Bilateral S&T International Co-operation

The execution of the bilateral intergovernmental agreements on co-operation in S&T is regulated by the Decree of the Government No 3061/91. According to this decree, the agreements are prepared and concluded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, whereas their implementation is the responsibility of the National Innovation Office (NIH). The NIH has been responsible for planning and implementing the Hungarian science and technology policy, for the competition based research and development programmes and for promoting the international science and technology co-operation of Hungary, including EU-related research matters.

The NIH has the following responsibilities and missions:

• elaborating the government strategy in the field of innovation,
  
• forming the means and tools for the R&D and innovation policy at government level,
  
• preparing documents concerning the national science and technology policy, running technology foresight programmes, preparing reports and reviews for promoting the acquisition and dissemination of new knowledge and information serving the government’s science and technology strategy in co-operation with social partners, NGOs, industrial and professional associations,
  
• representing the government in the international field, in intergovernmental S&T organizations and programmes, organizing and co-ordinates the Hungarian participation in such programmes. In this capacity, it is also in charge of the multilateral S&T co-operation and participates in the EU accession process,
  
• co-ordinating the activity of the Research and Technology Innovation Fund,
  
• raising innovation awareness in the society.
  

Hungary has concluded 37 intergovernmental S&T agreements. The number of bilateral projects is between 500 and 600 in a year. The primary objective is to promote mobility and international cooperation, and organizing seminars and workshops in the field of interest of science and technology. As to the international aspects of the responsibility for the R&D policy, the bilateral relations are of primary importance. The NIH together with the foreign governmental body in charge of the co-operation sets up the Joint Committee on Co-operation in Science & Technology. These committees meet annually, or every two years, or every three years and beside an exchange of views on S&T policies, they approve the programme of co-operation for the next period of time. As a rule, the programmes of co-operation set out the general framework of co-operation, specifically the kind of support provided for joint research & development projects and organization of scientific and technological symposia, conferences and workshops.

Governmental support is provided in the form of financial grants by both of the co-operating governments. Scientists may get grants by competing in a bidding system. Institutes and companies, governmental or private, dealing with basic sciences and/or applied research may apply for grants to support the exchange of scientists, as needed to achieve predetermined objectives.

Procedures, as well as forms to be filled in and timing regarding the call for proposals, are agreed upon by the governmental bodies, which manage the co-operation. The agreed project proposal must be submitted simultaneously to both of the governmental bodies. The governmental bodies review, assess and rank the project proposals according to their internal procedures, but basically using the following criteria:

• the scientific merits of the proposals, as measured by a peer review,
  
• the national priorities with regard to scientific & technological co-operation.
  

The decision regarding the projects to be jointly funded is taken by the Joint Committee. In Hungary, the approved projects are funded by the Research and Technology Innovation Fund (known in Hungary as KTIA. The programmes of co-operation are managed by the International Department of International Relations of the NIH. This department is in charge of:

• publication of the call for proposals;
  
• administration of the peer reviewing process;
  
• organizing the meetings of the Hungarian Committee on International Co-operation in S&T (made of representatives of the ministries concerned, the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, and various non-governmental bodies dealing with S&T);
  
• linking with the foreign governmental bodies in charge of the co-operation; organizing the Joint Committees’ meetings.
  

The Science and Technology Foundation (a non-governmental body set up by the National Committee for Technological Development and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs) is in charge of the following administrative aspects of the co-operation:

• conclusion of the funding contracts with the grantees; 
  
• remitting the grants to the scientists;
  
• financial supervision of the projects;
  
• collection of the annual as well as of the final reports pertaining the co-operative projects.