The National Research, Development and Innovation Office (Nemzeti Kutatási, Fejlesztési és Innovációs Hivatal - NKFI Hivatal) is a central budgetary body operating as a central office under the direction of the Minister responsible for the coordination of science policy. The Office is the managing body of the National Research, Development and Innovation Fund.
The Office performs the following tasks under the direction of the Minister responsible for the
coordination of science policy:
a) participates in the preparation of the Government’s decision on its research, development and innovation strategy and contributes to its implementation,
b) performs the tasks related to the Fund which are not assigned by law to the Minister responsible for the coordination of science policy,
c) in its capacity as a body managing research, development and innovation funding programmes financed by the Fund
ca) publishes the call for proposals approved by the Minister responsible for the coordination of science policy, and organises and conducts the evaluation and decision-making process in accordance with the call for proposals,
cb) issues funding documents and concludes funding agreements,
cc) monitors and controls funded projects,
d) prepares the decision of the Minister responsible for the coordination of science policy on the granting of domestic public funding from the Fund on the basis of an Act, government decree, government decision, international treaty or individual funding request,
e) contributes to certain tasks related to its research, development and innovation resources following the closing of the Economic Development Operational Program co-funded by the European Union,
f) carries out the tasks relating to budget support for the innovation-related objectives of the operational programmes, which fall within the competence of the policy officer and which are delegated to it by the Minister responsible for science policy coordination as the policy officer,
g) performs the technical tasks of international and European integration-driven cooperation in the field of research, development and innovation,
h) contributes to the utilisation and coordination of foreign research, development and innovation support provided to Hungary,
i) contributes to the research, development and innovation objectives of the European Union, in particular by fulfilling the national duties related to the European research, development and innovation framework programme,
j) fulfils the tasks related to international scientific and technology cooperation arising from legal obligations or international agreements,
k) facilitates the innovation activities of micro, small and medium enterprises to increase their competitiveness,
l) performs background analysis, evaluation and concept development for the programme strategy and planning of national research, development and innovation funding programmes, including the Fund, and monitors and assesses the funding programmes,
m) supports the organisation of conferences, exhibitions and publications directly related to research, development and innovation, the development of electronic information databases and libraries, and the award of prizes in the field of research, development and innovation,
n) in order to strengthen the innovation performance of the research, development and innovation sector and to increase the effectiveness of applicants, provides innovation services, in particular by promoting cooperation in the research, development and innovation sector, liaising with professional organisations, promoting application activity and innovation awareness, and establishing and operating a market support expert network,
o) contributes to the Government’s tasks related the support and promotion of student excellence, talent management and teacher and researcher excellence and, to this end, operates the Secretariat of the National Council of Student Research Societies in accordance with the Act on national higher education.
p) fulfils the tasks of the Secretariat of the National Science Policy Council,
q) contributes to the renewal of the content of higher education courses and adult education courses offered by higher education institutions, under the direction of the Minister responsible for education and adult education, with regard to the tasks and competences related to higher education.
