The Institute of History of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences was established in 1949 (its predecessor was the historical section of the Teleki Pál Institute, founded in 1941). As of 1 January, 2012 it functions as a member institution of the Research Centre for the Humanities at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. Given its traditions and the attainments of scholars who have pursued research under its aegis, the Institute is the leading institution of historical sciences in Hungary (and the study of history in Hungarian).Its primary task is basic research in connection with the history of the Hungarian state and Hungarian society the publication of handbooks (in particular the publication of source works) and synthetical works, professional publication and widespread distribution of research findings, the maintenance of relationships with international institutions of history, the support and coordination of participation of Hungarian historians in international forums, and contributions to the shaping of public opinion in Hungary. To this end the Institute provides an organizational infrastructure, including the management of periodicals in Hungarian and other languages (Történelmi Szemle, Világtörténet, Acta Historica) and book series (Magyar Történelmi Emlékek), as well as the maintenance of various institutional forums (lectures, workshop meetings, young scholars’ forums, workshop discussions, book openings, research reports, and conferences). We host other central institutions of Hungarian historical science (the HAS Committee of Historical Science, the Hungarian Historical Society, and joint committees of historians) and we provide infrastructural and human resources for the country’s most important historical periodical, Századok. The staff of the Institute serves on numerous editorial, scientific and organizational committees and advisory boards and participates in Hungarian and other projects and cultural endeavours (the compilation of encyclopaedias, textbooks, monographs, etc.). Several colleagues also teach at universities in Hungary and abroad. Guidelines for our research include a regional (Central European) approach, close cooperation with similar Hungarian and foreign disciplines and institutions studying the region of the Carpathian Basin, continuous participation in international historiography, the study of Hungarian historical topics in a European and global context, addressing historical questions that are of interest to Hungarian society, and making proper use of modern technologies and resources. We believe that the professional work of our Institute has a decisive role in the preservation and formation  of the collective memory and identity of our national community.