Affiliation with the Debrecen Universities

As is mentioned in the section Historical Background, the University of Debrecen was divided into "partial" universities at the end of the forties. Since the change of the social regime, 1989, there has been an aspiration as well as external stimulation to re-unite the universities. As a doorstep to a united university, in 1991 an organization called the Debrecen University Association ("Universitas" in Latino-Hungarian) came into being.The member institutions were

the Debrecen University of Agriculture (DATE),
the Debrecen University Medical School (DOTE),
the Debrecen Academy of Reformed Theology (DRTA),
Kossuth University (KLTE)
and the Institute of Nuclear Research of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (ATOMKI).

The aim of this organization was to stimulate cooperation between the member institutions and thereby to prepare them for unification into a single Western-European-style large university.

The joint ventures between the member universities and ATOMKI stimulated by the University Association are as follows:

Szalay Centre of Physics, which is a spiritual framework to gather the departments of physics and ATOMKI
Joint ATOMKI-KLTE Department of Physics, headed first by Prof. E. Koltay (ATOMKI) and now by Prof. Á.Z. Kiss (ATOMKI) engaged mainly in teaching environmental physics
joint computer centre for ATOMKI and the physics depertments of KLTE
joint informatic network between the institutions connected by an optical cable
common information system for the libraries of the member institutions
PET (positron-emission tomography) Centre, belonging to DOTE and sited in ATOMKI adjacent to the cyclotron of ATOMKI, which produces the positron-emitting isotopes
moving the Department of Theoretical Physics of KLTE to the premises of ATOMKI; a joint operation of their library with that of ATOMKI
ATOMKI's participation in the physics PhD program of KLTE by having students who do their PhD works in its laboratories, some receiving fellowships from the Academy of Sciences via ATOMKI
cooperative research projects
university teaching [lecture courses to undergraduate and postgraduate students, laboratory practical classes, extracurricular works, summer laboratory training, supervision of diploma (MSc) and PhD thesis works]

In March 1998, a further step towards (re-)unification was taken by creating the Debrecen University Federation. A university federation is a federatively organized covering organization, which is a university itself, but does not annull the former status of its members. By signing the Federation Charter, the member institutions have undertaken to merge in two years. The members of the Federation are

the Debrecen University of Agriculture (DATE),
the Debrecen University Medical School (DOTE),
the Debrecen University (formerly: Academy) of Reformed Theology (DRHE),
Kossuth University (KLTE)
the Kölcsey Teachers' Training College of the Reformed Church (KFRTF)
the Debrecen Conservatoire of the Liszt Academy of Music (LFZF)

Since ATOMKI is not an educational institution itself, it has declared its affiliation as an associate member. It is understood that this status will not be changed by the merger of the full members. Thus the status of ATOMKI as a research institute of the Academy of Sciences is to be preserved.