Hungarian Academy of Sciences

The Hungarian Academy of Sciences (Hungarian: Magyar Tudományos Akadémia, MTA) is the most important and prestigious learned society of Hungary. Its seat is at the bank of the Danube in Budapest, between Széchenyi rakpart and Akadémia utca. Its main responsibilities are the cultivation of science, dissemination of scientific findings, supporting research and development, and representing Hungarian science domestically and around the world.

Hungarian Academy of Sciences
Magyar Tudományos Akadémia
AbbreviationMTA
Formation3 November 1825; 198 years ago (1825-11-03)[1]
TypeNational academy
HeadquartersBudapest, Hungary
Location
  • Budapest, Arany János u. 1, 1051 Hungary
Coordinates47°30′4″N 19°2′47″E / 47.50111°N 19.04639°E / 47.50111; 19.04639 Map
Region served
Hungary
Membership (2014)
1,363[2]
President
Tamás Freund
Websitemta.hu/english/
Formerly called
Magyar Tudós Társaság

History

The history of the academy began in 1825 when Count István Széchenyi offered one year's income of his estate for the purposes of a Learned Society at a district session of the Diet in Pressburg (Pozsony, present Bratislava, seat of the Hungarian Parliament at the time), and his example was followed by other delegates. Its task was specified as the development of the Hungarian language and the study and propagation of the sciences and the arts in Hungarian. It received its current name in 1845.

Its central building was inaugurated in 1865, in Renaissance Revival architecture style. The architect was Friedrich August Stüler.

Sections

László Lovász, the president of the Academy till 2020. Previously he served as the president of International Mathematical Union.
Count István Széchenyi offers one year's income of his estate for the purposes of a Learned Society.

A scientific section is a unit of the Academy organized by one or some closely related branches of science. A scientific section follows with attention, promotes and evaluates all scientific activities conducted within its field(s) of science; takes a stand on scientific issues as well as in matters concerning science policy and research organization, submits opinion on the activities of the Academy's research institutes, and on those of university chairs and other research units that are supported by the Academy, and participates in the procedure of awarding the title of Doctor of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, the post-Ph.D academic degree, the D.Sc degree in Hungary.

Today it has eleven main sections:[3]

  1. Linguistics and Literary Scholarship
  2. Philosophy and Historical Sciences
  3. Mathematics
  4. Agricultural Sciences
  5. Medical Sciences
  6. Engineering Sciences
  7. Chemical Sciences
  8. Biological Sciences
  9. Economics and Law
  10. Earth Sciences
  11. Physical Sciences

Research institutes until 2019

Presidents of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences

Count József Teleki17 November 1830 – 15 February 1855
Count Emil Dessewffy17 April 1855 – 10 January 1866
Baron József Eötvös18 March 1866 – 2 February 1871
Baron Menyhért Lónyay17 May 1871 – 3 November 1884
Dr. Ágoston Trefort28 May 1885 – 22 August 1888
Baron Loránd Eötvös3 May 1889 – 5 October 1905
Albert Berzeviczy27 November 1905 – 22 March 1936
Archduke Joseph Habsburg22 March 1936 – October 1944
Gyula Kornis7 March 1945 – 29 October 1945
Gyula Moór29 October 1945 – 24 July 1946
Zoltán Kodály24 July 1946 – 29 November 1949
István Rusznyák29 November 1949 – 5 February 1970
Tibor Erdey-Grúz5 February 1970 – 16 August 1976
János Szentágothai26 October 1976 – 10 May 1985
Iván T. Berend10 May 1985 – 24 May 1990
Domokos Kosáry24 May 1990 – 9 May 1996
Ferenc Glatz9 May 1996 – 4 May 2002
Szilveszter Vizi5 May 2002 – 6 May 2008
József Pálinkás6 May 2008 – 5 May 2014
László Lovász6 May 2014 – 31 July 2020
Tamás Freund1 August 2020 – present

Széchenyi Academy of Literature and Arts

The Széchenyi Academy of Literature and Arts (Hungarian: Széchenyi Irodalmi és Művészeti Akadémia) was created in 1992 as an academy associated yet independent from the MTA. Some of the known members are György Konrád, Magda Szabó, Péter Nádas writers, Zoltán Kocsis pianist, Miklós Jancsó, István Szabó film directors. The last president was Károly Makk, film director, who succeeded László Dobszay (resigned on 20 April 2011[5]).

See also

References