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MOMENTUM OF INNOVATION

4. The development and funding of research infrastructures

Act LXXVI of 2014 on scientific research, development and innovation (hereinafter: “RDI Act”) stipulates that “the
Government performs all tasks related to the public funding of research, development and innovation primarily through the
National Research, Development and Innovation Office (hereinafter: ‘NRDI Office’) to ensure that the supervision of research,
development and innovation is based on harmonised legal practice and that funds available for research, development and in-
novation are spent efficiently” and that “the Government provides public funding to research, development and innovation
primarily from the National Research, Development Fund (hereinafter: ‘NRDI Fund’).”

According to the RDI Act: “the purpose of the NRDI Fund is to provide a secure and predictable source of funding to encourage
and fund research and development and economically exploited innovation, help strengthen research and development that
bears fruit in the economy and in other areas, help exploit Hungarian and foreign research results and improve the research,
development and innovation infrastructure and related services.”.

The NRDI Office funds the development of domestic research infrastructures and memberships in international research
infrastructures from the NRDI Fund, through chapter-managed appropriations.

The establishment and extension of research infrastructures , and the funding of ESFRI memberships may take place
through various funding mechanisms.

• The ELI large research infrastructure, which is unique even by international standards, is funded as a priority state project
partly from domestic and partly from EU sources (European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF)), the European
Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the EU’s framework programme for research and innovation (Horizon 2020).
• The establishment and development of smaller domestic research infrastructures (RIs) are funded in the framework of
various targeted competitive funding programmes and schemes. Depending on geographical location and goals, projects
may get funding domestic sources or from the European Structural Funds.
• In addition, research institutions and higher education institutions establish and develop RIs from own funds or in co-
operation with businesses.
• Membership fees related to participation in ESFRI projects and landmarks are paid in accordance with the terms of the
agreement concluded for the given RI. Membership fees are financed from the chapter-managed appropriations, through
the contribution of contribution paid the NRDI Office.

The responsibility of operating a given unique research infrastructure primarily lies with the research institution or
higher education institution which created it. To secure their sustainability, domestic RIs have to be operated with openness
and by strengthening cooperation. This is facilitated by the classification of RIs into infrastructure groups. The extensive
external use of RIs in a regulated environment is very important both in terms of internationality and for the involvement
of the business sector: it ensures that RI capacities are used widely and efficiently and provides additional sources of income
for covering operation and further development costs.

In addition to the NRDI Fund’s contribution, it is an aim that international membership fees are paid to the largest pos-
sible extent from the own resources of the research and higher education institutions involved in the given international
research infrastructure. Another aim is to increase the share of Hungary’s in-kind contributions in paying the international
membership fees.

Since 1 January 2015, when the NRDI Office was established, several funding programmes have been launched in Hungary
to stimulate RDI activities. These programmes were mainly aimed at developing research infrastructures, promoting knowl-
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