KORMANYZATI INFORMATIKAI FEJLESZTESI UGYNOKSEG

Their core work

KIFU is Hungary's governmental agency responsible for national research and education networking, high-performance computing infrastructure, and e-infrastructure services. They operate Hungary's contribution to the pan-European GÉANT research network and the PRACE HPC ecosystem, ensuring Hungarian researchers and institutions have access to world-class computational and networking resources. They also serve as Hungary's gateway to the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC), supporting open science policies and digital infrastructure at the national level.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In the early H2020 period (2015–2018), KIFU's portfolio was broad and exploratory: regional capacity building in Southeast Europe (VI-SEEM), transatlantic submarine cable connectivity (BELLA), data management across life sciences and climatology, and foundational GÉANT/PRACE participation. From 2019 onward, their focus sharpened significantly toward three pillars: advanced research networking (GN4-3/3N with emphasis on security and trust), national HPC competence building (EUROCC as their largest-funded project), and open science governance (NI4OS-Europe, EOSC Future). The trajectory shows a shift from international connectivity building to consolidating Hungary's national digital research infrastructure.

KIFU is positioning itself as Hungary's central node for EOSC integration and national HPC competence, making them the go-to partner for any EU initiative needing Hungarian e-infrastructure access.

How they like to work

KIFU operates exclusively as a participant — never as coordinator — which is typical for national research and education network operators who join large pan-European infrastructure consortia (GÉANT, PRACE) as national representatives. With 282 unique partners across 57 countries, their network is exceptionally wide but driven by membership in mega-consortia rather than selective bilateral partnerships. Working with KIFU means gaining access to Hungary's national research infrastructure and their deep connections within the European e-infrastructure community.

With 282 partners across 57 countries, KIFU has one of the broadest networks in Hungary's research landscape — though this largely reflects membership in pan-European infrastructure projects (GÉANT with 40+ NRENs, PRACE with 25+ partners). Their geographic reach extends beyond Europe to Latin America through BELLA.

What sets them apart

KIFU is Hungary's designated national operator for research networking and HPC infrastructure within the European ecosystem — there is no alternative Hungarian partner for GÉANT or PRACE-type projects. For any EU consortium needing a Hungarian e-infrastructure node, national HPC access, or a gateway to Hungarian research institutions, KIFU is the mandatory entry point. Their government-backed status also provides long-term institutional stability that academic partners sometimes lack.

Highlights from their portfolio

• EUROCC
  Largest single grant (EUR 1M) — established Hungary's National Competence Centre for HPC, bridging the gap between supercomputing resources and industry/SME adoption.
• GN4-3
  Flagship GÉANT project (EUR 605K to KIFU) advancing secure multi-domain research networking across Europe with focus on trust and innovation.
• NI4OS-Europe
  Positioned KIFU at the governance level of the European Open Science Cloud, moving beyond infrastructure operation into science policy shaping.