Supporting the Scientific Community is a Prerequisite of a Successful Development Policy2011. január 24.
For innovation to be the source of rapid economic growth, and science and research to be the breakout points, development sources have to be used along clear principles.
Ágnes Molnár, State Secretary for Development Policy Coordination of the Ministry of National Development discussed renewable development policy with József Pálinkás, President of Hungarian Academy of Sciences (HAS). They agreed that innovation can only become the source of rapid economic growth, and science and research can only become the breakout points, if development sources are used more effectively, along clear principles.
The Minister of State's aim is to cooperate with the Hungarian Academy of Sciences to renew the tendering system deployed to distribute EU and Innovation Fund sources. For Hungarian economy to grow, it is indispensable to preserve jobs and create new ones. However, to reach this goal the position of small and medium-sized enterprises has to be strengthened, the scientific community and innovation has to be supported, and the added value of Hungarian products and services has to be increased. The New Széchenyi Plan provides all the necessary conditions to reach these goals.
The President of the Academy deems it important to create tendering procedures that cover all areas from basic research to innovation, treating all elements of R&D and innovation equally. József Pálinkás also expressed that the Academy, as the central institution of Hungary's scientific community, is eager to take part in the cooperation. As President he is ready to give all support necessary for the introduction of a transparent tendering system that guarantees the effective use of resources.
The Ministry of National Development is in the process of taking over the management of tenders submitted to the National Research and Technology Office. The parties agreed that grant contracts of the tenders taken over have to be revised and closed in the shortest possible time, and payments have to be started for those tenders with a valid contract.