HUN-REN: A Link to Global Science Hubs

The Hungarian Research Network (HUN-REN) seeks to establish closer cooperation with the world’s top universities and research institutes so that Hungary’s scientific performance can once again rank among the best internationally. According to Balazs Gulyas, HUN-REN president, a key goal of the organization is to build bridges between European and non-European scientific institutions, while giving new momentum to Hungarian innovation by supporting young researchers, boosting salaries, and strengthening industrial applicability of their work.

Balazs Gulyas, President of the Hungarian Research Network (HUN-REN) (Photo: Istvan Mirko)

At the international level, what partnerships is HUN-REN currently involved in, and what new endeavors are in the works for the near future?

– We want to build strong partnerships with the world’s best universities and research institutes – with those we can learn from, and who are clearly ahead of us in many fields. This is both a challenge and an opportunity, since we also have something to offer them: our excellent, highly trained Hungarian researchers and their work. We are primarily targeting institutions in the global top tier – such as the leading universities of Singapore and Hong Kong, MIT, Oxford, Harvard, Stanford, and the University of Cambridge.

Balazs Gulyas (Photo: Arpad Kurucz)

Is it a deliberate choice to focus on cooperation with institutions outside Europe?

– We see that, in the global arena, these institutions are at the fore, and it is especially important for us to be in direct contact with them. This does not mean we do not work with European research institutions, but rather that we look everywhere for opportunities to learn and develop.

Can HUN-REN be considered a kind of link between European and non-European institutions?

– Absolutely, that is what we want to achieve. The world of science today is a borderless space, and we must work with those with whom we can achieve significant results together. HUN-REN clearly represents openness towards the entire world and all actors in science.

How can you make a career in research attractive to young Hungarians, and prevent researchers from leaving the country to work abroad?

– We encourage young researchers to go abroad and gather knowledge, experience, values and work ethics from the best places in the world. I see that those who return to Hungary come back with a completely different mindset and approach than those who never had the opportunity to gain experience abroad. The goal is for them to apply their acquired knowledge and networks here at home, and it is our task to create an environment worth returning to.

Photo by Istvan Mirko

HUN-REN has just launched a three-year salary development program. Why was this necessary, and what are the next steps?

– This salary increase represents both a breakthrough and a form of recognition. A breakthrough, because this is the first time in many long years that salaries in the field are increasing by an average of 30 percent. And recognition, because it honors our researchers and all HUN-REN staff who support their work. Over recent decades, international statistical data showed a steady decline in Hungarian scientific performance since the 1980s. There are two reasons: first, some countries – especially in Southeast Asia, like Singapore – began developing their research at lightning speed; and second, Hungary’s science funding and institutional operation were based on outdated mechanisms for too long.

That is why we carried out an international audit at HUN-REN and started renewing the organization. We understood what lay behind the negative trend and what factors played a role. Importantly, the problem is not with the performance and knowledge of our researchers, but with the system that failed to support them and instead made their lives harder.

So we essentially have to change the entire operational concept. One key element is ensuring that Hungarian researchers’ salaries are on par with those in comparable fields abroad. We therefore asked the government for support to restructure salaries over three years. It is a huge achievement that, thanks to a government decision, this year we can allocate 18 billion forints (over 46.1 million euros) to research, 90 percent of which goes to salaries. 

The three-year program tells researchers that their work matters and they have a future here. This strengthens the research career path and lays the foundation for further development.

How does HUN-REN support the industrial and economic application of research results?

– In the past, publication alone was the main measure of research work. That is a very outdated view. Today, we must think in terms of value chains: if you invent something, it should enter the value chain – not only as a publication that the scientific world can read, but as a market-ready patent, license, spin-off company or product. With this mindset, we are introducing a completely new approach – a cultural shift. We have founded the HUNRENTECH technology transfer company to support our researchers in applying their scientific results in practice. Alongside this, we also plan training for those interested in value chain thinking.

Cover photo: Balazs Gulyas, President of the Hungarian Research Network (HUN-REN) (Photo: Istvan Mirko)