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Hungary
The list below shows the initiatives that exist in Hungary.
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Hungary in a nutshell
Hungary, officially the Republic of Hungary (in Hungarian: Magyarország) is a landlocked country in the Carpathian Basin of Central Europe bordered by Austria, Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, and Slovenia. The territory of Hungary covers 93030 km² and the population is around 10 million inhabitants. Its capital is Budapest. The official language is Hungarian, also known as Magyar.
Slightly more than one half of Hungary's landscape consists of flat to rolling plains of the Carpathian Basin, but the western part has hills and low mountains. Hungary is divided in two by its main waterway, the Danube (Duna); other large rivers include the Tizsa and Dráva, while Transdanubia contains Lake Balaton, the largest lake in Central Europe. Hungary has a Continental climate.
Hungary is a member of OECD, NATO, EU and is a Schengen state. The present form of government is parliamentary republic (since 1989). Today, Hungary is a high-income economy, and a regional leader regarding certain economic markets.
Administratively, Hungary is divided into 19 counties regrouped in 7 regions.
Hungarian education policy
Horizontally, the administrative responsibilities are shared between the Ministry of Education and other ministries (primarily the Ministry of Employment and Social Affairs, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Interior). Vertically, the administrative control is decentralized and the managing responsibility is shared among the central (national), the local (regional) and institutional levels. The local governments administer pre-primary, primary and secondary education. The different establishments enjoy a fair degree of decision-making autonomy not only in terms of organization and functioning but also with regard to their budgets. Most pupils attend public-sector schools, which are administered and organized by the public authorities, primarily the local governments. The financing of educational institutions is sector neutral. State and private institutions receive funding according to the same criteria. The basic principles of operation, organization, management and financing of the Hungarian education and training systems are regulated by four Acts adopted by the Hungarian Parliament:
- Act LXXIX of 1993 on Public Education;
- Act LXXVI of 1993 on Vocational Education and Training;
- Act CXXXIX of 2005 on Higher Education; and
- Act CI of 2001 on Adult Education.
All of the above acts provide for the full respect of basic democratic principles and humanistic values enshrined in the Hungarian Constitution and the relevant international conventions and covenants, including the Community’s legal instruments. They provide for the full respect of the personal freedoms of students, prohibit and sanction any form of discrimination based on race, national and ethnic identity, beliefs, religion or social origin in access to, and participation in, education, and strictly enforce the principle of equal treatment.
The principle of vertical or transversal transition within the system, the exclusion of dead ends being a basic consideration, primary, secondary and higher education as well as adult education and training are built one upon the other. Nonetheless further efforts are needed to ensure real and unobstructed lifelong access to education and training for all irrespectively of age, social status or individual living conditions through enforcing better transparency, transferability between the different sub-sectors of education and training, as well as through the formal recognition and validation of knowledge, skills and competences acquired by different forms of formal, non-formal and informal learning.
The PUBLIC EDUCATION ACT provides for all children living in the territory of Hungary a free eight-year general education and free upper secondary level general or vocational education. Under the Act, compulsory and free education starts at the age of 5 (ISCEd 0), corresponding to the last year of pre-primary education, and finishes at the age of 18 (ISCEd 3). At the end of upper secondary studies students must pass secondary school leaving examinations in order to be admitted to higher education. The Act also regulates the rights and obligations of students, that of the institutions’ pedagogical and administrative staff, as well as the rights of parents to form parents’ associations in schools and to have a say in matters regarding the education of their children. The accreditation and subsidy of textbooks is regulated by a specific decree. The responsibility of the choice of textbooks falls on the teaching staff, while the Ministry of Education and Culture approves the list of the eligible textbooks.
The VOCATIONAL TRAINING ACT regulates matters regarding upper secondary school based as well as higher vocational education and training, with special regard to areas falling outside the provisions of the Public Education and Higher Education Act. The Act addresses issues related to the recognition of professional qualifications, establishes the procedures regarding regulated professions, especially those requiring examinations and listed in the National Register of Qualifications. It also provides for the status of trainees, the contractual responsibilities of the employers assuming their practical training. Furthermore the Act contains provisions on the modalities of participation of the employers’ representative professional bodies (so-called industrial or trade chambers) in curricular development and professional examination procedures.
Te recently amended HIGHER EDUCATION ACT, while maintaining the complete respect for academic freedom and autonomy of higher educational intuitions is aimed at creating favorable legal and policy conditions for the accession of the Hungarian higher education to the European Higher Education Area. In accordance with the principles and objectives of the bologna process the new Act enforces the full scale introduction of the three-cycle structure and the mandatory use of the credit system (ECTS). Its provisions encourage international mobility and contribute to the strengthening of the financial autonomy of the institutions and the development of their R+d+I capacities, and encourage closer co-operation with economic actors.
Education and training opportunities falling outside formal education are mostly regulated by the ADULT EDUCATION ACT. The Act establishes general rules for all adult training providers (educational institutions, legal or natural persons, etc.) regarding the modalities of organizing and financing any adult training programme. It provides for a mandatory accreditation of all adult education and training programmes or training provider institutions by a representative body, the National Adult Education Accreditation board.
Description of the Educational System in Hungary
Pre-primary education
This educational level is considered as a crucially important integrated part of the school system. It caters for children from 3 to 7 years of age. Participation in pre-primary education at this level (óvoda) is optional, except for the final year (beyond age 5), which is compulsory. Public-sector institutions may only charge for services additional to their basic tasks, including for example extra-curricular activities, meals, excursions, etc. Currently, the attendance rate with regard to the age groups 3-5, is just above 86%. The average duration of participation of children aged 3-7 in pre-primary education is just over 3 years (3.3), which is the highest average value in Europe.
Primary education
Children start primary school when they reach school-maturity, usually in the year in which they have their 6th birthday (7th if they were born after May 31). Primary education can last for 4, 6 or 8 years. 8-year education is the most widespread; the other two options were introduced in the early 1990s. Subjects include literature, grammar, mathematics, music, art, Physical education, environmental studies (from 1st to 5th grade), biology (from 6th grade), geography (from 6th grade), history (from 5th grade), history of art, physics (from 6th grade), chemestry (from 7th grade), one or two foreign languages (usually English, German or French). Before 1990 Russian was compulsory.
Secondary education
Secondary education usually lasts for 4 years. In gimnáziums it can also last for 5, 6 or 8 years depending on how many years the student spent in primary school. Since 1997 the numbering of years in secondary school are following that of primary school (i. e. after the 8th grade of primary school the student goes to 9th grade, which is actually the 1st year of secondary school.) There are three kinds of secondary schools: • Gimnázium (non-vocational; prepares students for higher education; teaches at least 2 foreign languages) • Szakközépiskola (vocational school but also prepares for higher education) • Szakiskola (vocational school) After finishing secondary school, students take a school-leaving exam (Matura or final exam, érettségi in Hungarian). This consists from 2005 of exams on five subjects: written exam in mathematics, oral and written exams in literature and grammar, a foreign language, history, and written and/or oral exam in a subject of the student's choice. These exams also serve as an entry exam to universities and colleges.
Higher education
Higher education is divided between colleges and universities. College education generally lasts for 4 years, while university education lasts for 4 to 6 years depending on the course undertaken. University PhD courses usually take 3 years to complete. Before students get their degree, they must pass an intermediate level language exam in the foreign language of their choice. English and German are the most popular. The number of Spanish-learners has been growing in the last few years.
Higher Education system in Hungary
This description presents the higher education system existing before the introduction of the Bologna-type training, and was prepared for diplomas awarded within the pre-Bologna system.
Admission requirements for higher education
According to the Higher Education Act No. 80 of 1993, the basic requirement for admission to college (non-university higher education institution) and university graduate education is the Hungarian secondary school leaving certificate (Érettségi bizonyítvány), or a foreign equivalent, or a degree obtained in higher education. The secondary school leaving certificate is conferred after eight years of primary education followed by four years of secondary education in a comprehensive/academic secondary school (gimnázium) or vocational secondary school (szakközépiskola). It must be noted that the division of the twelve years of study may vary: it may also be divided into 4 or 6 years of primary education and 8 or 6 years of secondary education.
Admission to higher education institutions - with some exceptions - is based on the applicants' secondary school achievements and on the results of the competitive entrance examinations.
Higher education institutions
The Hungarian higher education has a dual system consisting of universities (egyetem) and colleges (főiskola). Universities are such higher education institutions that are able to organise courses in more than one field of science and within a field of science in several branches; carry out scientific research activity and have accredited PhD/DLA courses. Colleges organise more than one training course in a branch of science or in a field of the arts. Hungarian higher education institutions are autonomous, state or non-state institutions recognised by the state. The appendix of the Higher Education Act No. 80 of 1993 lists all recognised higher education institutions (www.naric.hu).
Degrees and qualifications
Hungarian universities and colleges grant degrees following a binary pattern. Colleges and universities grant "Főiskolai oklevél" (college-level degree) and universities award "Egyetemi oklevél" (university-level degree). The duration of training at college level requires minimum 3 years and maximum 4 years of studies, while the length of study at university level is minimum 4 years, maximum 5 years (one of the few exceptions is the medical course where the duration of education is 6 years). Students complete their education with a final examination consisting of the preparation and defence of a dissertation, oral and/or written examinations prescribed in the qualification requirements and - in certain programmes - the performance of practical work.
Beyond university and college graduate education, 2 types of post-graduate programmes are offered by higher education institutions. First, further specialisation degrees can be awarded after college or university graduation. These further specialisation programmes lead to new qualifications. Studies may vary from one to three years' duration.
Secondly, universities provide training leading to a doctoral degree, which is the only scientific degree available in Hungary at present. The condition for applying for doctoral training is a Hungarian university degree or its foreign equivalent. Higher education institutions link admission to entrance examinations and often to additional criteria (e.g. professional experience). The duration of the training is at least 3 years, at the end of which a doctor of philosophy (PhD - doktori fokozat) or a doctor of liberal arts (DLA - mester fokozat) degree is conferred depending on the field of science.
Credit system
The obligatory use of the ECTS compatible credit system was introduced in September 2003, but several higher education institutions have already been using it since the middle of the 1990's. According to the governmental decree on the introduction of the credit system one credit corresponds to 30 hours student workload. The minimum number of credits for a college-level degree is 180, for a university-level degree is 240, for a further specialisation degree is 60 while for the doctoral degree it is 180.
System of assessment
The assessment of knowledge may occur, generally in five grades: excellent (5), good (4), satisfactory (3), pass (2), and fail (1) or with the classification: excellent (5), satisfactory (3), fail (1).
Academic year
In general, the academic year of higher education institutions consists of two semesters, namely the autumn and the spring semesters. The autumn semester lasts generally from the beginning of September until the end of January. The spring semester lasts from the beginning of February until the end of June. In general, both semesters include a 15-week period for lectures, seminars and practical work and a 6-week examinations period.
Higher Education reform
Within the framework of the Bologna Process the gradual transition from a pre-Bologna higher education system resulting in Egyetemi oklevél (university-level degree) or Főiskolai oklevél (college-level degree) to a higher education system based on three consecutive cycles started in 2004 in Hungary. This description presents the Bologna-type training, and was prepared in 2008 for diplomas awarded within the Bologna-type system.
Types of Institutions and Institutional Control
The establishment and operation of higher education institutions are regulated by the 2005 Higher Education Act. Operating within the legal framework of the Higher Education Act, Hungarian higher education institutions are autonomous, state-recognised, state or non-state (church or private) institutions. The state-recognised institutions are listed in the Annex of the Higher Education Act. There are two types of higher education institutions, egyetem (university) and főiskola (college). Both universities and colleges may offer courses in all three cycles. A university is a higher education institution that is eligible to provide Master courses in at least two fields of study, and to offer Doctorate course as well as to confer Doctoral degrees. The rules applying to universities offering courses in the field of art or religious education are different from the aforementioned.
Types of Programmes and Degrees Awarded
The consecutive training cycles of the higher education leading to a higher education degree are alapképzés (Bachelor course), mesterképzés (Master course) and doktori képzés (Doctorate course). Bachelor and Master courses are taught in consecutive cycles, in the form of divided training, or in cases specified by law in the form of undivided, one-tier training.
In addition to the aforementioned, higher education institutions may conduct higher-level vocational training and postgraduate specialist training, as well as can offer adult education within the framework of lifelong learning.
Higher education institutions apply a credit system based on the European Credit Transfer System. Accordingly, one credit stands for 30 hours of student workload.
Organisation of Studies
Students studying in Bachelor and Master courses complete their studies by passing a final examination. The final examination may consist of the defence of the degree thesis, and additional oral, written or practical examinations.
Integrated "Long" (One-tier) Programmes
An undivided one-tier programme resulting in mesterfokozat (Master degree) is a training with the length of 10-12 semesters, requiring the completion of 300-360 credits. Besides religious education and some programmes of arts, the following programmes are conducted within one-tier Master courses: veterinary medicine, architecture, dentistry, pharmaceutics, law and medicine.
First/Second Degree Programmes (Two-tier)
The first higher education degree is the alapfokozat (Bachelor degree) along with a professional qualification. A Bachelor course requires gaining 180-240 credits. The length of the programme is 6-8 semesters.
The second higher education degree is the mesterfokozat (Master degree) along with a professional qualification. Built on a Bachelor course Master courses require gaining 60-120 credits. The length of the programme is 2-4 semesters.
Specialised Graduate Studies
Higher education institutions may also offer szakirányú továbbképzés (postgraduate specialist training) for Bachelor and Master degree holders. Through the completion of 60-120 credits a specialised qualification can be obtained. Students complete their studies by passing a final examination. The length of the programme is 2-4 semesters.
Doctorate
Built on a Master course and a Master degree the doktori képzés (Doctorate course) requires gaining at least 180 credits. The length of the programme is 6 semesters. Following a Doctorate course, in a separate degree awarding procedure, the scientific degree "Doctor of Philosophy" (abbreviation: PhD), or in art education "Doctor of Liberal Arts" (abbreviation: DLA) may be awarded.
Grading Scheme
The assessment of knowledge is generally carried out according to a five-grade scale: excellent (5), good (4), satisfactory (3), pass (2), and fail (1) or a three-grade scale: excellent (5), satisfactory (3), fail (1). Nevertheless, higher education institutions may also use other systems for assessing if they are comparable to those mentioned above.
Access to Higher Education
The number of students admitted to higher education is limited. Applicants' ranking is based on their secondary school grades and their érettségi vizsga (secondary school leaving examination) results or based solely on the latter, considering the interest of the applicant. The requirement for admission to Bachelor and undivided one-tier Master courses is the secondary school leaving examination taken - as a rule - after the completion of the 12th grade of a secondary school, certified by Érettségi bizonyítvány (secondary school leaving certificate). The admission to certain programmes is based on an additional aptitude test or a practical examination. To Master courses students can be admitted if they possess Főiskolai oklevél (college-level degree) or Egyetemi oklevél (university-level degree) or a Bachelor degree. To postgraduate specialist training students can be admitted if they possess college- or university-level degree, or a Bachelor or a Master degree. Only applicants with university-level degree or Master degree may be admitted to Doctorate courses. Higher education institutions may set additional requirements for admission to Master, postgraduate specialist and Doctorate courses.
Administration and finance
Finance
Financial resources necessary for the basic operations of the education and training systems are mainly granted by the State. The share of education in the state budget expenditures in terms of the gdP corresponds to the proportions spent on education by other European countries. In recent years educational expenditures amounted to 5.1-5.3% of the gdP. The level of educational spending per primary education pupils is grosso modo in line with that in countries at a similar level of development. However Hungary spends less per lower and upper secondary education student and more on higher education student compared with other countries at a similar level of development.
As regards public education (pre-school education, primary, secondary school based general and vocational education) the financial support is supplied by the annual State budget enacted by the Parliament. Local governments and other school maintainers (i.e. Churches, private foundations,) usually have to complement the central budget support. Their contribution to the local educational expenditure is equivalent to 30-50% of the total costs.
The financial appropriation of schools is chiefly calculated on an annual per capita basis that is according to the number of pupils admitted in the institutions maintained by the concerned local government, and it is channelled to the school maintainers by the Ministry for Local governments and Regional development as part of their annual budget allocations granted to the local authorities and to other school maintainers (i.e. churches, private foundations, etc.). This basic allocation is supplemented by a number of so-called additional financial subsidies. These are granted as recognition of the delivery of special pedagogical tasks. School maintainers i.e. are entitled to receive additional financial aid in cases where schools under their authority are institutions educating children belonging to recognised ethnic minorities (so-called bilingual pre-schools and schools), children with special education needs, children with multiple social disadvantages, migrant children, etc. School based vocational training being an integral part of the public education system is also mostly funded by the State. Besides State subsidies vocational training schools and higher education institutions where higher level vocational training courses are organised also have access under certain conditions to additional funds from the Labour Market Fund made up by the companies’ mandatory contribution. The principle and the practice of chiefly central State financing apply for higher education, too. Here the State budget appropriations are channelled to the institutions directly through the Ministry of Education and Culture. The number of enrolled students to be trained at State expenses for each field of study is annually set by the government upon the proposal of the Minister of Education and Culture. However institutions are entitled to admit students who pay the costs of their studies, provided that their entry examination performance matches the minimum admittance score established by the Ministry of Education and Culture. Currently about 50% of the total number of students falls in this category. In order to create a more sound basis for the financing of higher education institutions, measures were taken to encourage contributions by companies and students. This will also enhance awareness of the need for quality education and will better reflect labour market demands. Since adult education is strongly supply driven, the financing of adult education and training is based on shared responsibilities of all main stakeholders (the State, the employer and the individual).
Administration
At the level of the government, responsibilities for regulating, managing the system, developing and implementing basic education and training policies are shared between the Ministry of Education and Culture and primarily the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs. The latter’s competencies mostly include the content of secondary vocational training, and also the regular updating of the National Register of Qualifications, as well as adult training. Vertically, the administration of education and training institutions is largely decentralised. Local authorities, whose number is well over two thousand, are not simply responsible for the management of the public education institutions operating within their administrative area, but make decisions on financial and human resources (i.e. approval of the institutions’ budget and appointing their headmasters) and also have to approve, as well as watch over the effective implementation of their pedagogical programmes. The Ministry of Education and Culture is responsible for the overall management of public and higher education, while adult education and training at a national level is managed and supervised by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs. Regarding school based vocational education and training the management tasks are shared between these two ministries the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs is responsible for defining the content of the VET programmes of secondary vocational schools, while overall regulatory matters fall within the competences of the Ministry of Education and Culture. The regional level governance of education and training through devolving certain administrative competences for central authorities and granting funds to regional level bodies is slowly taking shape.. All the referred acts provide for a mandatory involvement of civil oganisations and consultative bodies in policy making. The recognised representative professional bodies must be consulted prior to any major decisions related to sectoral policies.
Quality assurance
The Hungarian Accreditation Committee
The Hungarian Accreditation Committee established in 1993 is responsible for accrediting and evaluating the quality of teaching and research at higher education institutions. It assesses the standard of education and research in each higher education institution at least in every eight years (institutional accreditation) based on a detailed self-assessment of the institution and the report of a visiting committee. The Hungarian Accreditation Committee also examines the curricula, the qualification requirements as well as the quality of the academic staff and the teaching facilities (programme accreditation).
The Hungarian Accreditation Committee is also member of the ENQA since 2002.
Approval/Accreditation of Programmes and Degrees
A higher education institution may launch Bachelor and Master courses after having obtained the consent thereto in the expert opinion of the Hungarian Accreditation Committee of Higher Education, and following the central registration of the given course. In the case of each Bachelor and Master course, the law determines the programme and graduation requirements, thus, all the knowledge and competencies whose acquisition is the precondition for the diploma to be awarded in respect to the given programme.
The launching of Doctorate courses is within the powers of the universities, having obtained the consent thereto in the expert opinion of the Hungarian Accreditation Committee of Higher Education and having fulfilled other conditions prescribed by law.
It is the task of the Hungarian Accreditation Committee of Higher Education to authorize and assess the quality of education and scientific activities of the higher education institutions. The Hungarian Accreditation Committee of Higher Education once in every eight years examines in which field of study, discipline of science and at what level of training does an institution fulfil accreditation requirements in respect of lecturers and infrastructure. The assessment also extends to examine the adequacy of the institutional quality development scheme. Within the framework of programme accreditation the Hungarian Accreditation Committee of Higher Education examines the institutional programme curricula, the fulfilment of programme and graduation requirements, as well as the adequacy of the lecturers' qualifications and the quality of the infrastructure in respect to the given programme.
Country's HEIs in the information society
Virtual initiatives in Higher Education in Hungary
Institutions dealing with Interesting Virtual Campus Initiatives
Networks
Interesting Programmes and projects
- MegaTrends project. Dennis Gabor College was partner in this project.
- E.A.S.Y - European Agency for EASY access to Virtual Campus project. CEU (central European University) was partner in this project.
- Inno Uni Learning project - 5 Cases study in Hungary [1]
- LOGOS project http://www.logosproject.com/
References
Webpages
Ministry of Education and Culture
Hungarian Accreditation Committee of Higher Education
National Higher Education Information Centre
Education in Hungary – Past, present, future – An overview (ministry of education and culture), 2008.
National application of eLearning initiatives from the EU [2]