“Budapest University” – universities of Budapest to be united into one institution?!

In 2014, after the formation of Viktor Orbán’s third government, László Palkovics became responsible for higher education management. At that time, the unification of certain Budapest universities was already planned. Accordingly – Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME) and Semmelweis University were to become united into one institution; integrated according to the different fields – medical, engineering, humanities and social sciences, economics and agricultural faculties.

The University of London was set as the role model. As Figyelő described,

The main goal was to make the performance of Hungarian higher education visible on the international market, and at least one Hungarian university to be listed among the world’s best 200 educational institutions.

In order to realize it, the government considered unification as the best solution; however, nothing happened at that time. One year later – 1^st September – the issue turned up again.

According to the Hungarian news portal 24.hu, directors of university faculties have been already informed about the suggestion; however, they are opposed to the idea as it would result in the termination of individual faculties. By way of example – humanities, social sciences, pedagogy and psychology would be joined together; however, ELTE operates three different faculties at these fields. So certainly fewer pedagogues would be needed in these areas; additionally, it would result in the devaluation of humanities as well.