In his opening speech József Pálinkás, President of the NRDI Office said: “This event provides an opportunity to map common research areas and national R&D programmes where both Hungary and Norway show great research potential, which are in the development focus of both countries, and in which cooperation improves our chances to answer future research challenges with promising achievements. This can also serve as a background when planning future RDI programmes to be funded by Norway Grants.”

Presentation by József Pálinkás: Towards a more intense cooperation between excellent Hungarian and norwegian Research teams PDF (1 984 KB)

Kristin Danielsen, International Director at The Research Council of Norway stressed: “The EEA/Norway grants allows for cooperation between Norway and Hungary. I hope to see a lot of good and promising projects resulting from the meeting today! I am convinced that collaboration will be beneficial to both countries and will enhance participation in large-scale projects in the EU’s framework programmes.”

Presentation by Kristin Danielsen: Why look to Norway PDF (2 687 KB)

In the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme, launched in 2014, altogether 89 projects have been started in Norwegian–Hungarian cooperation. The joint project proposals of the two countries selected for funding in EU calls mainly relate to food safety, sustainable agriculture, ICT and the development of research infrastructures. The Hungarian participants of the joint projects have won around EUR 16 million (nearly HUF 5 billion). Among universities the Budapest University of Technology and Economics was the top performer, followed by the University of Debrecen and the Szent István University.

Presentation by Szonja Csuzdi: Future research collaboration funding opportunities PDF (628 KB)

In the “Future Research Challenges” event Norwegian and Hungarian research centres and innovative businesses will present their projects and share their views on future research directions in health, environment, social sciences and technology. Norwegian and Hungarian participants will present their project ideas two each other in thematic sessions in search for potential bi- or multilateral research cooperation opportunities, and on the second day they will discuss potential future projects in the framework of visits to research institutions. The National Contact Points of the NRDI Office will be available in the event for consultation on specific funding opportunities.

At the event the representative of the University of Oslo will give a presentation on the effects of climate change and air pollution on cultural heritage buildings, and the delegate of the Oslo Cyclotron Laboratory will present running research projects in the particle accelerator facility which are also open to Hungarian scientists. Important international research infrastructures, such as the ELI laser research centre in Szeged or the Consortium of European Social Science Data Archives (CESSDA) and the European Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage Laboratory (ECCSEL) in Norway, also provide cooperation opportunities to the researchers of the two countries. Participants will also receive detailed information on the thematic research and innovation programmes under the EU’s Horizon 2020 innovation framework programme.

Presentation by Zsolt Fülöp: The ELI-ALPS project PDF (3 062 KB)

Budapest, 15 February 2018

M5 television covers the conference, interview with Professor Nils Christian Stenseth