The Hungarian Academy of Sciences is open to readmitting the previously attached research network. The purpose of the return is to strengthen the domestic research ecosystem, ensure stable funding, strengthen the institutes’ autonomy, and protect research freedom. The resulting solution must also eliminate the use of academic real estate in violation of the Basic Law, written by the MTA.
They also wrote that in the statement issued on the future of the network, the heads of all but one of the research centers and independent research institutes of the HUN-REN Hungarian Research Network expressed their intention that their institutions continue to operate within the framework of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. “Today, the heads of the four research centers attached to the Eötvös Loránd University also stated in their letter to the president of the Academy that they wish to return to the framework of the Academy,” they wrote.
General directors of the HUN-REN Hungarian Research Network research institute they wrote in their statement: the principle of researcher self-government is only marginally enforced in the law establishing the network. It should be considered, they said, whether the size of the newly built administrative control center and the centralization effort are in line with the research and innovation potential represented and developed by the research network.
“If the research network can continue to operate within the framework of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, we recommend preserving the institutions’ integrity, organizational independence and operational autonomy, thereby ensuring independence from public bodies and management structures,” they added.
Previously, the Democratic Trade Union of Scientific Workers (TDDSZ) also issued a resolution on research networks, he wrote that: the institutes previously attached to the HUN-REN research network should be reinstated within the framework of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. According to the union, the four research centers currently belonging to ELTE, the 14 centers and independent institutes attached to the HUN-REN research network should also be returned to the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, and HUN-REN should be abolished.
The MTA wrote earlierthat he agrees with the main goals set out in the program of the Tisza Party, considers the access of Hungarian researchers to European Union research collaborations and resources, as well as the autonomous and transparent operation of Hungarian scientific institutions, including universities, to be of utmost importance. They have now added that in the framework of the meeting they proposed – with the involvement of the representatives of the research network – the possible return of the institute network is also proposed.
