Host partner
As a leading university training the doctors and health professionals of the future, we aim to ensure that the achievements of research and innovation benefit as many people as possible, so that we can serve their health and the healing of our patients at the highest level, as was done and taught by our namesake, Ignaz Semmelweis. Events like the THE Europe Universities Summit facilitate the cross-border knowledge sharing indispensable for this. – Béla Merkely, Rector, Semmelweis University |
Greetings from Semmelweis University
Dear visitors and colleagues,
Semmelweis University is pleased to co-host the THE Europe Universities Summit 2025 on 6–9 May in Budapest, Hungary, organised in partnership with Times Higher Education and Óbuda University.
Events such as the THE Europe Universities Summit provide an excellent platform for conversations and ideas sharing, which are indispensable in today’s research and innovation ecosystem. At the event, thought leaders from higher education, industry and wider civil society aim to address the challenges facing innovation amidst geopolitical changes, economic crises and the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic.
With a history of more than 255 years, Semmelweis University is one of the most important knowledge hubs in medicine and healthcare, not only in Hungary but also in Central and Eastern Europe. It is the region’s leading institution in THE’s international rankings for medicine, and among the world’s leaders in education, research, innovation and healthcare.
Located in the heart of Europe, Semmelweis University has a tradition of strong and fruitful connections with the world’s leading institutions and scientific workshops. After all, innovation can only develop through international knowledge sharing and the exchange of experience. This process involves not only researchers, physicians and clinicians from the world of medicine, but also thought leaders and policymakers from various fields who can look at pressing questions from different angles.
We look forward to welcoming university leaders, policymakers, thought leaders and think tanks to Budapest this May to discuss the global issues that will fundamentally affect future generations.
Professor Béla Merkely
Rector
Semmelweis University
320
highly cited publications
167
research grants
12,100
staff members
About Semmelweis University
Established in 1769, Semmelweis University is a leading higher education institution in Hungary and the Central and Eastern Europe region. The largest medical and health sciences institutes in the European Union, it integrates education with research and healthcare.
The university is a top performer in international rankings. In the 2025 Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings, Semmelweis was placed 271st, up 28 places from the previous year. It is listed as the 206th-best higher education institution in Medicine and Health according to the 2025 THE rankings by subject, while it is the highest-rated Hungarian university in its discipline.
The university offers academic programmes in three languages: English, German and Hungarian. A third of its almost 16,000 students come from 129 countries outside Hungary, making Semmelweis one of the most international universities in the world. Beyond its Budapest base, it has international campuses offering binational programmes in Hamburg and Kaiserslautern (Germany), Lugano (Switzerland), Bratislava (Slovakia), Subotica and Senta (Serbia), and Ilieni (Romania). From the 2024/25 academic year onwards, a newly revised curriculum will provide an even more practice-oriented education, ensuring that students receive high-level theoretical knowledge and hands-on training.
Research, development and innovation (RDI) comprise an important part of the university’s mission. Its research initiatives mainly focus on early diagnostics and therapy, disease prevention and active ageing. The diversity and broad spectrum of the university’s RDI activities are represented by more than 300 research groups funded by national and international grants across a broad range of fields. This has resulted in intensive scientific publication activity and a Hirsch index of 120.
In addition to its academic and research activities, Semmelweis University is also Hungary’s largest healthcare provider. Its clinics and institutes treat more than 2.5 million patients a year. Around 40 departments, covering almost the entire spectrum of care, are located in several clinical blocks and provide services for around 10 per cent of patients in Hungary.
Semmelweis University considers international relations a top priority. It organises international conferences and is represented on numerous scientific boards. The institution cooperates with more than 200 universities worldwide and is a member of organisations and alliances such as the European University for Well-Being, Eurolife, the European University Association and the European Health Management Association.
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