The heart of the Szeged campus, the TIK (József Attila Study and Information Center)

Almost all 12 faculties are located in the center of Szeged. The Szeged campus thus covers the entire city center. And the TIK is one of the iconic buildings of the University of Szeged – the center of student life. It is basically home to the university library, a large number of lectures from Monday to Wednesday, and a recreation area, which was inaugurated in December 2024. This mobile community space fills a gap – providing an opportunity for active social life during breaks between classes or for playing while studying.

A ping-pong table, foosball, bean bags, games consoles, board games, and big bean bags are available free of charge to visitors and university citizens visiting the TIK. This initiative also has a positive impact on reducing drop-out rates, as the social experience strengthens the bond between students and can also create learning communities that push each other through the more difficult subjects. The recreational space is a given, and the next step is to fill it with different programs such as workshops, a board game club, and house competitions for university citizens.

The building was designed with multifunctionality in mind, which is why it has become a center for education, learning, and events over the past 20 years. Its large spaces are used for conferences, balls, and exhibitions outside of teaching hours. For example, there is a permanent exhibition about Katalin Karikó, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in 2023 and who continued her studies and obtained her PhD at the University of Szeged.

SZTE is striving to become a sustainable and green university. The building is equipped with a heat pump system, and the roof has a solar park. The building is 90% barrier-free – increasing equality among university citizens. Previously, a converted indoor bicycle could be used to generate electricity to charge a phone.

The University of Szeged was ranked 30th in Europe and 75th in the world in UI GreenMetric's December 2024 world ranking of green universities, which ranked 1,477 universities. This result was also significantly boosted by, for example, TIK – which is considered a green institution.

Noémi Vizi works as a research fellow at the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration at the University of Szeged. She deals with responsible consumption in the fashion industry as a researcher.

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