The University of Szeged was founded in Transylvania in 1872, but moved to Szeged, Hungary in 1921. The medical faculties became the independent Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical University (named after its Nobel Prize-winning former rector), but were reconsolidated into the University of Szeged in 1987. The Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical and Pharmaceutical Center now consists of two faculties- the Faculty of Medicine (including the Division of Dentistry) and the Faculty of Pharmacy. In all, it has 34 departments and 14 laboratories.
Educational facilities of a high caliber are available at the Center. The Central Medical Library houses over 138,000 books and periodicals, while the corresponding figure at the University Library is more than 1,250,000. The high-quality research conducted at this institution has earned it wide recognition. The university’s clinics have more than 1,200 beds and together are a major medical center in Hungary. Altogether, over 400 students from 30 countries take advantage of these facilities.
Education programs in English and German have been offered since 1984 and 1999 respectively. These programs are equivalent to their Hungarian counterparts, except for the medium of instruction. The Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical and Pharmaceutical Center is recognized both by the Hungarian Accreditation Board and the World Health Organization. Graduates from these programs qualify for hospital residency in countries such as the United Kingdom and Germany and are also entitled to take the USMLE to qualify in the United States.