Dr. Tamás Sulyok, President of Hungary, visited the Laser Research Centre in Szeged

Dr. Tamás Sulyok, Head of State, speaking at an event organised by the Research Students Movement, of which he is the patron, told young people visiting the ELI-ALPS Laser Research Centre in Szeged that "the Szeged Research Centre is the driving force behind the development of laser technology".

"The future is born here," emphasised Dr. Tamás Sulyok, adding that Hungary is proud that ELI-ALPS operates in our country and that scientists from many countries around the world come here to conduct their research projects.

The President of Hungary said that he would promote the research opportunities available at the facility at every forum and urge Poland and Slovakia, Members of the Visegrad Group, to join the ELI ERIC consortium operating the Szeged research institute, alongside the founding members Hungary and the Czech Republic.

Allen Weeks, Director General of the ELI ERIC consortium, emphasized that laser technology is used in many ways in daily life, industry, medicine, quantum computing and communications. He added that Europe already plays a leading role in laser technology.

Szeged is home to ten different laser facilities, several of which are among the most advanced in the world. The equipment is used, among other things, to study material structures, develop fusion technologies, simulate astronomical processes and even accelerate elementary particles. Researchers from around the world come to ELI-ALPS, where they can conduct their experiments free of charge at the research institute, provided that the scientific committee deems their research plans worthy. Since the opening of the facilities in Szeged and Prague, with the Prague facility also belonging to ELI ERIC, more than 1,500 users from 41 countries have visited the research centres.