In the framework of the call titled “Funding for Hungarian internship programmes for Hungarian university students studying in the UK” businesses operating in Hungary can apply for non-refundable funding to finance the employment costs of interns participating in the given businesses’ RDI activities.

The call has a total budget of HUF 25 million (EUR 82,000) which can be spent on the employment costs of interns: businesses can apply for up to HUF 1.3 million (over EUR 4200) of funding for the 1 to 3 month period of summer internship between 15 June and 30 September. One business may apply for funding for up to five interns, submitting a separate application for each. The applications will be evaluated in a simplified procedure. The first submission deadline is 4 May 2017. The NRDI Office’s website includes an online registration form where any businesses concerned can submit their data which become available for students interested in such internship opportunities.

In his visit to the UK last October, József Pálinkás, President of the NRDI Office also met Hungarian students studying there and confirmed that Hungary has a long-term interest in maintaining and even strengthening Hungarian students’ professional relationship with their home country. The “Future: Hungary” conference organised by Hungarian Cambridge students again this year on 18 March, provides advices to students interested in starting their career in Hungary. Last year the organisers confirmed to the president of the NRDI Office that a large number of Hungarian students studying in UK higher education institutions plan to pursue their career in Hungary, so they would gladly participate in internships in their home country. The recently published call furthers this aim by connecting domestic businesses with students. Hungarian businesses eager to be active in the field of research, development and innovation have better opportunities to achieve their aim by extending their team with highly qualified young professionals just about to start their careers.

There is already intense scientific cooperation between UK and Hungarian research centres in over 200 projects, and just with the University of Cambridge there is a dozen of Hungarian members participating in research projects worth nearly EUR 5 million in the fields of nanotechnology, food safety and healthy society. This ensures that the strong scientific relations between the two countries will persist even after the United Kingdom’s exit from the EU.