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

Ferenc Glatz: Introduction

UNDERS TANDING THE HUNGARIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES: A GUIDE — a scientific workshop — the nation's counsel — a public body representing the professional interests of researchers. The Hungarian Academy of Sciences is, by tradition, the forum of debate of the Hungarian scientific research elite. Its sections organise scientific debates and conferences as well as inaugural lectures for new members. (Both corresponding and ordinary members must hold inaugural lectures at a public meeting.) In the spirit of this work, in 1997, the Academy renewed its lecture series commemorating deceased members, and, at the same time, reviewing scientific heritage. It introduced lectures by young researchers before a panel of academicians. Furthermore, the Academy regularly hosts interdisciplinary round-table discussions and conferences, the aim of which is to present the latest scientific achievements of public body members, to set forth questions and topics that may be of public interest and induce debate. Since 1998, it has published various series containing the lectures delivered at these forums, thus the inaugural lectures of Academy members, the annually delivered commemorative speeches and the material of the reading sessions of the sections. The Hungarian Academy of Sciences has maintained research institutes unaffiliated with universities since 1949. The Hungarian state applied modern principles of organisation of science when it placed research institutes, founded and owned by the state, under the supervision of an independent authority (the corps of academicians) instead of an executive organ (ministry). The act passed in 1994 provides for both the strengthening of the necessary autonomy of the network of research institutes within the Academy and the exercising of the right to assign tasks and measure achievement on the part of the owner (the state) and the manager (the Academy's public body). In the 1980s, the research institutes and universities worked out a system of co-operation for undertaking joint scientific work by the university chairs and the research institutes and enabling employees of the latter to teach at universities on a contract basis. Our aim is to develop close co-operation between state-owned research centres and state university faculties. We also plan to increase the role of academic institutes in postgraduate training. In 1997, the Academy's leadership initiated talks and took steps to bring manufacturers and academic institutes closer together. A survey of the Academy's institute network was started in order to determine which institute or group of institutes could co-operate with industry and if commissioning from manufacturers was possible. The reform of the award system serves co-operation between the Academy and industry. Traditionally, the Academy operates research teams at university chairs. Certain jobs are assigned to university chairs at the recommendation of the various sections, while the university guarantees the facilities and other research conditions. Further development of this research-team system is desirable. We hope to set up similar academic research teams at private and state-owned companies. These teams are intended to function as the mobile units ot Hungarian science. The Academy has held competitions and given awards since its foundation. According to the planned modernisation of this system, the state (and, therefore, politically biased) award system would be supplemented by another set up by the public body of scientists. Academy awards that were financed from the budget but have lost their value may also be preserved as part of the new system. In addition, company-founded prizes are also given by the Academy. The scientific elite must take part in the investigation of alternatives concerning opportunities open to the Hungarian state and the Hungarian nation in the 21st century. This is why we say that the forum for raising long-range questions and working out alternative solutions must be the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, where party politics play no part. In this way it may serve as the nation's counsel. It was with this in mind that we launched the Strategic Studies at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences programme in the autumn of 1996, whereby the Academy may become new forum of public life. Strategic investigations and syntheses of selected issues have started (the future of Hungarian agribusiness, quality of life, the future of the Hungarian language, the future of traffic and transportation, management of water supplies, the future of the Danube basin, the Lowland programme, environmental protection and integration, Central European ecological monitoring, the future of information science, etc.). The government allocates funds decided by Parliament for the Strategic Studies Programme on the basis of contracts. It also shows the Academy's advisory role that in certain cases it undertakes by contract to work out alternative courses for a 8