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.

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)