About us

In autumn 1999, the history departments of Eötvös Loránd University decided to establish the Institute of Historical Studies, which began operating in 2000. Its first director was Lajos Izsák, head of the history department body since 1994. He continued in the role until 2008, when Csaba Borsodi was elected to the position. The current Director of the Institute is Ildikó Horn.

With its 11 departments and more than 100 staff members (lecturers, emeriti, research fellows, administrative staff), the Institute of Historical Studies is the largest institute within Eötvös Loránd University’s Faculty of Humanities. Our 11 departments are divided into two groups. 

On the one hand, five departments were established based on chronology: the Department of Ancient History, the Department of Medieval History, the Department of Early Modern History, the Department of Modern and Contemporary Hungarian History and the Department of Modern and Contemporary History.

On the other, six of our departments are organised according to theme rather than chronology. These include the Atelier Department of Interdisciplinary History. Inspired by the Annales School, the department is characterised by high theoretical and methodological standards, interdisciplinary and problem-oriented approaches, and an inclination towards social, cultural, economic history as well as historiography. The Department of Economic and Social History immerses itself in the history of European societies, economic processes and cultures, while the Department of Cultural History deals with cultural history, the history of everyday life and the historical features of different lifestyles. Meanwhile, the Department of Eastern and Central European History and Historical Russistics studies the history of Central and Eastern Europe, while paying special attention to the study of Russian people and culture. The Institute of Historical Studies also incorporates the Department of Auxiliary Studies of History and the Department of Digital Humanities.

In 2022, the Institute of Historical Studies at ELTE Faculty of Humanities was granted the title “MTA Centre of Excellence” by the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (MTA).