HUN-REN Hungarian Research Network and Széchenyi István University Collaborate on International Projects

István Széchenyi University, a leader in research and technological development shaping the future and promoting sustainability, signed a cooperation agreement this spring as a key partner with the HUN-REN Headquarters, responsible for managing and operating the independent research network, as well as with the HUN-REN Centre for Energy Research, the HUN-REN Research Centre for Natural Sciences, and the HUN-REN Institute of Earth Physics and Space Science. Furthermore, the Győr-based institution continues its research activities in collaboration with the HUN-REN Institute for Computer Science and Control.

The strategic partnership aims to advance scientific development in Hungary while enhancing the university's global visibility and its position in international higher education rankings. The partners share the goal of building strong international networks that benefit all participants in education, research, and innovation. This collaboration also creates opportunities for young researchers – including PhD students, assistant lecturers, and adjunct professors – to engage in international projects and publish their findings in prestigious scientific journals.

The first milestone of the collaboration is two international R&D&I projects. One focuses on renewable energy within the HU-RIZONT grant framework and is being carried out in cooperation with universities and research centres in the United States and Germany. The other project aims to create a universal digital platform for designing value-creating, complex networks in the field of digitalisation. This research, funded by the István Széchenyi University Foundation, which maintains the university in Győr, involves ten international research institutes and universities.

István Széchenyi University is strengthening the collaboration by extending its Scientific Scholarship to include researchers from the HUN-REN Hungarian Research Network starting next September. The scholarship will be available for publications produced within international research networks, provided that HUN-REN facilitates the involvement of at least one international partner. Additionally, the university is introducing an Innovation Scholarship to support the commercialisation of intellectual property, including approved patents and utility models. HUN-REN researchers will also be eligible to benefit from this initiative.

The partnership is further strengthened by the establishment of a new organisational unit at Széchenyi University, the HUN-REN International Excellence University Centre. This unit is tasked with aligning the collaboration with the institution's educational, scientific, and innovation strategies. The parties have agreed to continue their joint efforts, focusing on the university's strategic research areas, including sustainability, mobility, artificial intelligence, and health technologies.

"Expanding high-quality collaborations is crucial for HUN-REN in the midst of renewal to conduct effective, results-driven research. Széchenyi István University is an exceptional partner, and our steadily growing cooperation is a great example of how we can work together to advance scientific, research, development, and innovation goals while ensuring mutual benefits," said Professor Balázs Gulyás, President of HUN-REN.

„Our university, which prioritises innovation, entrepreneurship, and advanced technologies, views its strong partnership with HUN-REN as being of great importance. This significantly contributes to the creation of scientific publications emerging from international research networks, as well as to the strengthening of our institution’s research and development activities and brand," emphasised Dr Bálint Filep, President of Széchenyi István University.