The draft of the new HUN-REN Act is now available on the official website of the Hungarian National Assembly. The document, submitted by the Ministry of Culture and Innovation, includes all amendments proposed by HUN-REN, which were outlined in the Joint Declaration signed by the Directors-General of the research centres and the Directors of the independent institutes. This declaration was also approved by the HUN-REN Governing Board. The most significant change is that the renewed HUN-REN will be established as an institution with a special legal status, while its research sites will continue their activities as research institutions with legal personality, retaining—among other powers—the employers' and financial management rights of the Directors-General and Directors.
At the initiative of the President and CEO of HUN-REN, and with the authorisation of the Governing Board, regular discussions have been held with the Hungarian Government since October 2024 regarding the renewal of the organisation and the establishment of a new legal framework for significantly more efficient operations. These government talks were preceded by an in-depth international review that began earlier this year. The aim of the law, developed based on proposals from the HUN-REN research network, is to establish an excellence-driven, performance-based network. In addition to exploratory research, this network will place a strong emphasis on addressing various societal and economic challenges, strengthening both national and international collaborations, and offering researchers a predictable career with internationally competitive salaries, while fully ensuring academic freedom in scientific research.
On 14 November, the Directors-General of the HUN-REN research centres and the Directors of the independent institutes signed the Joint Declaration, expressing their strong support for the creation of a state-of-the-art law governing the operations of HUN-REN, based on the best international examples. The Governing Board summarised the collective position of the heads of the research institutions, and the relevant Ministry incorporated the proposed amendments into the Bill before it was formally submitted to the Hungarian National Assembly.
The most important amendments are as follows:
- The research centres and independent institutes will continue their activities as research institutions with legal personality within the framework of the renewed HUN-REN, thereby ensuring, among other powers, employer and financial management rights;
- HUN-REN will be established as an institution with a specific legal status, and, according to the amendment, the rules for legal persons under the Civil Code (Ptk.) will apply as background regulations;
- The draft stipulates that the appointment of the first (new) HUN-REN Governing Board will be subject to review by the National Science Policy Council;
- Individuals delegated by the heads of research institutions will have consultative rights in the work of the Governing Board;
- A Collegium of Institutional Leaders, composed of the heads of the research institutions, will also be established;
- The Bill further ensures that the funding agreement between the Ministry of Culture and Innovation (KIM) and HUN-REN will include provisions for exploratory research based on freely chosen topics.
Based on the Government’s decision, as part of HUN-REN’s renewal, the organisation’s public funding will see a significant 50% increase (HUF 18 billion) from 2025, reaching HUF 97 billion by 2027. Furthermore, as outlined in the draft, the Government is dedicated to purchasing the real estate assets used by the research institutes from the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and transferring them to HUN-REN.
HUN-REN could emerge as the flagship of the Hungarian innovation ecosystem if the Act is adopted by Parliament. This marks a historic opportunity for renewal, aimed at strengthening global competitiveness, advancing Hungarian scientific excellence, and securing the long-term sustainability and growth of the research network. The new law could enable HUN-REN to contribute more significantly to the societal application of scientific achievements and to enhancing the international recognition of the Hungarian research community in the challenging 21st century.