Hungarian Science Serves Both the Nation and the World, Says Minister

Science is international, but scientists are patriots, thus Hungarian scientists can be expected to work to strengthen their own nation while serving international science, said Balázs Hankó, Minister of Culture and Innovation, on Saturday.

On the closing day of the 34th Bálványos Free Summer University (Tusványos), the minister spoke as a guest at an event organized by law students about supporting Hungarian creativity and its role in strengthening the nation.

He said that excellent universities, that provide not only excellence in knowledge but also excellence in Hungarian identity, are the cornerstones of Hungary’s sovereignty and the strengthening of the Hungarian community in the Carpathian Basin.

Balázs Hankó. Photo: MTI/Veres Nándor

“Hungary has 12 universities in the top five percent, three in the top two percent, and one in the top one percent. And when we talk about the Universities 2030 program, we say that there will be a Hungarian university among the world’s top 100 universities, and there will be Hungarian universities among the top 100 universities in Europe,” the minister explained.

He also mentioned among the objectives that the Sapientia Hungarian University of Transylvania, that teaches in Hungarian with a “Hungarian identity,” should become one of the best universities in Romania in the coming years, and in Ukraine, the Ferenc Rákóczi II Transcarpathian Hungarian College of Higher Education should be elevated to university status in 2026, on the 350th anniversary of the birth of Ferenc Rákóczi.

As he said, the government is working on the renewal of Hungarian innovation and science.

“We Hungarians are 96th in the world in terms of population, but we are 11th in terms of Nobel Prize winners per million inhabitants. In other words, we know something. We are 13th in terms of Olympic medals,” the minister pointed out.

He highlighted the establishment of the Élvonal (Frontline) foundation for cutting-edge research and talent development, led by Ferenc Krausz, one of Hungary’s most recent Nobel Prize winners, and whose board of trustees includes two other Nobel Prize winners, as a significant step forward in the field of knowledge and innovation.

“Hungarian sovereignty means culture, a culture based on Christian and national identity, it means our families as our fundamental communities, and yes, we are giving young people opportunities through renewed higher education and renewed scientific innovation,” the Minister of Culture and Innovation emphasized at Tusványos.

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