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Credit: CsZ

Published: 

29 Jul 2026

Events

magyar zászló

Conferences and other events

We believe that for professional success, participation in international research and the development of an own international network is just as important as a precisely planned and implemented research. Key parts of this are organizing and attending conferences, and to actively participate in networking projects in your own field of research. We have been continuously and consciously building our local (since 2003) and international (since 2010) scientific network, in which the following, partly own organizations, helped us a lot.

Conferences established and organized by us

MaViGe: Makroszkopikus Vízi Gerinctelenek Kutatási Konferencia (Aquatic Macroinvertebrate Research Conference)

mavigeThe basic idea of the MaViGe emerged from the use of bringing together all those who deal with these wonderful creatures in Hungary. Including researchers working in the academic sphere, university lecturers, specialists working in public administration (TVH, VÍZIG, KÖFE, National Parks), representatives of non-governmental organisations, university students working in this field, or even interested civilians. The initiative soon recruited an enthusiastic crowd of participants, with a ‘hard core’ of 40 people visiting the event year after year, total numbers ranging from 40 to 90 over years. Those who came once did not regret it, because in addition to professional presentations, they could find a real company of friends, networking opportunities and professional connections. Following 2014, the annual arrangement changed to biennial, however, due to simpler technical organization the event became free (albeit without major service).

MaViGe térkép 2026

Programmes and books of abstracts of the MaViGe conferences

Our Facebook posts about the MaViGe conferences:

  • CESAMIR: Central European Symposium for Aquatic Macroinvertebrate Research

cesamirIn 2014, inspired by the success of MaViGe conferences we launched CESAMIR, like its international big brother. The symposium is held every two years, the first two were held in Hungary (Szarvas, Pécs), and although we are still pillar members of the scientific committee as founders and taking part in the organizational tasks, the technical organization is now done by the hosting countries. As the primary goal of the conference is professional quality in addition to the affordable price and a relaxed, friendly atmosphere, it is not surprising that the popularity of the event and the number of participants is growing year by year. Poland hosted the event in 2018, Slovakia would have followed in 2020. Unfortunately, the latter was postponed due to COVİD epidemic, but we were not discouraged, and after a little bit of delay, in 2024 we attended the 4th CESAMIR the High Tatras! The 5th CESAMIR took place in Lithuania in 2026.

CESAMIR térkép 2026

Programmes and books of abstracts of the CESAMIRs

Websites of Cesamir conferences:

Our Facebook posts about the CESAMIRs:

Meetings organized by us in networking projects

SMIRES COST Action Working group meeting

smiresmeetingIn February 2018, the actual Working Group meetings of SMIRES (Science and Management of Intermittent Rivers and Ephemeral Streams) COST Action were organized by our department. Within the framework of the EU-funded program for networking and expanding researchers’ professional connections, this project is extremely diverse: it covers all areas related to intermittent rivers and streams, the ecological, environmental, economic and social impacts and management of increasing and more frequent drying-ups. Thanks to this, many people took part in the professional meetings: 61 participants from 21 countries visited our university and spent three days in Pécs, during which, beyond the professional work, they also had some informal programs in the evenings.

DNAqua-NET COST Action Working group meeting

dnaqua-netmeetingBetween 12 and 14 June 2018, the actual meetings of the DNAqua-Net COST Action (Management Committee and Working Group Meetings) were organized by our department. The DNAqua-Net community aims to integrate innovative genetic tools into the practice of biological assessment of surface and groundwater and into monitoring programs required by the EU Water Framework Directive. These allow a more comprehensive assessment of the ecological status of European water bodies and, in some cases, detecting the appearance of invasive or rare species is faster than with the traditional methods. Due to the importance of the topic, many people took part in the professional discussions: about 110 participants from 30 countries (including researchers, decision-makers and industry partners dealing with water quality assessment) visited our university.

Briefly about our conference attendance

Conference series that we would not miss… the SEFS!

sefsThe Symposium for European Freshwater Sciences is one of the most prestigious European assembly of aquatic sciences, including perhaps most prominently freshwater ecology, held every two years in changing locations with an average of 500-700 participants. Since 2011 we have been there on all SEFS. The general program, and within, the sections and lectures that interest us most and are important for our research, follow each other so densely and overlappingly that we often have to make arrangements on who is listening to which one, but even so we cannot watch every presentation that seems interesting. Such an event always gives new energy and impetus, it is good to see where science is going, new acquaintances and potential collaborations are formed and, of course, there is an excellent opportunity to cultivate already well-proven professional relationships, because at this conference everyone who really matters in the profession is there. Girona, Münster, Olmouc, Geneva and Zagreb would have been followed by Dublin, but unfortunately COVID intervened, in 2021 SEFS will only be kept online. We hope on the following one we will be able to participate in person again because it is irreplaceable and we would not miss it for the world!

Other conferences we attended…

tovkonfOf course, attending smaller, more local, more specialized conferences or workshops for more specific purposes can also be very rewarding, so with a smaller or larger number of participants we try to represent the department on all the events where our research topics and results can reach an inclusive audience. We encourage our young ones to attend Fresh Blood for Freshwater (FBFW) meetings addressed specifically for early career researchers, while our more experienced colleagues head more in the direction of their expertise, towards special meetings of each group of organisms if they can (Central European Dipterological Conference (CEDC), International Colloquium on the Amphipoda (ICA), the International Symposium on Chironomidae (ISC), the European Congress of Entomology (ECE)), or the Balkans (International Symposium of Ecologists in Montenegro (ISEM), SMIRES Closing Conference, Albania). Of course, we also try to include Hungarian events in the program if our time allows.