2026.03.02.
The organisational and operational renewal of HUN-REN Hungarian Research Network continues with the addition of Scientific Vice Presidents. On the proposal of Balázs Gulyás, President of HUN-REN, the HUN-REN Governing Board decided to appoint three Scientific Vice Presidents as of March 1st.
Zsolt Szalay will be responsible for Engineering and Natural Sciences, Péter Nagy for Life Sciences, and Petra Aczél for Frontier Sciences. The three Vice Presidents will coordinate the activities of HUN-REN’s research institutions in their respective areas.
HUN-REN Hungarian Research Network is Hungary’s most significant national research network and the most important pillar of domestic scientific excellence. More than 5,000 researchers and experts work to contribute new scientific results to the advancement of domestic innovation and knowledge-based development, and to strengthen Hungarian research and Hungary’s international competitiveness across its fifteen institutions.
The three Vice Presidents appointed with effect from 1 March will support this work.
Zsolt Szalay will be responsible for engineering and natural sciences (STEM), Péter Nagy for life sciences (LIFE), and Petra Aczél for Frontier Sciences. All three have achieved outstanding results in research, education, and science management. As Scientific Vice Presidents, they will facilitate the realisation of strategic goals, the strengthening of research excellence and scientific results, the development of international industrial and scientific relations, and the promotion of innovation. Their tasks will include elevating cooperation between research institutions to a higher level, advancing cross-institutional projects, unlocking the potential of synergies and network-based operations, and thereby exploring new research directions. Working together with the leaders of research institutions and researchers, they will assist the Governing Board, the President, and the CEO in defining HUN-REN’s strategic goals and future directions through their proposals and advice.
“One of HUN-REN’s main strengths lies in collaboration that transcends disciplines, institutions, and even national borders, in shared infrastructure and coordinated programmes. The Scientific Vice Presidents will play an important role in strengthening this coordination, as they are not only excellent scientists but also outstanding in their science management work,” said Balázs Gulyás, President of HUN-REN Hungarian Research Network.
“One of this year’s highlights is to continue the institutional transition, strengthen the cooperation and effectiveness of our research institutions, and thereby make more conscious use of the advantages arising from HUN-REN’s network operation. Networking and internal cooperation are not merely an opportunity but an operational principle that creates added value. We are putting this principle into everyday practice with the help of the Scientific Vice Presidents,” said Roland Jakab, CEO of HUN-REN.
Each of the three newly appointed Vice Presidents is a recognised expert in their own field.
Dr. Zsolt Szalay is Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Automotive Technologies at Budapest University of Technology and Economics. He has been involved in automotive innovation for three decades, with expertise in the verification and validation of automated vehicle systems. As a research and innovation leader, he has been involved in the development and operation of the ZalaZONE automotive test track from the start. Throughout his career, he has been consistently committed to the industrial application and commercialisation of university research results.
Dr. Péter Nagy is Scientific Director of the National Institute of Oncology and a university professor. As an internationally recognised researcher, he plays a prominent role in the development of the domestic scientific and innovation ecosystem, with particular regard to the diagnostics and therapeutic solutions for oncological diseases. At the heart of his professional credo is the networking of research institutions and the transformation of scientific excellence into economic and social value.
Dr. Petra Aczél is a professor at Széchenyi István University and Head of the Centre for AI and Future Strategies. As a linguist, rhetorician, and communication researcher, and as leader of interdisciplinary projects addressing contemporary challenges, she serves the goals and processes of innovation. She has led the development of frameworks for scientific excellence at several institutions and is a committed advocate of cross-disciplinary collaboration. She also draws on her science management and governance experience in national-level bodies.
Source: hun-ren.hu
