Over the past decade, HUN-REN Cloud has become a cornerstone of Hungary’s research infrastructure, supporting nearly 470 research projects and contributing to more than 600 scientific publications. A conference marking its tenth anniversary highlighted the platform’s achievements, the wide range of research it enables, and its future development priorities.
On 5 November, the HUN-REN Wigner Research Centre for Physics hosted a national conference at its Data Centre to celebrate the tenth anniversary of HUN-REN Cloud. Bringing together around 80 participants, the event reflected on a decade of achievements and explored the future opportunities of Hungary’s research cloud infrastructure.
The conference opened with remarks by András Stipsicz, President of HUN-REN, followed by a welcome address from Péter Lévai, Director General of the HUN-REN Wigner Research Centre for Physics. Péter Kacsuk, Chief Advisor to HUN-REN Cloud, looked back at the initiative’s origins and development, while Róbert Lovas, Project Director of HUN-REN Cloud, outlined its strategic role within Hungary’s research ecosystem and the wider international research infrastructure landscape.
Launched in 2016 under the auspices of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (MTA) as a joint initiative of HUN-REN SZTAKI and the HUN-REN Wigner Research Centre for Physics, HUN-REN Cloud has since grown into a nationally significant research infrastructure with strong international connections. Today, it provides research institutes, universities and collaborative research projects across Hungary with advanced computing and data storage resources, helping to strengthen the digital foundations of scientific research.
The impact of HUN-REN Cloud over the past decade is reflected in its track record: nearly 470 research projects supported and more than 600 scientific publications produced in connection with these projects. Its infrastructure enables research across a remarkable range of disciplines, from biology and physics to astronomy, artificial intelligence and the social sciences. One example of its international reach is its contribution of computing resources to a joint astrophysics research project involving Hungarian astronomers and Francis Halzen, the 2026 Nobel Prize laureate in Physics.
The anniversary conference brought this diversity to life through presentations showcasing how researchers are putting the shared infrastructure to work. Topics ranged from biological data processing and large-scale quantum simulations to astronomical spectroscopy, the search for sources of cosmic neutrinos, and studies of human hippocampal networks. Participants also learned about cloud-based AI solutions developed in collaboration with the Hungarian Central Statistical Office, as well as advances in cybersecurity research and training supported by HUN-REN Cloud.
Looking ahead, the conference placed particular emphasis on the next generation of research infrastructure. Artificial intelligence, high-performance computing (HPC), quantum computing and the growing need for interoperability between these technologies are creating both new challenges and exciting opportunities. HUN-REN Cloud aims to meet these evolving demands by continuing to provide Hungarian researchers with a modern, reliable and accessible computing environment, while strengthening links with international research infrastructures and collaborative initiatives.
HUN-REN Cloud’s international standing is further reinforced by its involvement in major European initiatives, including EuroHPC, ESFRI SLICES and EGI. Beyond meeting the needs of Hungary’s research community, its ongoing development helps ensure that the country remains an active contributor to the evolution of European research and AI infrastructure.
The conference concluded with a roundtable discussion on the future of AI, HPC and interoperability, providing a forum for researchers and infrastructure operators to exchange insights, experiences and perspectives.
More than a celebration of past achievements, HUN-REN Cloud’s tenth anniversary reaffirmed the importance of a research infrastructure built and operated through collaboration. As it enters its second decade, HUN-REN Cloud is well positioned to continue strengthening the competitiveness of Hungarian science, supporting the country’s digital sovereignty and opening new opportunities for international research collaboration.
The full program is available on the event page.
