HUN-REN researchers will receive a historic pay rise after the network’s funding increases by HUF 18 billion (EUR 45 million) this year, announced Balázs Hankó, Minister of Culture and Innovation, at the HUN-REN Natural Sciences Research Center.
The government is providing an average pay rise of 30 percent, bringing the average gross salary of HUN-REN’s 5,000 employees to HUF 800,000 (EUR 2,000).
On an annual basis, a researcher can earn HUF 3.2 million (EUR 8,000) more,”
Balázs Hankó pointed out.
The minister added that next year there will also be funds for infrastructure development, thus the network will have an additional HUF 26 billion (EUR 65 million) to work with. With the wage increases and developments, the financing of the research network will increase to HUF 100 billion (EUR 250 million), “with the goal of making Hungary one of the ten most innovative countries in the world by 2030.”
Minister Hankó recalled that in recent years, the government has tripled research funding, and under the National Research Excellence Program, up to HUF 400 million (EUR 1 million) in funding may be allocated to each outstanding project. Doctoral scholarships can reach a gross amount of HUF 600,000 (EUR 1,500), the number of young doctoral students has increased by 50 percent, and patent applications have increased by 35 percent.
Balázs Gulyás, president of HUN-REN, indicated that researchers will receive the increased salary retroactively in September. The salary adjustment will continue until 2027, when domestic researcher salaries are expected to reach Western European levels.
Via MTI; Featured photo: Pexels
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