Hungary
In 2016, over HUF 427 billion ($41.6 billion), or 1.22% of Hungary’s GDP, was invested into R&D, an 8.8% decrease. R&D expenditures in the business and government sectors fell 7.9% each, while higher education R&D decreased 16.1%. By sources, R&D expenditures financed by the business sector improved 3.5%.
In regards to research units, defined as “research and development institutes and other budgetary units, higher education institutions and business enterprises,” 2,727 units were operating in Hungary in 2016, a 2.6% drop. R&D personnel totaled 54,600, a 1.3% increase, but due to a decrease in technicians and support staff, the higher number of R&D personnel did not translate into greater R&D, as research activities generally declined 2.8%.
As of 2015, the largest number of research units were in Central Hungary, which houses 1,501 research institutions, with 1,283 in Budapest alone. The Great Plain and North followed with 777 operating research units and Transdanubia housed 523.
By region, the greatest R&D investments were made in Great Plain and North in 2015, with HUF 800.8 million ($3.0 million) invested in machines, equipment and vehicles, and a HUF 1.0 billion ($3.9 million) budget for buildings and other structures, totaling HUF 1.9 billion ($7.0 million) in R&D expenditures.
