The National Research, Development and Innovation (NRDI) Office and the National Innovation Agency (NIÜ) formally launched the HUF 5 billion GINOP Plus project “Development of the RDI ecosystem” on 6 February 2025.
At the opening event at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME), internationally significant Hungarian research centres were recognised. The priority project is supported by the Hungarian State and co-financed by the European Union.
Dr. Péter Domokos, President of the Research Council of Hungary, gave an inspiring opening speech on the mutually reinforcing processes of development and innovation. He stressed the role of research infrastructures as incubators, pointing out that the results achieved here can become a driving force for forward-looking economic and social processes.
“People are the cornerstone of every process,” emphasized Dr. László Lengyel, Vice President for Science and International Affairs of the NRDI Office, in his addition to the President’s welcome address. He spoke about this year’s recently approved National Research, Development and Innovation Fund portfolio, one of the main objectives of which is to develop research resources, support international quality research and intensively involve young researchers, PhD students and post-docs.
Dr. Györgyi Juhász, Research Infrastructure Coordinator of the NRDI Office, drew the attention of the researchers to the importance of cooperation with large international research infrastructures and the opportunities for linking with the European ecosystem.
The NRDI Office spends more than HUF 10 billion a year to ensure that the Hungarian research community has access to the opportunities offered by the most important international research infrastructures. The world’s cutting-edge research infrastructures – whether shared databases across borders or giant facilities such as the world’s largest particle physics laboratory, CERN in Switzerland – are now essential to solving global problems, but they are beyond the financial means of any one country to build and maintain. A prime example of the practical benefits of participating in such international collaborations is the Biobanking and Biomolecular Research Infrastructure (BBMRI-ERIC), whose impact in Hungary is showcased through a short film commissioned and supported by the NRDI Office.
Péter Racskó, Head of the Strategy and Monitoring Department of the NRDI Office, spoke about the details of the project “Developing the RDI ecosystem”. He said that in addition to the elements of the flagship project that encourage SMEs to engage in research, development and innovation and expand their economic links, it also opens a new chapter in the exploitation of domestic research infrastructures.
Hungary’s excellent research infrastructures were first mapped in 2021, and then in 2024 the evaluation of the last three years’ development started – informed Dr. László Nemes, expert of the NRDI Office.
Finally, Dr. János Levendovszky, professor of BME, presented several good practices of cooperation between university research centres and businesses.
Following the presentations, Dr. László Lengyel and Dr. Zsolt Fülöp, President of the National Research Infrastructure Committee, presented certificates to sixty-one representatives of domestic research infrastructures. Together with the research infrastructures that were similarly qualified in 2021, there are now a total of 111 qualified ertified research infrastructures in Hungary.
More details about the flagship project are available here: Innovation is the best return on investment
More information on international memberships funded by the NRDI Office: Hungary’s participation in international research infrastructures and organisations
