Its main research task is to study the underlying trends and factors behind global and regional economic developments, and to examine their present and future impact on the Hungarian economy. In addition, it sets out to contribute to international research, through cooperation with top research institutes throughout the world.

Research and teaching on:
Maghreb history , history of the Mediterranean civilizations , relations between central and oriental Europe and the Mediterranean (15-20. Centuries), European construction and the Mediterranean

The institute works on several projects:
- study the factors of continuity and discontinuity in Islamic legacy in the perspective of understanding the current development in the Islamic world, mainly in philosophy, theology, political sciences and literature, classical and modern,
- organizing public and international scientific workshops and conferences to disseminate knowledge,
- publishing scientific monographs, conferences’ proceedings,
- granting scholarship for junior researches in PhD or post-doctoral dissertations.

Current research projects :
The problems of security in East-Mediterranean .
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Processes of integration of the Mediterranean (Cyprus, Malta, Turkey) Efforts of European integration in the states of Balcan. Risks of security in border zones of Hungary south.
Transborder cooperation .
Regional policies in Balcan

Le site www.babelmed.net édite une revue de culture et politique en Méditerranée grâce à un réseau de correspondants méditerranéens sélectionnés pour leur indépendance et leur connaissance des milieux culturels. Son nom évoque la Méditerranée “med” et sa diversité culturelle et linguistique“babel” : les articles sont en français, anglais, arabe, et parfois en italien, espagnol... ;“bab”, porte en arabe, donne l’idée d’une ouverture sur l’ailleurs. L’objectif éditorial est de décloisonner les cultures nationales méditerranéennes : le travail de concertation du réseau permet de cerner les grandes problématiques transversales à la Méditerranée et de les traiter dans une dynamique de confrontation.

EU Projects implemented in the past years:
ENATW “The European Network Against Trafficking in Women for sexual exploitation” –DG Employment and Social Affairs
G3E: Gender Equality in an Enlarged Europe – Small Phare project
Project IWI “Immigrated Women Integration. The European network against social exclusion” - DG Employment and Social Affairs;
Police and trafficking in human beings. System of controls and victims protection- STOP Programme – DG Justice and Home Affairs
IWS-NET: International Women Shield network - DG Justice and Home Affairs
EU policies and best practices for public administration in Lombardy region
Kites' web - network for young equal opportunities - DG Employment and Social Affairs

-Coordination of bilateral agreements signed by CNR with: ASRT-Egypt; MOST-Israel, CNRST-Morocco; TUBITAK-Turkey.
-Training initiatives: “Euro-Med post-graduate Advanced School on New Materials and technologies for Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage ...” (1999and2001); “Multi-media Technologies applied to Cultural Heritage” (6.11/7.12.2000), Training Through Research Programs in priority sectors (nov.2002); “Short Advanced Course on Conservation of Cultural Heritage” (29.05/2.06.05).
-Coordination/involvement in EU projects: The Euro-Med Forum on Co-operation in agriculture and food agro-industry (1998), co-funded under MEDA Program; “Euro-Med Forum on Scientific/Technological research as a tool for regional integration (2000), 5thFP; “Second Forum of high representatives of Euro-Mediterranean public institutions of RTD” (2002), 5thFP; “Thematic workshops for the definition of the S/T euro-Mediterranean policy within FP7”, 6thFP; “Innovative materials and technol

4 COPPEM Commissions, composed of COPPEM members who are assisted by the experts of the Secretariat, carry out the preliminary works for planning activities to be approved by the ordinary Plenary Assembly. Each Commission is assigned with the following areas of competence:
I Commission “Political and Institutional
II Commission “For cooperation between cities and regions”
III Commission “For economic and financial cooperation”
IV Commission “For the culture, technologies, tourism and environment”
.For 2004-2005, the following themes were decided:
-Experiences of participation of Euro-Mediterranean local powers and Regions
-Immigration and emigration, actions and tools of the co-operation among Euro-Mediterranean Towns and Regions
-The Euro-Mediterranean local development
- Culture and tourism: promotion and management of cultural areas.

- Activities of environmental voluntary (Puliamo il mundo, Salvalarte, Spiagge pulite)
- Project of environmental education with schools and local institutions
- Participation to juvenile exchange projects and to meetings in Euromed's countries.
- Presentation of a project conerning environmental education with France, Portugal and Germany
- Preparation of sociologic inquest for the youth.

TEMPUS MEDA JEP ELEG, improving e-learning capabilities of Open University Center, Cairo University
TEMPUS MEDA SCM PRODEST, enhancement of the international relation offices capabilities, Constantine University (Algeria)
TEMPUS MEDA JEP ECPIR, on rehabilitation sciences in Morocco
IDARA - Rachida, university governance in Algerian Universities
TEMPUS CARDS JEP HECDP, restoration courses in Albania
UNIMED Cultural Heritage II: facilitating exchanges of know-how to safeguard and protect Cultural Heritage
PRESERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF SMALL MEDITERRANEAN CITIES, training course organized within the framework of ‘Anna Lind Foundation’, sponsored by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with Brandish Province and Chamber of Commerce.