Debrecen4U
August 31, 2026
University Startup Programme to Be Extended to PhD Students
At a press conference following last Saturday’s DOSZFeszt, Péter Horváth, State Secretary for Science and Innovation at the Ministry of Science and Technology, said that innovation training would be strengthened in both higher education and doctoral programmes while such training would also be introduced in secondary schools from the 2026–2027 academic year, involving around 10,000 students.
He also announced that funding for the National Research, Development and Innovation (NKFI) Fund would be doubled over the next three years, potentially bringing the total to HUF 225 billion.
He identified one of the country’s biggest weaknesses as the difficulty of turning research results into startups and subsequently into businesses capable of sustained growth. He said the government therefore planned to simplify company formation and support innovative Hungarian businesses in entering the market.
Péter Horváth highlighted that European Union funding available through the GINOP Plus programme over the next two years would be used to provide high-level support for Hungarian innovation, while the infrastructure of the research network and universities would receive several tens of billions of forints in funding. He added that, in connection with Hungary’s “reintegration” into the European Union, a science and technology office would be opened in Brussels to strengthen Hungary’s participation.
In connection with the Debrecen event, he described teaching young people about innovation and encouraging them to have the confidence to become entrepreneurs as an important objective. By involving doctoral students in the startup programme, Hungary has begun providing a form of innovation training that helps them become innovators and subsequently launch successful businesses, the State Secretary said.
László Bódis, CEO of the National Innovation Agency, pointed out that more than 20,000 people have so far taken part in the Hungarian Startup University (HSUP) programme, which is now being extended to doctoral students. Doctoral students can apply for the programme with their research ideas by 15 September. The first part of the programme, entitled Learning and Discovery, will run until October.
Project launch will take place between November and January, followed by project development through to June. In July, doctoral students will have the opportunity to present their project ideas to a professional jury, investors, industry experts and potential partners, the CEO explained, adding that participating students would also receive scholarships and project funding.
Zoltán Bács, Rector of the University of Debrecen, which hosted DOSZFeszt, said that innovation was not a silver bullet but an everyday necessity that also helped projects enter the market.
Péter Vámosi, President of the National Association of Doctoral Students, welcomed the fact that the HSUP Doctorate programme had been presented by the National Innovation Agency and its supporting Ministry of Science and Technology at DOSZFeszt, and that participants had been among the first to learn about Hungary’s science and innovation strategy. At the same time, he pointed out that the monthly allowance for PhD students, HUF 140,000, had not been increased for eight years. In response, State Secretary Péter Horváth told MTI that the issue fell within the remit of the ministry responsible for education, but that his ministry supported an increase in the allowance.
Source: dehir.hu | Photo credit: Debrecen városa (Facebook)
