The scientific evaluation of the research institutes of the Hungarian Research Network HUN-REN has begun with the participation of world-renowned international researchers – the organization informed MTI on Tuesday. According to the announcement, President Balázs Gulyás began the comprehensive evaluation in January 2024 at the HUN-REN 49 Research Institute.
The process, which will be repeated every few years in accordance with international practice, takes several months. Institutes belonging to the field of life sciences are listed first, whose evaluation committees include Professor Bertil Anderson, former rector of Nanjang University of Technology, who has been involved in the selection of Nobel laureates in Chemistry for about 20 years – for a time as Chairman of the Nobel Prize Committee for Chemistry; Professor Ole Peter Ottersen, former President of Karolinska Institutet; and Professor Ole Holger Petersen, former Vice-President of the Royal Society of Natural Sciences and the European Academy, London.
According to the announcement, Balázs Gulyas identified strengthening HUN-REN's scientific and innovation capabilities in international competition, as well as increasing social, economic and intellectual impact by including research and innovation results in the value chain as a priority task.
As written, to complete the task, it is necessary to develop a new search strategy, which is based on the first assessment. “The purpose is to give an impartial and honest picture of the status of HUN-REN’s research institutes on the international stage and potential penetration points,” they noted.
According to the announcement, based on the results of the evaluation – by incorporating good international examples and good practices – a new research strategy that supports the objectives will be created in cooperation with research centres.
“This ensures that HUN-REN, as the flagship of the Janus Neumann Program announced by the government, contributes to improving the country's international standing in terms of scientific and innovative performance along the lines of the strategy defined therein. The goal is that by 2030, Hungary will be among the top 25 countries in “The world, and Europe will be among its top 10 innovators.”
