The Demographic Research Institute (DRI) was founded in 1963 by the Hungarian Central Statistical Office in consent with the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. The Institute is the national centre of basic and applied demographic research and puts a great emphasis on social context of demographic processes.

The Institute

• collects data and analyses population development, fertility, nuptiality, mortality and migration in co-operation with the relevant departments of the Central Statistical Office
• analyses poverty trends, age stratification, the related changes in demographic behaviour
• regularly carries out long term population model calculations and projections
• is involved in analysing opinion polls on values and perceptions with regard to population and family issues
• analyses the interrelationship between social end demographic processes with a special focus on labour market, families, households
• analyses population, family and migration policy and supports its reformulation by carrying out background research
• analyses migration flows in social, cultural and economic context and interaction between migrant and non-migrant population.

Demographic Research Institute (DRI) is the only research institute in Hungary that carries out basic research on population issues and processes. In 1963 a demographic research group was founded within the Hungarian Central Statistical Office (HCSO), which became an independent institute in 1968, becoming one of the oldest independent demographic research institutes in Europe. DRI is an independent public organisation, supervised by the president of the HCSO. Ever since its foundation, DRI has maintained a close relationship with the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and its Committee on Demography, which pays continuous attention to the professional and scientific work at the Institute.

The DRI is financed from Central budget, as part of the Central Statistical Office. The DRI is entitled to undersign contract with third Institutions. So about one-third of the Institute budget is financed by scientific foundations (OTKA, NKFP), ministries and other bodies.

General research orientation

The research activities of the Institute encompass all the key themes of demography. It studies the basic demographic processes (fertility, nuptiality, mortality, internal and international migration), the structural characteristics of the Hungarian population and the reasons that may explain the current developments (changes in family and household structure, ageing, education, economic activity, geographic differences, and special population groups).

It prepares short- and long-term population projections on the number and structure of population and future demographic conditions. The Institute also carries out research in historical demography and biodemography. Furthermore, the DRI uses numerous data sources for its analyses, including vital statistics, census and survey data.

The DRI has a long tradition in empirical survey-based research: for decades it has been following the research tradition, which claims that demographic changes are the results of individual plans and decisions of the relevant population. Besides analysing the structural and economic background of individual behaviour, researchers also observe and interpret changes in values and attitudes.

International cooperation

The Institute is an active partner in a wide range of international collaborations. It participates in joint researches and organises bi- and multilateral conferences together with related institutions, international demographic research centres, university departments and organisations from other European countries. As an affiliated institute, DRI actively participates in the work of the European Association of Population Studies (EAPS); researchers of the Institute regularly present their findings on the European population conferences. The Institute is also a member in the European Population Network, which comprises 19 European demographic research institutes and aims at disseminating knowledge on demographic research results and population issues to a wider audience.

Publications

Most of the regular publications are in Hungarian. The quarterly called Demográfia has a history of more than fifty years. Research results are published as series of Research Reports and Working Papers. KorFa newsletter discusses important and up-to-date demographic issues in a popular format so that it reaches the widest possible audience.

Moreover, we have an increasing number of publications in English (the annual English edition of Demográfia, Working Papers on Population, Research Highlights, Demographic Portrait).