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At the inauguration of the new Szeged centre of Mathias Corvinus Collegium (MCC), Mr Orbán said if we want to remain a nation of a cultural quality that may be described as ‘Hungarian civilisation,’ then we must be present where the world’s greatest minds create.
Science – in addition to culture and sports – is an area where we have to prove that the Hungarians have a right to exist on account of their performance. If we are not among the world’s best in science, slowly but surely we will not only wear away, but our entire culture, our country will “fray, lose attraction” and assimilate, the Prime Minister pointed out in a panel discussion organised as part of the inauguration ceremony.
The Prime Minister said regarding the amount of money spent on innovation, Hungary is at present ranked in 21st place in the European Union. The goal is to be in the top ten of the EU by 2030 and to make it to the top ten of the world by 2040.
There is a consensus in Hungary that we cannot be competitive, and perhaps cannot even survive if we are unable to carry out this breakthrough in the field of science, Mr Orbán stressed.
At the discussion, on behalf of future generations, Nobel laureate physicist Ferenc Krausz thanked the Hungarian government for providing funds for projects similar to MCC’s Szeged centre. He said this is an investment that earns the highest interest for Hungary.
In answer to a question relating to the state of education, the professor said Hungarian university education is to the highest world standards, thanks to the many outstanding university professors. Hungarian higher education is competitive, and this may further improve with the model change programme which allows institutions to focus on that which they are best at.
The Nobel Prize winner scientist advised young degree holders to look for research teams in their respective fields of interest which are among the world’s best. Many of the leaders of these groups are Hungarian, but they mostly work abroad. We must bring back home as many of them as possible so that they achieve breakthrough discoveries in Hungary, he said.
In response to a statement of the Prime Minister stressing the importance of science, Mr Krausz said Hungary is in an exceptional situation because the scientists with whom a breakthrough could be achieved are already there. He said there are also living examples of how this could be accomplished.
He mentioned as examples the German Max Planck Society – which has had five Nobel laureates in the past six years – and the programme launched in China with a view to attracting experts back home. He said with the combination of these two, meaningful results could be achieved as the system of institutions – in the form of universities and the Hungarian Research Network (HUN-REN) – is available, while the funds intended to reinforce science could be placed at the disposal of scientists in their entirety.
Mr Krausz described the programme of the National Academy of Scientist Education operating in the field of biomedical research as an example to be followed in the area of talent fostering. He said he is working on preparations for similar initiatives in the education of mathematics, physics and information technology.
At the ceremony, Director General of MCC Zoltán Szalai said, the Szeged centre included, the students of more than thirty towns and cities attend the training courses of MCC. Thanks to the development, they are able to provide conditions for the institution’s community of more than three hundred which are worthy of the ideal of talent fostering, he added.
The building accommodating MCC’s Szeged centre was completed in 1896 on the basis of the plans of Albert Víg; the construction works were supervised by J. Ferenc Raichl. It was originally built for the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, but at the beginning of the century it briefly also housed the Industry Museum. The property was extended in several stages in the decades to follow.
The Bartók Béla Education Centre was opened in the building in 1969. The building which stood empty for a long time after the closing of the cultural institution was bought by the Foundation for the Future of Szeged Biomedical Research which sought to establish there a college facility for the talent fostering programme now operating under the name National Academy of Scientist Education, but the refurbishment project came to a halt. After this, MCC purchased the property; the plans for the refurbishment of the building were made by architect Tibor Hajós. The refurbishment and conversion works worth HUF 1.428 billion carried out in the building of the total ground space of 2,251 square metres were completed by Build It Mérnökiroda Zrt.
