculty of Theology became an independent higher education institution

1949

The Faculty of Science became independent of the Faculty of Humanities

1948 ELTE Bartók Béla Choir was founded

1943

György Hevesy, ELTE alumnus was awarded the Nobel Prize for Chemistry

1937

Albert Szent-Györgyi, ELTE alumnus was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine

1905

Fülöp Lénárd, ELTE alumnus was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics

1900

The first Special Education Teacher Training Course, (predecessor of the Bárczi Gusztáv Faculty of Special Needs Education) in the world was founded

1898 The Budapest University Athletics Club (BEAC) was founded

1896

Vilma Glücklich, the first female student was admitted to the University

1872

Europe's first Teacher Training School, (predecessor of ELTE Trefort Ágoston Teacher Training School), was founded

1869

The “State Teacher Training Institution”, (predecessor of the Faculty of Primary and Pre-School Education), was founded

1860

Authorization of Hungarian as a language of education at the University

1784

German becomes the main language of instruction instead of Latin
The University moved from Buda to Pest

1777

The University moved to Buda

1769

The Medical Faculty was launched

1667

The Faculty of Law was founded

1635

Cardinal Péter Pázmány signs the founding documents of the University in Nagyszombat (today: Trnava, Slovakia). The first two faculties of the university were the Faculty of Humanities and the Faculty of Theology.

The predecessor of Eötvös Loránd UniversityThe predecessor of Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE) was founded in the rural town of Nagyszombat (today: Trnava, Slovakia) in 1635 by Cardinal Péter Pázmány, as a catholic university for teaching Theology and Philosophy. In 1770-1780, the University was transferred to Buda and later to Pest, and with the support of Maria Theresa, the Empress of Austria and Queen of Hungary, became the Royal Hungarian University.

Over the following decades, new faculties were established to meet the expectations of a learned society. In the second half of the 19th century, the University developed into a centre of modern higher education in today's sense, covering nearly every scholarly field.     

Loránd EötvösIn 1950 the university was reorganized and adopted its present name. It was named after one of its professors, the world-famous physicist, Loránd Eötvös.

Recently, a new campus has been built on the scenic banks of the Danube. This campus, Lágymányos Campus is now home to three faculties: Faculty of Informatics, Faculty of Science, and Faculty of Social Sciences. 

Currently, the university has nine faculties: Economics, Education and Psychology, Humanities, Informatics, Law, Primary and Pre-School Education, Science, Social Sciences and the Bárczi Gusztáv Faculty of Special Needs Education.

Hungarian Accreditation BoardEötvös Loránd University is internationally recognized and its programs are accredited by the Hungarian Accreditation Board. The diplomas issued by Eötvös Loránd University are acknowledged worldwide, and its course credits are transferable in all countries in the European Union.

Over the last hundred years, Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE) has had many world famous scientists and four Nobel Prize laureates among its teachers and alumni. The current number of students enrolled yearly has reached 33,000, and there is an academic staff of 1,800 highly-qualified teachers and researchers.

Read more about the history of the university

Mission Statement of Eötvös Loránd University