Culture minister: Hungary model ‘exemplary’ in tackling EU competitiveness

Speaking ahead of a two-day informal meeting of EU higher education and research ministers, Hanko told journalists that the meeting would discuss the Hungarian practice of cooperating universities, training institutes and companies in the framework of a strategic partnership.

The meeting will also table the issue of a unified European degree, creating a more unified European Research Area, and scientific research, he said.

Referring to a report by Mario Draghi on the future of European competitiveness, Hanko said the EU’s scientific performance had dropped by 8 percent “even as China and the US have left us behind.”

“We are drafting a proposal aimed at reducing the fragmentation of the European Research Area and that of European innovation. We need a sea-change in competitiveness and cooperation similar to that in the agreement scheduled to be signed between the Szeged Univesity, the Czech Republic and Germany on Tuesday,” he said.

Regarding a proposal of a unified European degree, Hanko said it would boost cooperation between European universities. It is yet to be clarified, however, whether such a degree would be introduced as a national or EU competency, he said.

Nobel laureate Ferenc Krausz will attend the meeting, as will neurobiologist Balazs Gulyas, the head of the HUN-REN Research Network, he said.

The ministers will also discuss the Erasmus and Horizon programmes, Hanko said. “We believe in real cooperation, and expect to make progress with the European Commission in the coming days or months,” he added.