At the meeting, Dr. Gábor Szabó presented the activity and scientific projects of the University of Szeged and the Biological Research Centre of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences in Szeged. He mentioned, among others, neurobiology, clinical pharmacology, molecular biology, nanotechnology, software development and biotechnology as the priority areas of research at the University, adding that their research projects are in many respects closely aligned with the experiments to be carried out at the ELI Attosecond Light Pulse Source (ELI-ALPS) currently under construction in Szeged. The cooperation between the two institutions is also manifested in scientific partnerships and training programmes. The rector also mentioned the Biological Research Centre of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences as a key partner of the university. The two scientific institutions work together in may scientific areas, employing 80 common PhD students, Dr. Gábor Szabó said.

Following the rector's presentation, Robert-Jan Smits, head of the Directorate-General for Research and Innovation at the European Commission and Dr. József Pálinkás, president of the NRDI Office held a meeting with the researchers of the Biological Research Centre of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences in Szeged who appear to be very successful in applying for research grants from national and European Research Council funds. The grant-winning researchers presented their areas of research and shared their experiences. Further topics discussed in the meeting included partnerships between domestic and foreign research centres, the challenges of attracting Hungarian researchers working abroad to return home, and opportunities for financing scientific work.

“Investment into research and innovation is key to maintain the competitive edge of the European economy, this is why it is given top priority in the strategy of the European Union”, Robert-Jan Smits emphasized at the meeting.

The association of research institutions is also supported by the so-called Teaming Action of the Horizon 2020 programme. The HU-MOLMEDEX project was implemented with the joint effort of several Hungarian institutions and the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Germany, which is a leader in integrating life science research projects, said Prof. Dr. László Fésüs, member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, researcher at the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Debrecen. The project proposal, which aimed at establishing a Hungarian centre of excellence in molecular medicine, submitted under the coordination of the NRDI Office, was awarded more than HUF 150 million in the first round in the framework of the Horizon 2020 programme. The consortium was made up of Semmelweis University, University of Szeged, University of Debrecen, Biological Research Centre of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and the European Molecular Biology Laboratory in Germany. The project promotes the strengthening of the research potential of scientific institutions and the clinical application of basic research results in molecular medicine.

In the afternoon, the participants of the meeting visited the ELI Attosecond Light Pulse Source (ELI-ALPS) laser research facility, currently under construction in Szeged, where they were hosted by Lóránt Lehrner managing director of ELI-HU Nonprofit Kft. and could have a first-hand experience of the project's progress and its future opportunities for research and innovation.