Magyar Tudományos Akadémia | |
 The seat of the academy on the bank of the Danube in Budapest | |
 | |
| Abbreviation | MTA |
|---|---|
| Formation | 3 November 1825; 200 years ago (1825-11-03)[1] |
| Type | National academy |
| Headquarters | Budapest, Hungary |
| Location |
|
| Coordinates | 47°30′4″N19°2′47″E / 47.50111°N 19.04639°E /47.50111; 19.04639 |
Region served | Hungary |
| Membership | 1,363[2] (2014) |
President | Tamás Freund |
| Website | mta |
Formerly called | Magyar Tudós Társaság |
TheHungarian Academy of Sciences (Hungarian:Magyar Tudományos Akadémia[ˈmɒɟɒrˈtudomaːɲoʃˈɒkɒdeːmijɒ],MTA) is Hungary’s foremost and most prestigiouslearned society. Its headquarters are located along the banks of theDanube inBudapest, between Széchenyi rakpart andAkadémia utca. The Academy's primary functions include the advancement ofscientific knowledge, thedissemination of research findings, the support of research and development, and the representation ofscience in Hungary both domestically and around the world.
The origins of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences date back to 1825, when CountIstván Széchenyi offered one year's income from his estate to establish aLearned Society. He made this offer during a session of theDiet inPressburg (Pozsony, now Bratislava), then the seat of theHungarian Parliament. Inspired by his gesture, other delegates soon followed suit. The Society’s mission was defined as the development of theHungarian language and the promotion of sciences and the arts in the Hungarian language. It was officially named the Hungarian Academy of Sciences in 1845. The Academy's central building, designed in theRenaissance Revival architecture by architectFriedrich August Stüler, was inaugurated in 1865.
Within the Academy, scientific sections are organized according to individual disciplines or closely related fields. Each section monitors, promotes, and evaluates scientific activities within its domain. It provides expert opinions on scientific matters, science policy, and research organization. Additionally, the sections assess the work of the Academy’s research institutes, university departments, and other affiliated research units. They also play a key role in the process of awarding theDoctor of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (D.Sc.) degree, Hungary’s post-Ph.D. academic qualification.
Today, the Academy is composed of eleven main scientific sections:[3]
| CountJózsef Teleki | 17 November 1830 – 15 February 1855 |
| CountEmil Dessewffy | 17 April 1855 – 10 January 1866 |
| BaronJózsef Eötvös | 18 March 1866 – 2 February 1871 |
| BaronMenyhért Lónyay | 17 May 1871 – 3 November 1884 |
| Dr.Ágoston Trefort | 28 May 1885 – 22 August 1888 |
| BaronLoránd Eötvös | 3 May 1889 – 5 October 1905 |
| Albert Berzeviczy | 27 November 1905 – 22 March 1936 |
| Archduke Joseph Habsburg | 22 March 1936 – October 1944 |
| Gyula Kornis | 7 March 1945 – 29 October 1945 |
| Gyula Moór | 29 October 1945 – 24 July 1946 |
| Zoltán Kodály | 24 July 1946 – 29 November 1949 |
| István Rusznyák | 29 November 1949 – 5 February 1970 |
| Tibor Erdey-Grúz | 5 February 1970 – 16 August 1976 |
| János Szentágothai | 26 October 1976 – 10 May 1985 |
| Iván T. Berend | 10 May 1985 – 24 May 1990 |
| Domokos Kosáry | 24 May 1990 – 9 May 1996 |
| Ferenc Glatz | 9 May 1996 – 4 May 2002 |
| Szilveszter Vizi | 5 May 2002 – 6 May 2008 |
| József Pálinkás | 6 May 2008 – 5 May 2014 |
| László Lovász | 6 May 2014 – 31 July 2020 |
| Tamás Freund | 1 August 2020 –present |
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 areGyörgy Konrád,Magda Szabó,Péter Nádas writers,Zoltán Kocsis pianist,Miklós Jancsó,István Szabó film directors. The last president wasKároly Makk, film director, who succeeded László Dobszay (resigned on 20 April 2011[5]).
