Negotiations between the MTA and the ITM – 25 September 2018

During the 25 September meeting of the Presidium of the Academy, the President of the Academy reported on the results of negotiations between the Academy and the ITM since the last meeting of the Presidium on 11 September.

On 18 September, László Lovász, President of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences summarized his most important suggestions concerning the operation and management of the MTA’s network of research institutes in a letter to László Palkovics, Minister of Innovation and Technology. Following a positive answer from the Minister on 24 September, the President submitted the following proposal to the Presidium, which was accepted by a grand majority.

“The Presidium suggests that negotiations between the MTA and the ITM continue. The Presidium agrees that

  • a Scientific Presidential Committee of the Research Network should be established, whose members should be scientists;
  • the expert team should continue its work;
  • the MTA should finalize its suggestions concerning the national Research–Development–Innovation strategy, and these proposals should be sent to the Hungarian Government;
  • the MTA and the ITM should sign an agreement.”

As for the membership of the Scientific Presidential Committee of the Research Network, seven members should be delegated by the Academy President, while the other seven members would be appointed by the Minister of Innovation and Technology. The tasks of the Committee would include providing advice to the President concerning the criteria and methods for the screening of the Academy.

The Presidium of the Academy regards the signing of an agreement between the MTA and the ITM as the most crucial task at present. This agreement should ensure the undisturbed operation of the research institute network in 2019, and include the details of financing running grants as well as that of grants yet to be announced.

On Mr Lovász’s request, the members of the Presidium and the leaders of the research network submitted their first substantial comments and suggestions concerning the plan for renewing the innovation system of Hungary, which had been sent to the Academy by the ITM as a preliminary proposal. The President of the Academy will send his suggestions to the Minister for Innovation and Technology based on these comments and the suggestions put forward at the meetings of the Presidium, within the limits set up by previous resolutions of the Presidium.