MTA President Calls for ‘Meaningful Cooperation’

The public session of the General Assembly began with a welcome speech by Tamás Freund, President of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (MTA). "Only a meaningful academic role and cooperation between the Academy and the government can bring about a stable, predictable and efficient national RDI system that goes beyond governmental cycles, and the utilization of the results to strengthen the nation," he said.

As he stated, "it is a basic truth in science, but it is also a fact of experience in politics, especially in policy-making, that not everyone who nods at everything helps us achieve our goals. Rather, it is the one who engages us in debate. This is particularly true when there is agreement on the initial assessment of the situation and when the intention and the goal are shared."

He added that this is particularly true for R&D&I policy, but also for all policy, social, economic and national strategic initiatives that require a scientific and technological basis.

In his presentation to the Assembly, he recalled that the Academy has been drawing the attention of decision-makers to the negative trends in Hungarian public education for many years. He confirmed that the MTA would continue to offer the knowledge and experience of its members and bodies, in particular the Scientific Committee for Pedagogy and the Presidential Committee for Public Education, to help create the conditions for a scientifically sound, modern public education.

He described the launch of three major national research programs in the Academy as a symbolic achievement and reaffirmed that improving career opportunities for women remains a priority for the Academy.

He also gave an update on the renovation of the MTA's Headquarters, adding that this was necessary because only an at least partially renovated Academy building could be a worthy setting for the celebration of the 200th anniversary of the Academy and its Library.