Sofia, 5th December, 2013

Hungarian Scientific Research Fund (OTKA)

Promoting Excellence in Research

László P. Kollár President

OTKA = Hungarian Scientific Research Fund

LIFE SCIENCES

• Brain research

• Agriculture

• Etc.

SCIENCE & ENGINEERING

• Physics

• Mathematics

• Etc.

SOCIAL SCIENCES & HUMANITIES

• Literature

• Archeology

• Etc.

Founded: 1986 (independent institution)

Councils:

BASIC RESEARCH

APPLICATION-DRIVEN RESEARCH

TECHNOLOGY

Sponsor?Publicly Industry-funded funded

APPLIED – BASIC (DISCOVERY) RESEARCH

Yes

Application

No

Deep scientific

under-standing

Pure basic research(Bohr)

Application driven basic r.(Pasteur)

Pure applied research(Edison)

Top quality, curiosity- driven research

IMPACTStimulate

higher education

Promote research career

Scientific impact

VISION

MAJOR ACTIVITIES90% Research projects (4 or 3 years)

< 24 (40) MAge HUF > 24 (40) M

< 35 (40)

No age limit

Postdoc Starting GrantK

• Publications

• International

• Bilateral (lead-agency) etc.

NF

NK

PD

• Electronic proposal submission & review system

• Language: English

• International referees/International panels

• Support of open access

• New funding mechanisms

MAJOR CHANGES in the last ten years

MAJOR STEPS - EVALUATIONDecision-making

• Scientific excellence

• Potential scientific & societal impact

Monitoring

Final report - evaluation

Decision-making(Excellence & impact)

• 3 anonymous reviewers

• Panel ranking

• Council/Board decision

Transparency• Known rules and decision-making mechanism

• Strict rules: conflict of interest

• Applicants get: reviews + panel evaluation

• Council/Board “does not” change the ranking

(experts on narrow field)

(experts on broader field)

Decision-making(Excellence & impact)

Special procedures•Large projects

•Interdisciplinary proposals

•High risk/high gain proposals

•International collaborations

Problem: Small country – Small scientific community

Conflict of interest„Friend” – „enemy” – independent

Solution: international reviewers /panels

Step 1 English proposal2005 Physics2008 Life sciences2009 Science and Engineering2010 Social Sciences & Humanities (1% Hungaricum)Step 2 English reviews (2005 – )2013 With FWF – no Hungarian reviews2013 Life sciences – foreign r. are required2014 ….Step 3 International panels2006 Hungarian speaking foreigners2013 Few English s. panels (~50% foreigners)

Evolution in OTKA

– Stimulate higher education

– Research career

– Reduce brain-drain (“Brain-gain” – Hungarian Academy of Sc.)

60 % to Universities and Colleges

IMPACT – Societal impacts

< 24 (40) MAge HUF > 24 (40) M

< 35 (40)

No age limit

Postdoc Starting GrantK

NF

NK

PD

IMPACT – Societal impactsSupport for “young” researchers (%)

+ Employment in project ~ 8%

Norwegian

EURYI

PostDoc

Start. Grant

Conclusion – Promoting Excellence

• Transparency / conflict of interest

• International decision making

• Excellence & impact (high risk/high gain)

• Research career

• Young researcher (early independence)

• International collaboration

• Interdisciplinary research

Decision making

Priorities

Top quality, curiosity- driven research

IMPACTStimulate

higher education

Promote research career

Scientific impact

CONCLUSION (Vision)