At a recent conference of V4 academies, Vice-President of HAS Domokos Szász informed the representatives of the Czech, Polish and Slovak Academies that the Hungarian Academy of Sciences aims to substantially increase the financial support available for research and development between 2012 and 2020. Organised in 1999 for the first time, this year's traditional science policy event focused on the issue of research funding.

"Currently Hungary spends 1.15% of its GPD on R&D, but intends to increase this ratio to 1.8% by 2020 within the framework of the European Horizon 2020 Program", Domokos Szász said to the heads of the V4 academies gathered for their annual conference in Slovakia. At the same time, the Vice-President pointed out that during a period of a global economic crisis, even such moderate goals might be impossible to achieve without substantial efforts. We must find a way to channel resources into R&D both from the government and businesses, he said, adding that increased state funding is not sufficient in itself to reach our financial goals without first creating a more sensible environment to effectively utilise resources.  

    This year's meeting was held at the congress center of the Slovak Academy of Sciences near the village of Smolenice, in a castle used to be owned by the Pálffy family. The Slovak Academy of Sciences had gained ownership of the castle in 1953.  

    The Vice-President of HAS also talked about the intention of HAS President József Pálinkás to increase to funding of the Hungarian Research Fund and the allowances for applications available to various university research groups. He informed his colleagues about the changes in HAS' Momentum Program, and outlined the extensive renewal process of HAS' institute network. Domokos Szász cited József Pálinkás when he pointed out that the available support for R&D should be distributed among three important areas: some 25% of all funding will be allocated for discovery research; targeted research (i.e. researches on healthcare or sustainability) would receive 35% of the funding, while the remaining 40% will be used for supporting innovation and technological development.

    The President of the Czech Academy of Sciences reported on the revision of its academic institutes and research units, and the financial expenses of this process. The President of the Polish Academy shared his experiences about utilising EU's structural funds, while in a session chaired by the President of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, the participants reached a common agreement on the approach of the newly founded organisation called Science Europe. 

    On the second day of the meeting, the heads of the V4 academies recognised the scientific achievements of young, talented researchers. The Young Research Award is granted to outstanding scientists selected from a different field of discipline each year. This year four young researchers working in the field of chemistry were acknowledged by the heads of the V4 academies. From Hungary, a young scientist of HAS' Chemical Research Centre, Szilárd Varga received the prestigious award. He then delivered a very successful lecture.

     The annual meetings of the V4 academies are organised by a different country each year in a rotating manner. In 2012 the science policy conference is to be held in Mátraháza, Hungary. Domokos Szász officially invited the representatives of the Polish, Czech and Slovak academies for next year's meeting to be held in May, 2012.