Academia Europaea opens new knowledge hub in Budapest – Opening Ceremony on video

Academia Europaea, the Science Academy of Europe, was founded in 1988, and today has over 4,500 members, including 76 Nobel Laureates. The objectives of the AE include the promotion of a wider appreciation of the achievements of European research, the support of interdisciplinary and collaborative international research efforts and the promotion of a better understanding among the public of the benefits of scientific achievements. AE is one of the five academy networks that make up the SAPEA (Science Advice for Policy by European Academies) consortium, which is part of the European Commission’s Scientific Advice Mechanism.

Tamás Freund, President of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences at the opening conference of the new Knowledge Hub
(More pictures from the event can be viewed by clicking here) mta.hu / Tamás Szigeti

The Budapest Hub will be managed by mathematician László Lovász

Academia Europaea knowledge hubs are managed by academic directors, and their programmes are normally defined by a few highlighted topics. The Budapest Hub will be managed by mathematician László Lovász, former President of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. The four thematic missions will each be spearheaded by two co-chairs: a senior Hungarian member of Academia Europaea and a member of the Hungarian Young Academy.

The four thematic missions include

the methodology of science education, the Danube region, urban sustainability and widening European participation in research programmes

, which can build upon earlier strategic programmes of MTA in many respects.

Connecting the Budapest Hub to the Europe-wide network of AE knowledge hubs will open up new opportunities and has the potential to reinforce research cooperation in the Danube Region.

Regarding funding for research co-operation, it is important to remember that Horizon Europe, the European Union’s new research and innovation framework programme covering the period 2021-2027, starts next year.

The online opening ceremony of the Academia Europaea Budapest Knowledge Hub featured welcome addresses by Tamás Freund, President of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Sierd Cloetingh, President of Academia Europaea, and an opening address by László Lovász, Academic Director of the AE Budapest Knowledge Hub.

The opening part was followed by lectures on the four AE Budapest Hub flagship initiatives.

You can watch the opening addresses and lectures here:

1:46 Welcome address by Professor Tamás Freund, MAE, President of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences

6:55 Welcome address by Professor Sierd Cloetingh, MAE, President of Academia Europaea

16:27 Opening address by Professor László Lovász, MAE, Academic Director of the AE Budapest Regional Knowledge Hub and Former President of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences

Presentation of the 4 thematic missions of the AE Budapest Hub and scientific lectures:

27:15 Thematic mission on widening European participation - by Professor Éva Kondorosi, MAE and Dr Gergely Toldi, GYA

31:36 Widening European Participation – The Early Career Researchers’ Perspective (Gergely Toldi)

42:02 A testimonial from a young ERC grantee - How Do Dogs Age? (Dr Enikő Kubinyi, MYAE)

49:40 Thematic mission on the Danube region – by Professor András Báldi, MAE and Dr Katalin Solymosi, MYAE, Values of Rural Landscapes of the Danube Region (András Báldi)

59:25 The River Danube – A Decisive Element for Shaping Europe (Katalin Solymosi)

1:08:07 Thematic mission on the methodology of science education – by Professor Csaba Pléh, MAE and Dr Eszter Gselmann

1:13:38 Exponential Growth, Should We Understand, or Is It Enough to Know? (Eszter Gselmann)

1:25:08 Thematic mission on urban sustainability – by Professor Gábor Stépán, MAE and Professor Péter Török, MYAE

1:34:05 Sustaining Urban Biodiversity by Natural Habitat Restoration (Péter Török)

1:50:02 Closing remarks Professor László Lovász, Academic Director of the AE Budapest Regional Knowledge Hub and Former President of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences