J. Pótó, M. Tolnai, P. Zilahy (eds.): Understanding the Hungarian Academy of Sciences : a guide

Strategic Researches At The Hungarian Academy Of Sciences

STRATEGIC RESEARCHES AT THE HUNGARIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES period of market transition; 2) Changes in the way of life, lifestyle, culture and consciousness; 3) Social changes and the political system. 2. THE PRESENT STATE AND FUTURE VISION OF THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR IN HUNGARY (Project leaders: FERENC KOVÁCS and ISTVÁN LÁNG) This programme aims to end the crisis in agricultural production and to prepare studies that would help the agricultural sector respond to the challenges offered by the world market and EU accession; to contribute to the increase of production and to improving the quality of produces, to ensuring the health safety of foodstuffs with due attention to the protection of the environment; to explore the factors which can increase the efficiency and competitiveness of the sector; to revise the structure of agricultural production; to analyse theoretical problems related to quality. Researches are going on under two independent but closely related subprogrammes (projects): 1) The scientific foundation of agricultural production; 2) Quality dimensions in agriculture. 3. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND INTEGRATION. BASIC PRINCIPLES TO HELP NEGOTIATIONS CONCERNING EU ACCESSION (Programme leader: SÁNDOR KEREKES) This programme is practically connected partly with the Strategic Work Group for Integration and partly with investigations conducted by the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and the Ministry of Environmental Protection. Its primary aim is to lay a sound foundation based on scientific data for negotiations on environmental issues connected with Hungary's EU accession. In addition, the effects of the harmonisation of pollution regulations on the economic structure and its regional and territorial consequences are also examined. (For further detail see home page: www.mek.iifhu) 4. THE PROCESS OF REGIONAL AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT IN HUNGARY (Programme director: GYÖRGY ENYEDI, GYULA HORVÁTH, BÁLINT CSATÁRI) The programme is composed of three subprogrammes. The first is titled "General investigation of regional development," the second "Possibilities for the development of the Danubian region," and the third "New territories of the Hungarian Plain, settlement and social processes." General investigation of regional development This programme aims to examine the mechanism and structure of the socio-economic processes determining Hungary's regional development and settlement system, and to prognosticate their spontaneous directions. The theoretical and empirical researches carried out up to now have made possible the formulation of a few hypotheses. Their testing in practice and the elaboration of alternatives are also included in the programme. Possibilities for the development of the Danubian region (Programme director: GYULA HORVÁTH) This programme aims to investigate the developmental tendencies and directions in the West-, Central- and East-European regions of the Danubian macroregion with due consideration given to the general European and Hungarian trend in regional development; to summarise related concepts; to study the internal endowments of the Danubian regions in Hungary and the conditions necessary for developing an "innovation axis"; to lay the foundations for a Hungarian stand-point to be represented in European co-operation; to establish the strategic viewpoints to be observed in such negotiations. New territories of the Hungarian Plain, settlement, and social processes (Programme director: BÁLINT CSATÁRI) One oí the main objectives of the investigations concerning the Hungarian Plain is to renew the Hungarian Plain Research Programme conducted between 1991 and 1994, and to evaluate and revise the results achieved under the programme. Another is to start a new line of research, the results of which may cast light upon the new territorial, economic and social processes through which the development of the macroregion may be made more effective and harmonious, and may also 53