We have the potential to be the driving force of Hungarian innovation

"There is no sector in the country that BME is not contributing to", said Hassan Charaf, the Rector of BME, in an interview by higher education magazine Uniside, originally published in UNI in&out Innováció 2024.

The Rector believes he is in the fortunate position to lead an institution that has the history, the accumulated knowledge and the infrastructure to build on, regardless of its current state. "We have everything it takes to be the driving force of Hungarian innovation," he said.

What will be the big hit?

In the interview, Hassan Charaf talked about the most promising research projects currently underway at BME, from solar cell developments to terahertz light sources, but added that while there are many projects underway at the university that could become a big hit, it is difficult to predict which ones will actually become.

However, he is sure that a more professional innovation ecosystem is needed for sustained success. "Of course, this will work well only if we can assign an adequate capital base. By this I mean that there should be a budget, even within the university's remit, specifically allocated to innovations. (...)

A 100-percent university-owned capital fund can create the professional operation under which spin-offs and start-ups can be created. This is important because it would give the institution another pillar under the control of the university management."

Hassan Charaf's vision is that this will enable the BME to produce a "company-like operation" and guarantee the responsiveness required by partner companies. "I believe that we do not lack results, projects, potential research outputs. What needs to be developed is what is around all this," he added. On the possible model change of the institution, however, he noted that the system cannot work without EU links, so "we need a model that will sustain that system in its current form".

Rector's Office, Communications Directorate