V4 + Japan

An agreement was signed by the V4 countries and Japan in 2014 on the strengthening of cooperation on the field of research and development, and publishing joint calls for applications. A joint call was published in 2015, with the involvement of NRDI Office, by Japan Science and Technology (JST) and the V4 countries. Two of the winning proposals were submitted by Hungarian institutes, which were granted a total amount of HUF 57,240,000 for a period of three years.

No joint call has been published since 2015. Nevertheless, joint seminars concerning important scientific areas in Tokyo in 2016 and 2017 (advanced materials, Internet of Things, material sciences, composite materials).

V4 + Korea

Memorandum of Understanding and joint call

The V4 countries and Korea entered into a memorandum of understanding on the field of science and technology in December 2015 (Memorandum of Understanding between The Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning of the Republic of Korea and International Visegrad Fund, Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic, National Office for Research, Development and Innovation of Hungary, National Centre for Research and Development of Poland, Slovak Academy of Sciences on Cooperation in the Fields of Science and Technology). According to the memorandum, a joint international call was published in November 2016 for the researchers of Korea and the V4 countries on the following scientific areas: chemistry and chemical engineering (applying information technology, biotechnology, and nanotechnology). A total of 20 project proposals were submitted, 5 of which were awarded a grant. All 5 awarded proposals include Hungarian participants.

V4-Korea Knowledge Sharing Programme 

The Korea Development Institute initiated the launch of the V4-Korea Knowledge Sharing Programme on the field of innovation in the spring of 2016. The programme is based on the bilateral exchange of information, in the course of which Korea seeks to implement cooperation at two levels (professional guidance and exchange of knowledge by Korea, and the sharing of experiences by the V4 countries). The programme includes numerous one year long cycles, the focus shifting to other topics each year. In 2016 and 2017, the V4 countries and Korea assessed the research, development, and innovation schemes of the V4 countries and Korea. For the Hungarian party, the main topic was “programme and project assessment methods and monitoring mechanisms on the field of research, development, and innovation”. In 2017 and 2018, the joint topic of the V4 countries is “innovation policy for SMEs in the age of Industry 4.0”. The Hungarian party focuses more specifically on “the innovation support for SMEs, with special regard to technology transfers”. The opening event of the 2017-2018 period was held in Budapest on 13 September 2017 under the aegis of the Hungarian V4 Presidency. The NRDI Office is the Hungarian party to the V4-Korea Knowledge Sharing Programme, under the coordination of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

V4 + United States

Closer cooperation between the V4 countries and the United States began in 2013 during the period of the Hungarian V4 Presidency, focusing supporting our presence on the US markets and strengthening the popularity of the innovation potential of our region. Our events raising awareness of our countries and region held in the United States in March (Washington DC: V4 Innovation Forum) and September (New York: Digital Economy Forum) 2014 were attended by high level administrative and corporate officials. Subsequently, and as a result of the efforts of the V4 Innovation Task Force, the WE4startups “Innovation from the heart of Europe” event was held in the Silicon Valley in September 2015. The program formed part of our V4 cooperation on the field of innovation and sought to present the innovation potential of the region to California-based businesses by describing the innovation institutions and decision-making bodies of the participating countries through the story of 3 successful innovative companies from each country. Prominent US companies (Google, Twitter, Facebook) were visited during the event, followed by a presentation to major bodies and investors of the Silicone Valley. Other V4 start-up events were also organised in the United States in 2016 and 2017.