Cornerstone laid for Frontiers Campus in Budapest, a world-class research centre

A world-class research centre is being established in Hungary through the Frontiers Foundation, initiated by Nobel laureate Ferenc Krausz, with the national government providing the necessary support, Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced at the cornerstone ceremony for the Frontiers Campus in Budapest on Tuesday.

Excellent educators and abundant Hungarian talent

Orbán stressed that Krausz’s long-standing argument — that despite strong foundations, excellent educators, and abundant Hungarian talent, those pursuing careers in the natural sciences must eventually leave the country due to its lack of advanced research infrastructure — had led to an agreement: Krausz and his team would design the plans for a globally competitive research hub, while the government would create the conditions to make it a reality. “This is our side of the deal,” he said, noting the campus will be built at Infopark. “We hope to succeed … together — we’ll see after April 12,” he added, referencing the upcoming parliamentary election.

The prime minister highlighted nearly 1 trillion forints invested in university infrastructure over the past decade, the HU-Rizont programme fostering collaboration between Hungarian and top global universities, and a 20 billion forint upgrade to the HUN-REN research network. The Frontiers Foundation aims to establish over 70 knowledge centres nationwide, supporting 15,000 talented young Hungarians, he added.

Maximising every resource to stay competitive

Recalling past efforts made together with the late Nobel laureate György Oláh, Orbán lamented that similar plans had failed despite “equally generous offers”. He underscored the need to retain and leverage Hungary’s talent pool. “A 10 million-strong country and 15 million-strong nation must maximise every resource to stay competitive,” he said.

Warning of Europe’s looming crises, mentioning war, energy shortages and new migration waves, he insisted Hungary must “stand its ground, stay out of wars, secure its energy, and resist uncontrolled migration,” requiring faster, more agile thinking than others. “Since Trianon, Hungary’s only path to success has been through its intellect,” he said, urging the nation to pursue its own interests and avoid becoming “a tool for others’ agendas”.

Addressing young scientists, Orbán said: “The golden gate will open soon — just walk through it.”

Frontiers Campus in Budapest: labs, community, offices

The Frontiers Campus, funded by the foundation, will house cutting-edge labs, community spaces, and offices to nurture talent and translate research into impact.

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