“We have not retreated from engaging in debates” – President László Lovász’s annual report

An extended educational methodology program, agriculture and climate change, hydrology. The future direction of these research areas are all of national importance, hence these were the main focal points of President László Lovász’s annual report. The new Research Centre for Humanities will open its gates by the end of 2016 while the new building of the Institute of Experimental Medicine is also under construction. A new office or department is to be set up to enhance the domestic efficiency in winning international grants. The social connections of the Academy have further been solidified through the fight against pseudo-science, the many events celebrating the 150th anniversary of our main building, as well as through the new and improved Hungarian Science Festival – said Mr. Lovász.

Dear General Assembly!

Please allow me to welcome you again at our work meeting following our gala ceremony. May I take this opportunity to extend a special greeting to the almost two hundred non-academician representatives here, most of whom are attending the General Assembly of MTA for the first time.

As I indicated to you last year, this year’s General Assembly has been organized in a new fashion: the first day is dedicated to administrative tasks – including such fundamental duties as the election of new members, so we can devote the second day to genuine content: scientific lectures and debates. Tomorrow our outstanding scholars will be accompanied by the representatives of the competitive sector. This cooperation is possible because work has begun in the joint excellence centre created by the Academy and Audi Hungaria Ltd., which produces a great proportion of the national income. Beside the competitive sector, our General Assembly will feature art as well: a lecture will be delivered by a member of the Széchenyi Academy of Literature and Arts, founded by Domokos Kosáry. As part of our policy regarding opening towards society, some of our lectures will be open to the wider public.

I was overjoyed to see during the organization process of the scientific program that the number of topics proposed for the open lectures far exceeded the amount we could include in the extended program. Consequently, three special sessions have been arranged for Wednesday, Thursday and next Monday. The titles of these are “Wonders from underground – the latest developments regarding Hungarian excavations”, “Healthcare in 21st century societies” and “Hungarian hydrology and the development of its institutional system – to support sustainable water management and maintain Hungary’s competitiveness”. Additionally, the program includes some very stimulating departmental events as well. Altogether I believe we are looking forward to an exciting as well as intriguing General Assembly.

Dear General Assembly!

The main task of our Academy is to support research conducted in our research centres and within the entirety of our public body. In accordance with the Academy Act, each of our research centres issue an annual report on their work, which is accepted through an assembly resolution. The Secretary General of the Academy will inform you in detail regarding the activities of our research centres. On my part, I am always impressed to read the reports about our research results on the homepage of the Academy. For example, seeing the Lendület (Momentum) Group headed by Zsolt Frei among the authors of the article on gravitational waves was a great pleasure. These results prove day by day how well we manage to ensure the background for composed, creative work.

Unfortunately, an annual report must also address problems as well as successes. Our main cause for concern last year was the situation of the Research Centre for Natural Sciences. This made the headlines several times, although the information presented by the media was not always precise, problems were occasionally exaggerated. Our homepage covered the details, namely the audits and the consolidation plan. Naturally, our Secretary General will also review this issue. Allow me to point out a crucial fact, however; no sign of deliberate fraud has been found by the auditors. In most cases our account was overdrawn in order to finance research, though in a more generous manner than our possibilities would have dictated.

Soon, you will hear about our 2015 budget and our budget plan for 2017, as separate items on our agenda. At this point allow me to note, that all the boards and organizations in charge have approved our account of the 2015 budget. Concerning the 2017 budget proposal, it is worth highlighting that a proposed bill entitles us to raise wages by the same percentage in our research network as in higher education.

Dear General Assembly!

As I already noted in my opening speech this morning, three large scale research programs concerning the whole of society have been initiated. The preparation and launch of these projects have kept us busy for months.

Our program on educational methodology was announced by the Educational Presidential Board headed by Professor Valéria Csépe in the fall of 2014. 88 entries were submitted for the first, preliminary round, of which we could afford to support 15 projects. During a one day conference in March, these research groups reported the results of their fruitful projects which were concluded by 31st December 2015. The budget of this program has been quadrupled this year and a program committee, headed by András Patkós, our fellow member has also been set up. Hopefully, the results obtained will help solve at least a minor portion of the major problems present in public education today. As the dates cited clearly indicate, the Academy was not guided by political commotions when it came to addressing the public education situation. We were, and to this day are, offering a scientific solution to a problem identified a long time ago.

Agriculture is unquestionably a top priority in the Hungarian economic sector, which is without a shadow of a doubt, facing enormous challenges: climate change, environmental damage, emergence of new pests, intensifying international competition including problems presented by GM foods. These types of challenges can only be addressed through innovative scientific results, or even results produced through basic research projects in breeding, plant protection and soil cultivation. Most of you have probably been already been informed through the officially published government decrees that the government has granted 10 billion HUF for the Centre for Agricultural Research, for a greenfield investment in Martonvásár to be launched in the near future. This enlarged research centre is to serve as the basis of the agrarian innovation research projects. The enterprise is headed by Beáta Barnabás, Deputy Secretary General and Ervin Balázs, Director General.

Our third program concerns hydrology. The rising strategic significance of water reserves is acknowledged both worldwide and in Hungary. According to even moderate voices, in the upcoming decades water related issues will become the number one cause of global crises. Upon my request, a committee headed by András Szöllősi-Nagy and Tamás Németh have forged out a plan compatible with the Jenő Kvassay national water strategy to boost research on hydrology in Hungary and to synchronize these projects with work in the international field. This program is in the preparatory phase, but its central elements will be presented on a special session on Monday in which János Áder, President of the Republic will also deliver a speech.

Dear General Assembly!

Allow me to highlight the central role of the work pursued in the most important units of our Academy, our scientific departments. In most cases, both their scientific autonomy and the interests of the Academy as a whole govern their decisions. Recently, together with the heads of departments we have reviewed administrative conditions sometimes hindering departmental work. I feel that our revisions seem to enable more effective functioning and now our departments can better concentrate on scientific challenges and developing professional associations.

In my annual report last year, I specified as a top priority to address our public body, which comprises almost 15 thousand members with a scientific degree. Our efforts are starting to bear fruit. The feedback from our members has been rather positive. They acknowledge the information provided and appreciate being involved in our work, as now their role is not solely electing members every third year. We must take advantage of possibilities offered by this extensive base. The opinion and support of our doctoral members is of crucial importance regarding this issue.

During our session last year, Miklós Maróth fellow member suggested actively involving senior or already retired members or doctors of the Academy as well as our qualified researchers in dealing with joint tasks. Unfortunately, legal and financial reasons sometimes prevent us from awarding the title Professor Emeritus to those deserving it. Following lengthy negotiations, a presidential resolution to create the title “Researcher Emeritus of the Academy” is to be passed in the immediate future. The title will be bestowed upon retired researchers who have spared no effort in furthering the cause of science at one of our research centres. The centres will have a free hand in determining the exact content of the title and the nature of collaboration which ensures a flourishing relationship with our retired colleagues.

Similarly to my last annual report, I wish to appreciate again the work conducted in regional committees that excel in maintaining contact with members of society – a fundamental task in certain regions. Our regional committees got the message, so to speak, regarding the aims of the Academy and helped immensely in achieving them, sometimes even proactively.

A topic closely connected to the above is promoting and nurturing relationships with Hungarians in the neighbouring countries, a task assigned to the Hungarian Science Abroad Presidential Committee. Besides traditional cooperation with the scientific community of Transylvania, we also offer financial support to scientific organizations in Slovakia, Serbia and the region of Transcarpathia. Our external members and the external members of the public body, whom I welcome heartily here, take a leading role in maintaining these relationships.

Dear General Assembly!

Cultivating international relationships of Hungarian science is a central task of our Academy. Last year’s highlight was the 7th World Science Forum in November, hosted by the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. The most significant scientific organizations, featuring UNESCO, the International Council for Science (ICSU) and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), which publishes the journal Science, collaborated with us in the organization process. The Forum attracted more than 900 scientists, political and economic leaders and scientific journalists to Budapest. A new feature of the conference was that the almost 100 lectures were followed by scientific debates, moderated by renowned scientific journalists: editors or editors in chief from Nature, BBC, and the Financial Times.

The European significance of the Forum was indicated by the fact that the president of the European Research Community (ERC) and the director general of the Joint Research Centre (JRC) both participated and also presented a separate program for the event. The Hungarian Academy of Sciences acted as an active co-organizer of the sections discussing migration, the latest results on brain research and global health challenges.

The final declaration of the Forum cited widely by international and national experts formulated recommendations on sustainability, including climate change; the minimization of catastrophe risk; the basic principles of scientific counselling and the accessibility of education.

The following year will also bring a significant European event to the Acedemy: the joint general assembly of Academia Europea and ALLEA, the federation of all European Academies. According to preliminary plans, young Hungarian scientists will also be able to introduce themselves during the event.

Speaking of our international contacts, allow me to mention the delegation of leading scientists in which I also participated. The delegation addressed Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission and successfully argued against the reduction of the support to basic research, with special emphasis on the budget of ERC. Also allow me to mention the business trip to Brussels which all four presidents of the Academies of the Visegrád Four (V4) attended to discuss with commissioners Moeads and Navrasics how the efficiency of tenders from new EU members could be improved. This is an issue that requires considerable efforts on our part. We arrange conferences to help preparation for the ERC, the review procedure of the Lendület (Momentum) Program is becoming more similar to that of ERC Programs, e.g. by involving foreign reviewers to a greater degree. For this we primarily rely on the help of our external members, this process has already begun. To coordinate the grant procedure, we are also planning to set up a new office or department.

Dear General Assembly!

We have made decisive steps to strengthen relations between science and society. Allow me to mention some outstanding programs from a wide range of events. The main building of the Academy, the “Palace of Science” turned 150 in 2015. Beáta Barnabás, Deputy Secretary General was in charge of the jubilee celebrations: visitors could get acquainted with our wonderful building during public guided tours, exhibitions and lectures. A number of hidden treasures were presented to those interested, such as the original manuscripts of Szózat (a poem by Mihály Vörösmarty second only to the national anthem) and the Tragedy of Man (a play by Imre Madách), the so-called Bor Diary of Miklós Radnóti (a collection of poems), or the full architectural documentation of the main building.

Another distinguished series of events was organized on occasion of UNESCO’s Year of Light. The program, including lectures, shows, exhibitions and competition throughout the country, was coordinated by Academician Norbert Kroó. Several public institutions, including almost 600 schools participated in the program.

The third, extended prestigious event to bring science closer to society was the Hungarian Science Festival, this year titled Real and Virtual Worlds. As covered by several hundred press releases, the latest results of science were presented on more than 200 events in the course of this event series, opened in Szeged, in November 2015. The pure fact that this very room was filled with people every night for two weeks indicates the keen interest society has in learning about scientific results. To replace traditional, maybe somewhat dry and dull ways of presenting science, new methods were initiated: during the course of our Street Science event for example we literally took science into the street.

We did not retreat from engaging in debates either. The Medical Department for example received really positive press coverage for its spectacular fight against pseudo-science and charlatanism. And the same can be said of our conferences covering controversial historical topics. As our present schedule indicates, we intend to follow this path.

I wish to call your attention to the refreshed homepage of our Academy containing exciting scientific accounts and interviews. It is worth reading regularly!

Dear General Assembly!

A crucial task of the Academy is to serve as the scientific advisor of the nation. We are required to offer this service at several levels. Our opinion has been sought in several questions and we could provide well-founded and scientifically correct answers. A good example for this was our report on migration, prepared upon the Minister of Interior’s request. We also actively take part in the work of the Public Education Round Table, advocating the view that no opportunity should be missed to improve the education of our children and grandchildren.

Even without an official request, our members, bodies, departments and committees have often put their strong opinions forward. I completely agree with this approach and I also encourage this process. Naturally, these reactions cannot be regarded as official statements of the Academy. However, if the presenters are not driven by personal but scientific interests and their opinion is well-founded, they can certainly count on the support of our community – even if conflicting views are also present. We acknowledge the validity of political, social, economic interests for decision makers, but scientific interests must also be taken into consideration.

Dear General Assembly!

Allow me to focus again on the research centres and institutes of the Academy. The standard of research and the national and international acceptance of our results considerably depend on what infrastructure helps us in obtaining these results. Our research centres have seen a substantial improvement of their instrumentation, as several billion forints were spent on the modernization of devices. Our present challenge is to ensure the conditions and funds for the efficient operation and maintenance of this modern equipment.

Investments and construction work should also be continued in order to appropriately house our researchers and their modern equipment. The necessity of our Q2 investment has been questioned by some. I believe at present it would be difficult to argue for maintaining the chemistry research institute in its obsolete buildings on the top of Rózsadomb.

I also find it crucial for researchers of humanities to enjoy working conditions that meet present day expectations. Naturally, I understand that most of our colleagues are devoted to their offices and historic buildings. However, our decisions should not depend on feelings and personal needs, but on rational arguments characteristic of science. The Human Research Centre will open its gates at the end of the year, where new opportunities will be created for essential cooperative research projects. The construction of the new building of the Institute of Experimental Medicine is under way and the buildings of the Szeged Biological Research Centre and the Research Institute for Linguistics will also proceed. The future of our Institute for Musicology has been settled: it can stay in the Erdődy Palace and hopefully the persisting problems of the Bartók Archives will also soon be resolved.

Our next enormous challenge is the full reconstruction of our 150-year-old main building I have previously mentioned. The preparatory steps for this huge task and investment have been done with the help of the Deputy Secretary General. However, the reconstruction will require direct government funds allocated for this specific purpose and will maybe begin in the following years. It is a pleasure for me to report that the Prime Minister has agreed to provide the resources for this investment.

Dear General Assembly!

Nearing the end of my speech, allow me to discuss two sensitive subjects. Firstly, the fate of the Lukács Archives has given rise to baseless opinions both in the media and in related letters I have received. Being a rational thinking mathematician, I wish to stick to the facts. These are as follows:

Academician György Lukács’s last will and testament dated 30th June 1971, states the following: “I hereby bequeath my personal library to the Philosophy Institute of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, which should handle it as a separate collection.” And “I wish to leave my manuscripts to the Hungarian Academy of Sciences for preservation.”

We at the Academy wish to comply with the requests in the will, consequently we have entitled the Philosophy Institute to handle the whole of the Lukács Library. The collection will be preserved there as a whole in appropriate circumstances, while remaining accessible to readers. To redeem the negligence of the past four decades, the manuscripts will be catalogued, digitized and in case it is necessary, restored. Finally it will be relocated to the Philosophy Institute. The Academy considers it its duty to safeguard not only the original Lukács material, but also all publications, books and manuscripts produced in connection with the Archives since it was established. Consequently, the Academy will ensure the completeness and unity of the Archives and will further assure that the whole collection will be open to research, while complying with professional regulations.

The Academy does not maintain memorials; therefore no memorial is dedicated to János Szentágothai, Pál Erdős or Albert Szent-Györgyi for example. However, if the Lukács Foundation or any other organization wishes to maintain György Lukács’s former flat as an exhibition in Belgrád rakpart, the Academy is ready to give all legal and technical help for them to use the flat, which currently belongs to the local government and is rented by the Academy.

I have received a great number of letters, requests, questions and messages on this topic. Allow me to mention only one of these: an email signed by 8000 people asked me “let’s not close the Lukács Archives”. Based on the above, I hereby request the drafters of the email to include my signature as number 8001.

The other important issue that was widely discussed in the media is Bálint Hóman’s expulsion and academic rehabilitation. Attorney, István Varga has recently filed a lawsuit against the Academy, challenging the validity of Hóman’s exclusion in 1945. In my opinion, the decision of mostly conservative scientists who became academicians during the Horthy Era is not comparable with expulsions that occurred after the communist takeover in 1949. A crucial factor is that the expulsion happened almost one year before the 1946 sentence of the People’s Tribunal. Therefore, the recent annulment of this sentence has no bearing on Mr. Hóman’s expulsion from the Academy. I see no reason to challenge the decision of Hóman’s fellow academicians. Naturally, the court may decide that a formal error was committed 71 years ago, although our lawyers see no evidence of this. I personally regard Bálint Hóman as an excellent scientist. However, as a politician and scientific advocate he represented unacceptable and ethically deplorable views.

Dear General Assembly!

Our 150-year-old main building houses a number of works of art and treasures that reminds us of Ferenc Deák, the outstanding Hungarian politician of the 19th century. To conclude my speech, allow me to remember him through his very own words uttered 175 years ago:

“If up to now the only blunder our nation has made was, while abundant in enthusiasm, it was devoid of cold consideration, and of ceaseless effort, which is indispensable for success though – it is high time to cast aside these incapacities. And a most necessary ally of this noble decision is patience towards each other and each other’s opinions; we can only achieve this aim if we avoid pointing the finger at each other, which – may it originate from one or the other – is the most hideous and detestable sin one can commit against our nation. Let both parties avoid this; let us be without suspicions against each other...”

Thank you for your kind attention!