The Hungarian Academy of Sciences is the most important and prestigious learned society of Hungary. Its seat is at the bank of the Danube in Budapest. Its main responsibilities are the cultivation of science, dissemination of scientific findings, supporting research and development and representing Hungarian science domestically and around the world.

A scientific section is a unit of the Academy organized by one or some closely related branches of science. A scientific section follows with attention, promotes and evaluates all scientific activities conducted within its field(s) of science; takes a stand on scientific issues as well as in matters concerning science policy and research organization, submits opinion on the activities of the Academy's research institutes, and on those of university chairs and other research units that are supported by the Academy, and participates in the procedure of awarding the title of Doctor of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, the post-Ph.D academic degree, the D.Sc degree in Hungary.

Today it has eleven main sections:Section of Linguistics and Literary Scholarship,Section of Philosophy and Historical Sciences,Section of Mathematics,Section of Agricultural Sciences,Section of Medical Sciences,Section of Engineering Sciences,Section of Chemical Sciences,Section of Biological Sciences,Section of Economics and Law,Section of Earth Sciences and Section of Physical Sciences.