The most advanced research infrastructures around the world - various large equipment, complex facilities, data banks - are definitely indispensable for solving global problems and for scientific breakthroughs. However, their construction and maintenance in most cases are beyond the financial means of a single country, that is why they are realized with international cooperation (like e.g. the CERN laboratory in Switzerland celebrating its 70th anniversary this year).

The list of RDI events taking place under the auspices of the Hungarian Presidency of the European Union in the second half of 2024 is available on our website.

Under the Cooperative Doctoral Programme (full title from summer 2024: University Research Scholarship Programme - Cooperative Doctoral Programme) launched by the National Research, Development and Innovation Office (NRDI Office), Scientia et Securitas, a journal jointly founded by the Scientific Council for Internal Affairs and the Association of Hungarian PhD and DLA Students, has published and continues to publish thematic issues of the most outstanding students’ writings on security issues.

The new generation scaffolding system developed by Caadex Kft. is currently unrivalled on the market. Not only is it more stable and safer than other solutions, but its intelligent sensors can alert the user if the scaffold is not assembled correctly or if the structure needs maintenance or inspection. The “smart scaffolding” creates a much safer working environment in the construction industry than traditional solutions, and its costs are not significantly higher.

Budapest, 31 July 2024 – Evaluation of the professional content of project proposals to the 2023 Fast Track Call closed The National Research, Development and Innovation Office is offering non- refundable funding of up to HUF 300 million per project for the development of products, technologies or services with significant scientific or technical novelty. Projects shortlisted for funding include promising innovations that offer promising solutions to many of today’s major challenges, such as understanding the ageing process, treating infections or improving public safety.

Budapest, 05 July 2024 – Despite the numerous unfounded and untrue allegations that have surfaced in recent weeks about the National Research Excellence Programme (NREP), renewed by the Research Council of Hungary (RCH), figures show that the malicious criticism has not shaken the confidence of Hungarian researchers: nearly 1,400 proposals have been submitted, with an unprecedented HUF 126 billion in funding requests.

As a Hungarian enterprise, Gravity Research & Development Zrt. has been present on the global market for recommendation engines since 2010, helping service providers in a wide variety of industries both in Hungary and abroad. Under the brand names Yusp and Yuspify, they offer personalisation solutions based on cloud analytics to better understand and predict customer needs in providing online services. Funding from the National Research, Development and Innovation Fund has helped the company to further develop its product range with new technologies to make it more attractive and competitive on this rapidly changing market.

Precision oncology has become part of everyday cancer care. The molecular profile of a tumour can be accurately mapped and a wide range of targeted drugs are available for treatment. However, it is an enormous challenge to effectively link the two areas to ensure that therapy is truly personalised. The oncology decision-support system developed by Oncompass Medicine Hungary Kft. uses artificial intelligence to analyse genetic and clinical data, and then assigns the drugs and active substances that are expected to produce the best results in a given case.

The National Research, Development and Innovation Office, in cooperation with the Corvinus University of Budapest, organized an information day at the university's Gellért Campus on May 27, 2024 on the opportunities provided by the COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) programme.

The National Research, Development and Innovation Office (NRDI Office) is launching its SME Focal Area Innovation Programme, an innovation call for proposals to support the focal areas designated in the John von Neumann Programme, with a HUF 50 billion budget, HUF 15 billion more than last year. The digitisation of the economy and society, the green transition and the preservation of healthy life are the focal areas where we face the most pressing challenges today and where Hungary can be most competitive.

Brussels, Thursday 23 May 2024 (MTI) – Hungary spends a total of HUF 34 billion a year on internationalisation programmes that fund research anywhere in the world that will advance our economic interests, Balázs Hankó, State Secretary for Higher Education, Innovation, Vocational Training and Adult Education of the Ministry of Culture and Innovation (KIM), said in Brussels on Thursday.

The National Research, Development and Innovation Office (NRDI Office) has announced a new HUF 8 billion call to support the launch of international research projects led by excellent Hungarian research teams and involving the world’s top universities and research institutes focusing on solving social and economic challenges of importance to Hungary and worldwide.

The OTKA programme, which has been supporting Hungarian scientific research for almost four decades, continues from 2024 under the name of the National Research Excel-lence Programme (NKKP), renewed in line with the highest international standards. For this purpose, following last year’s allocation of HUF 13.5 billion, this year a significantly increased grant fund of HUF 19 billion is available, which exceeds the previous amount by over 40%. The distribution of these funds will be decided by the newly established Re-search Council of Hungary, led by Hungarian Nobel laureate physicist Ferenc Krausz, based on the recommendations of international professional evaluation committees.

On 30 April 2024, the Hungarian Association for Innovation (MISZ) held a board meeting at the Bécsi út Campus of its member institution, Óbuda University. An unusual and unique item on the agenda of the meeting was the signing of a long-term tripartite strategic cooperation agreement.

Budapest, 26 March 2024 – Hungary’s innovation scene sprang to life again when the 2023 Hungarian Innovation Grand Prix and 7 other innovation prizes were awarded on 26 March 2024 in the Upper House of the Hungarian Parliament.