Preface The Association Act 2 of 1989 has enabled the citizens of Hungary to establish different societies and social associations. After the change of the regime some of the leading characters of the Hungarian technical life, who were very much aware of the close interaction between the level of the industrial technology and the current state of the economy, have decided to seize the legal opportunities and follow the international examples by joining the professional elite of the Hungarian engineering and technical scientific society into an Academy of Engineering thus promoting the development of the Hungarian economy. The organization and the preparation of the formation of the Academy were very much helped and assisted by the Council of Academies of Engineering and Technological Sciences (CAETS) and its General Secretary, Mr. Steven N. Anastasion, who willingly shared with us the experiences of the different national academies of engineering that had been operating abroad for a long time then. President's address 10 years. It is a short period in the history, but for the Hungarian Academy of Engineering it is most significant. Using the home and international acknowledgement of our distinguished members and also the experiences gained from our international cooperation, we did (and shall do) our best to give the best pieces of advance for the proper economical and political leaders of Hungary in the interest of promoting the technological - technical higher educational level of our country. The most talentful youngsters may count - also in the future - with our support. We should like to thank all ordinary and honorary members of the Hungarian Academy of Engineering, that - in our globalizing world – through their activities contribute to the hopefully quick upgrading of the Hungarian economy.
Introduction of the Hungarian Academy of Engineering (MMA) in brief The Hungarian Academy of Engineering (MMA/HAE) the first such institution in this part of Europe, was founded on the 29th January, 1990. Now the HAE has 163 members. In electing new members, covering every field of technical life and the adequate representational of different fields are among the basic criteria. The HAE aims to foster international integration of creative engineering activities by establishing the constitutional framework and functioning conditions of an independent national engineering academy in the Hungarian Republic in such a way, so as to enable the organised co-operation with the Council of Academies of Engineering and Technological Sciences (CAETS; Washington), and with the engineering academies of other countries, Hungarian scientific associations, the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, the Federation of Technical and Scientific Societies, institutions of higher education, and research institutions. The declared aims of the HAE are to serve the Hungarian Republic and the nation in all fields connected to the development of techniques and technologies, as this is the basic instrument for social welfare, to act as a forum for collecting and exchanging information in the fields mentioned, to express its opinion, and to advise the Parliament, the Government, the Executive Branch of Government and other appropriate bodies. In order to fulfil the above-mentioned aims, the HAE organises programs, competitions, study tours and publishes various printed materials. The work of the HAE was greatly supported by the Parliament, the Ministry for Industry, Trade and Tourism (IKIM), the National Committee for Technological Development (OMFB), the Ministry of Culture and Education (MKM), the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (MTA) and the Federation of Technical and Scientific Societies (MTESZ). Assistance was also received from the Hungarian Credit Bank (MHB), the Hungarian Oil and Gas Co. Ltd. (MOL Rt.), ESAB Hungary Ltd., the National Power Line Ltd. (OVIT Rt.), the Nuclear Power Plant Ltd. (PA Rt.), the Hungarian Electricity Board (MVM Rt.), and from Prof. Ernő Rubik and Dr. Albert Keresztes. In its far-reaching activity the HAE considers as important task to stimulate creativity, and to promote the realisation of technical ideas and innovations. Therefore it established a foundation to support these needs. The HAE is operating to fulfil the aims stated in its Constitution using its domestic and foreign links and its members's expertise and activity.
.
The History of the HAE Told in a Nutshell Birth of the HAE On a foggy autumn afternoon dr. János Ginsztler was approached by and after several hours of discussion he has been convinced that together with dr. Ernő Rubik they should start to establish the Hungarian Academy of Engineering. After three month of preparatory activities on 29th January, 1990 42 members founded the HAE. On the Founding Meeting the Constitution of HAE was discussed and approved and the Presidency was elected for the first 3-year period. On the basis of the Minutes of the Founding Meeting HAE has been registered at the Budapest Capital Law-court in the list of social corporations on the 13th of February,1990. The HAE received a warm welcome in Hungary, for example from President of the Hungarian Republic, Mr. Árpád Göncz, from the Speaker of the Parliament, dr. György Szabad and from dr. György Vajda, President of the Technical Sciences Department of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. The beginnings The Hungarian Academy of Engineering was established with one accord of the 42 founding members and with an estimate on the cost of HUF 2.25 million which amount has since been increased by other contributions based on foundation and other co-operation agreements as well as sponsorship supports, membership fees and the incomes of the activities permitted by the Statutes. The MMA operates with a minimum number of employees: the Secretariat has been set up with two full-time and two part-time colleagues and the staff has not grown ever since. The Secretariat is in charge of the whole administration of the MMA as well as the management and administration of the MMA Foundations. In the beginning the Secretariat had rather poor infrastructure which has since been highly developed and up-dated owing to the contribution won at an OMFB competition. Foundation of the Hungarian Academy of Engineering (FHAE) Since the very first moment of its establishment the Hungarian Academy of Engineering has always found it of utmost importance to support every creative initiative and talented young expert. Therefore, on 9 May 1990, in order to promote the realisation of realistic ideas, innovations and inventions as well as the development of the knowledge of young technical experts and their inclusion in the international scientific world the MMA started a fund called the Fund of the Hungarian Academy of Engineering (MMAA) which has been registered with the Court of Budapest on 26 June 1990.
The Council of Academies of Engineering and Technological Sciences (CAETS), an international non-governmental association, was established in 1978 in recognition of the increasing dependence of nations on technology and its advances for their economic and social welfare. The Council's primary purpose is to promote international co-operation in engineering and technology in order to facilitate effective contributions of technological progress to the societies of all nations. The objectives of CAETS are:
A significant and distinguishing characteristic of CAETS is its unique criteria for membership. Member organisations are composed of distinguished individuals who are elected by peers on the basis of significant personal contributions to engineering, technological sciences, or related technological activities; are governed by their elected membership; and have demonstrated by significant activity the compatibility of their objectives with those of the Council. The HAE - as the member of CAETS Ever since its foundation the MMA has always been very active in its international cooperation. This can be supported on the one hand by a number of international events held in Hungary, e.g.: the Hungarian-Italian Symposium on Ceramics, the Hungarian-English Workshop on Mechatronics, the Hungarian-American Conference on the Intellectual Property Rights, the Hungarian-German Frühlingsakademie (picture 7), the General Meeting of FEANI, etc. Additionally, the MMA has also established and maintained widespread bi- and multilateral professional relations with the officials and members of several foreign national academies of engineering. Until 1995, the Hungarian Academy of Engineering received the delegations of several foreign national academies, e.g. the leaders of the Academies of Engineering of Australia, Belgium, China, England, Finland, Norway and Sweden. During this period the representatives of several other professional organisations also visited the HAE which always took an active part in the organization of their programs during their stay in Budapest. It is a great pleasure to hear that some of these experts have initiated to establish a national academy of engineering in their country using the experiences gained in Hungary. The HAE has also signed a Declaration of Intent of Co-operation with the NAFEN of India and concluded and Agreement of Co-operation with KOSEF of South Korea (picture 8) and also with the South-African FRD and with the Finish Academies of Technological Sciences. As a result of the very good relation between the HAE and the FEANI and due to the international recognition of the Hungarian engineers Budapest hosted the Meeting of the Executive Committee of FEANI in 1994 and the General Meeting and professional conference of FEANI in 1995. The HAE took an active part in the organization of both events. In February 1995 a delegation of the high rank officials of CAETS visited Budapest in order to get acquainted with the members and the activity of the HAE (pictures 9,10). The members of the delegation were: Sir W. Barlow (Great Britain) and Mr. S. Anastasion (USA), Prof. H. Forsberg (Sweden)visited Hungary earlier several times. The HAE compiled a detailed information brochure for the delegation and arranged a meeting with the members of the HAE. The visit ended with a festive complimentary dinner offered for the delegation (picture 11). Based on the report made by the delegation for the CAETS executives about the visit in Budapest the General Meeting of CAETS convened in Sweden on 18 July 1995 unanimously accepted the MMA among the members of CAETS (picture 12). But what is CAETS? What is it for? The Council of Academies of Engineering and Technological Sciences (CAETS), and international non-governmental association, was established in 1978 in recognition of the increasing dependence of nations on technology and its advances for their economic and social welfare. The Council’s primary purpose is to promote international co-operation in engineering and technology in order to facilitate effective contributions of technological progress to the societies of all nations. The objectives of CAETS are:
A significant and distinguishing characteristic of CAETS is its unique criteria for membership. Member organisations are composed of distinguished individuals who are elected by peers on the basis of significant personal contributions to engineering, technological sciences, or related technological activities; are governed by their elected membership; and have demonstrated by significant activity the compatibility of their objectives with those of the Council. CAETS Conference in Budapest Between 4-6 June 1991, in consultation with the Hungarian Academy of Engineering the US National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and the Council of Academies of Engineering and Technological Sciences (CAETS) convened a Meeting of the Executives of the Academies of Engineering of the world in Budapest. Additionally, it was initiated that another international conference called “Harnessing Engineering and Technology for Economic Growth: Opening Dialogue Between the Engineering Communities of the East and West” should also be organized at this period with the participation of the engineering organisations of the Central and Eastern European countries. The HAE was responsible for the organization of the events. The preface of the Program of the event - quoted below – highlighted the importance of the Conference very well. "This unique conference, bringing together leaders of engineering and technology from nations of Eastern Europe and the West, will explore actions that can foster the harnessing of engineering and technology for economic growth. It is convened by the international Council of Academies of Engineering and Technological Sciences (CAETS) and organized by the U.S. National Academy of Engineering in consultation with the Hungarian Academy of Engineering. The conference is timely and important for several reasons:
In view of the above the principle goals of the Conference were set as follows: "The goals of the conference are to:
The conference was attended by nearly 100 participants among them 3-3 executives of each foreign Academy of Engineering as well as, in addition to the 12 invited Hungarian participants, several highly recognised engineers of Austria, Bulgaria, Checzoslovakia, Poland, Romania, the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia were also present. The recommendations of the conference were carefully examined by a board of CAETS representatives which also decided about the ways of helping the technical experts of the former Central-Eastern -European countries in their efforts to close-up.
The activity of the foundation forms an important part of the work of the HAE. In 1997 the newly elected presidency had to face with a completely newly structured foundation and started to operate it. The financial basis of the foundation changed considerably when our Honorary Life President, Professor Ernő Rubik added the means of his old foundations and his earlier commitments of public interest to the Foundation of the HAE. The new foundation thus set up has been registered by the Court of Budapest under the name of the Hungarian Academy of Engineering Foundation-Rubik International Foundation (HAEF-RIF) with the reg. number 6513. The Founders have developed the strategy as follows: "The Foundation declares that it will always act for the common interest and public use and aims at supporting every activity stipulated in the Statutes using the earnings and the interests of the foundation estates - separated from the Scholarship Foundation - and taking into consideration the current priorities." Prize of the Hungarian Academy of Engineering The HAE made a very important decision in 1998: in order to acknowledge the activity of the Hungarian engineers and as a mark of our esteem for the creative engineering work the HAE - at the initiative of Professor Ernő Rubik and the Foundation of the HAE - established the "Prize of the Hungarian Academy of Engineering", This Prize can bestowed to one person per year. A passage from the Statutes of the HAE Prize: "The Prize will be awarded by the Presidency of the Hungarian Academy of Engineering after the consideration of the proposals received from the members of the HAE and the requested experts." Apart from the moral recognition, the sum of the Prize might also have a stimulating effect on all the excellent engineers who feel committed towards their profession. The winner of the Prize receives a certificate acknowledging the award of the Prize as well as an amount of HUF 1 million. The Prize was awarded for the first time at the 3rd General Assembly of the HAE in November 1999. The prize was granted to Dr. Sándor Domanowszky acknowledging his outstanding activity in the field of production and assembling of welded constructions. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
