Brussels Launches Political Vendetta

The Universities 2030 Program kicks off with the aim of ensuring that within the next five years, at least one Hungarian university ranks among the world's top 100 universities and that multiple Hungarian universities are among Europe’s top 100, announced Balazs Hanko, minister for Culture and Innovation. The minister emphasized that Brussels is devising ways to harm Hungarian students and researchers by excluding them from international collaborations. He announced that this year, the HU-Horizon program will be launched again with a budget of 8 billion forints (about 20 million euros), allowing applications from two foreign universities as well.

"Stanford, Singapore, Cambridge, Semmelweis, MATE, Szeged, Debrecen, Obuda - this is what we want the international ranking of universities to be by 2030, which is why we are launching the Universities 2030 program," said Balazs Hanko at HU-Horizon 2025 – Leading Hungarian Universities conference.

He stated the ministry's goal of

at least one Hungarian university making the world's top 100 list by 2030, and multiple Hungarian universities making Europe's top 100 list.

"The aforementioned universities collaborate within the HU-Horizon program with the most prestigious North American, European, and Asian universities. We have supported thirty projects in which a Hungarian university serves as the consortium leader, conducting outstanding research in areas of key importance to Hungarian people, such as healthcare, robotics, information technology, and environmental sustainability," he explained.

Focus on Competitiveness Instead of Exclusion

The minister stressed that Hungary has achieved a competitiveness breakthrough in universities and research and development, which the European Union should recognize. He pointed out the pressing need for a breakthrough in the EU. Europe is losing in productivity metrics, dropping from 95% to 80% efficiency compared to the U.S., and lacks strong technological firms with only four of the worlds leading tech firms based in the EU. Academic performance on the continent is also faltering, currently at 18% compared to 25% a decade ago. 

Instead of working towards developing competitiveness, Brussels is more focused on excluding Hungarian students and researchers from international collaborations,

Balazs Hanko pointed out.

Brussels's Political Vendetta 

The minister recalled that the Hungarian government has worked to protect Hungarian researchers and students, even passing legislation last year to resolve all disputed issues. However, Brussels remains unsatisfied, pushing for a political vendetta by demanding that university boards exclude rectors and professors. They even seek to retroactively impose term limits on rectors.

Brussels now aims to declare national and political affiliations as conflicts of interest, which the Hungarian government will not accept, as they remain committed to the success of Hungarian researchers and students,

the minister added.

Tisza Party: Against Hungarian Researchers, But for Gender Studies

Hanko added that in the ten-year term, four out of ten EU research projects remain incomplete, prompting the Conservatives and the Patriots Groups to propose that all researchers be included in the Horizon program and that gender studies not receive funding. However, the European Parliament spear-headed by the majority European People's Party (EPP), led by the anti-Hungarian Manfred Weber, rejected this amendment.

"MEPs of Hungary's Tisza Party abandoned Hungarian researchers, but took a stand in favor of gender studies," Hanko said.

As a result and based on the successes of last year, the Hungarian government decided to relaunch the HU-Horizon program with 8 billion forints (about 20 million euros), offering non-refundable grants of 100–400 million forints (250 thousand to 1 million euros), with Hungarian universities leading the consortia. The minister also stressed that the government is ready to top up the slated funding if the merits of a given project warrants further funds.
 

HU-Horizon Now Open to Foreign Applicants

In response to Brussels attacking national identity, the Hungarian government has expanded the HU-horizon program this year, 

allowing applications from two Hungary-linked universities in the neighboring countries: Sapientia Hungarian University of Transylvania in Romania and Ferenc Rakóczi II Transcarpathian Hungarian College in Ukraine.

"We would like Sapientia to be among Romania’s top ten universities and the Transcarpathian institution to be among Ukraine’s top five private universities," the minister said.
 

Changes in HU-Horizon Criteria, Evaluation

Laszlo Lengyel, deputy president of the National Research, Development, and Innovation Office (NKFIH), added that the program’s funding and duration remain unchanged. Hungarian universities are made consortium leaders to gain leadership experience, and 30 out of 112 proposals were funded last year. The goal is to involve young researchers, creating valuable job opportunities.

The evaluation process is changing: applications will undergo pre-screening, followed by an external review by at least two international experts, leading to a final ranking sent to the ministry.

Cover photo: Balazs Hanko, Hungary's Minister for Culture and Innovation (Photo: MTI/Robert Hegedus)