02 - Hungary - Ongoing debates and future developments

Transforming the educational structure of institutions of tertiary education

The Ministry of Education and Culture ( Oktatási és Kulturális Minisztérium), in line with the government programme, tabled a proposal to the government on a comprehensive tertiary education development programme in the light of Hungary’s EU accession (titled Government proposal on the Hungarian UniversitasProgramme, and a Discussion paper on the new Act on Higher Education).

By signing the Bologna Declaration also the Hungarian tertiary education committed itself to contribute to the creation of the European Higher Education Area by 2010 so as to ensure the competitiveness of the European Union. Following successful accreditation, Hungary must introduce the multi-cycle training system from 2006 onward.

The Act XXXVIII of 2003 amending the Act LXXX of 1993 on Higher Education enabled the Minister of Education and Culture to permit the launching of training of a qualification, structure, content, and duration different from what is available at the courses of initial training. In 2003 the first training cycle of the multi-cycle training structure was accredited in two basic courses in the IT area.

The conferences of institution managers representing the professional interests of Hungarian tertiary education i.e. the Hungarian Rectors’ Conference, the Conference of Principals of főiskola together with the Hungarian Accreditation Board ( Magyar Akkreditációs Bizottság) made a proposal concerning the structure of the first cycle of the multi-cycle training structure. The Government Decree on the multi cycle training structure (2004/258. on certain rules of the implementation of the multi-cycle, linear training in higher education and on the rules of launching the first training cycle) defined 12 educational areas with 102 BSc (bachelor) degree courses, and 6 MA (master) courses with no exit possibility in the first cycle. Higher education institutions may launch new courses based on the opinion of the Hungarian Accreditation Committee and the approval of the Minister of Education and Culture.

The calls for applications published under the Human Resources Development Operational Programme of the National Development Plan prepared to receive the EU Structural Funds are meant to support the structure as well as the content of tertiary education.

The legal status of students, the funding of the training, and the grants channelled to students will change to fit the new training system as the new Act on Higher Education, forming part of the Hungarian Universitas Programme will enter effect. The aim of the change will be to ensure free choice of institution, students’ mobility, doing parts of one’s studies at different institutions domestically or internationally, guaranteeing that previously acquired knowledge is taken into account, the legislative environment required for this, the organisational framework, providing financial support, solving problems arising from training becoming so widespread, the qualitative development of tertiary education, strengthening links with the economy, and fine-tuning training to market demand.

In the new system the initial training cycle of 3-4 grades (undergraduate degree) will be followed by the second training cycle. The initial cycle providing a bachelors degree will ensure sufficient knowledge, and technical competence applicable in practice (application requirements) to enable immediate success in the labour market, and at the same time it will provide appropriate theoretical grounding for continuing studies uninterrupted or later following some years of work, to obtain the MA, the graduate degree.

The National Development Plan accepted and submitted by government provides a comprehensive strategic and coordination framework also in order to upgrade life-long-learning. The National Development Plan places life-long-learning in the context of the economy and tertiary education, and attaches particular significance to the objective that the development of the institution structure and the programmes of life-long-learning should take place in close cooperation with the players of the economy.

According to the 2005 Act on Higher education a Government decree (289/2005 on bachelor and master degree courses) regulates bachelor and master courses. Teacher education for teachers working in lower and upper secondary education has been restructured according to the multi-cycle system and teacher qualification may be acquired on completion of a master course.

Working out the competence based education and training requirements, and defining the learning outcomes of the bachelor courses are considered as reforms of the newly structured higher education. Launching of new courses and their requirements, defining of institutional conditions, preparations of curricula, syllabus, the programmes and entrance procedures are all regulated by ministerial decree (15/2005 on the education and training requirements and definition of the learning outcomes of bachelor and master courses).

In the governmental programme passed in 2006, the realization of competitive and quality tertiary education became objectives. The transformation of the financing of training and the introduction of a more justified financing construction became issue. The Parliament accepted to enact the education endorsement during the education period. (the Act LXXIII of 2006; on the modification of the Act on Public Education).

The education endorsement is an income for tertiary institutions 50% of which serves as a means to help students of extraordinary performance, 50% serves developmental purposes of tertiary institutions. The support system of students has also transformed. Students grant is an acknowledgment of quality educational work, and also ensures a guaranteed, predictable support for tertiary education , which takes the social situation into consideration.

The 2007 modification of the Act on Higher Education defines the available budgetary subsidy for tertiary education from a new point of view. The operational conditions are secured by the legislation saying that the budgetary subsidy of tertiary education cannot be less than the subsidy established in the budgetary act of 2007 (The Act CXXVII of 2006 on the 2007 Budget of the Hungarian Republic). It is 214 billion HUF. In the future, the budgetary subsidy for tertiary education will be increased each year by the rate of inflation compared to the preceding year.

The predictability of the financing of tertiary institutions and long-term planning of institutional operation are supported by the 3-year financing agreement according to which the distribution of budgetary subsidy is done according to performance criteria that do not hurt the economic autonomy of institutions but support its economical operation and quality based improvement.

Admission procedure

The Act and decree on Higher Education was amended with the introduction of the advanced-level érettségi vizsga in public education. The results of the érettségi vizsga entitle its holder to apply for an institution of tertiary education. From 2005/06 academic year onwards, admission will be decided by the institution of tertiary education on the basis of the érettségi vizsga certificate and achievement in secondary school (középiskola ).

This means that it is the decision of the higher education institution of how many students are accepted, which may greatly influence the education and training activity of the HEI through the appreciation of society and the market.

Candidates applying for admission to bachelor course, higher vocational training, and long-cycle course cannot be taken out to an entrance examination delivered by the HEI. Their acceptance must be calculated from the results brought from középiskola, the results (converted into points) of the érettségi vizsga. Every year the government decides on the number of state funded students.

There is a competition for students among tertiary institutions.

Tertiary institutions gain students by ranking students: based on their secondary school performance and choice of institution.

Planned measures of the Hungarian Universitas Programme

The government decreed (1068/2004) on the Hungarian Universitas Programme and the new concept of the Act of Higher Education. The legislation was prepared as a result of a larger consensus of political and civil actors, taking economic and social changes into consideration, defining the requirements for operating and founding new higher education institutions főiskola / egyetem, reorganizing the control structure and the financial management of the institutions, splits administrative functions, creates the framework for multi-cycle training in Hungary.

Priority will be given to support students, improve the conditions of learning, and managing talented students..

Further measures in the programme:

1. regulation that enables everyone to gain admission to a state supported training programme if they have the requisite abilities,
2. encouraging domestic and international mobility of students, and ensuring the required financial conditions,
3. assisting disadvantaged young persons in gaining admission, and in successfully completing the programme,
4. talents management in the doctoral course, and in the scientific students’ circle,
5. kollégium development involving investors from outside the public finance sector,
6. IT based development of teaching material in accordance with the programmes of the new structure of training,
7. creating the conditions for students to take teaching positions in tertiary education institutions,
8. extending students’ rights.

Also part of the Hungarian Universitas Programme is the development of the employment and remuneration arrangements of instructors/teachers, the expansion of research and development, infrastructure programme(s) involving private capital, successful participation in applications of the National Development Plan Operational Programme in order to obtain access to funding from the Structural Funds.

Measures taken by the 2005 Act on Higher education

According to the 2005 Act on Higher education and the changing economic and social environments all HEIs are to set up their financial board. A Financial board is a body which shall cooperate in both substantiating the execution of the tasks of the higher education institution, the preparation of strategic decisions promoting the efficient and responsible utilisation of funds, assets, public funds and public property received, and in monitoring their implementation, and shall further contribute to the preparation of maintainer’s decisions as stipulated.

Members of this board are mainly delegated by the senate and the student union and in smaller ratio by the Minister responsible for higher education.

Higher education institutions are to re-examine their organization, operation and regulations while the autonomy of the institutions is still to be respected.

By giving the right of flexible use of the financial support to the budget, the right to establish an economic company or partnership, and foundations, and the right to sell immovable estates, the income of which should be used for development purposes the Act on Higher Education has set the conditions of a managing university (HEI).

Holding an academic degree is a basic requirement of a more rationalized employment of educational and research staff of HEIs, while promotion became performance based.

Along the experience of a quickly developing higher education the need to unify the teaching and research activity, assuring continuous quality improvement, the establishment of a smooth operation and rendering of student friendly services of the higher education system were emphasized.

The operative programmes of the National Development Plan aim to change education and training structure and improve infrastructure.

The government established the Educational Authority (2006/307 governmental decree; on the Educational Authority)as the central budgetary body ( the Act LVII of 2006 on the central budgetary bodies and on the legal status of government members and Secretaries of State), It operatesas a tertiary educational registration centre. It

• keeps records of tertiary institutions – e.g. launching and modifying their activities- in line with public administrative proceedings
• performs authority procedure
• keeps authoritative register of the institutions
• decides whether non-budgetary tertiary institutions are non-profit organisation for public utility purposes.

The Act on Higher Education (the Act CXXXIX of 2005) stipulated the establishment of a tertiary information system. There are two main groups of data considered decisive in the case of tertiary institutions: data connected to the operation of an institute, and the private data of students and employees. The tertiary information system is a central administrative system built on the data handled by the tertiary institution. Tasks related to the tertiary information system belong to the responsibilities of the Educational Authority.

Institutions:

Magyar Felsőoktatási Akkreditációs Bizottság
1065 Budapest, Király u. 16.
Tel.:(36 1) 344-0314
Website:  http://www.mab.hu

 

Oktatási és Kulturális Minisztérium
1055 Budapest, Szalay u. 10-14.
Tel.:(36 1) 473-7000
Website: http://www.okm.gov.hu

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