Big promises: doctoral students in Hungary could find themselves in a much better financial situation
Balázs Hankó, the Minister of Culture and Innovation, spoke about the beginning of a new era in doctoral studies in Hungary at a press conference. He promised more money for talented young people who “create and shape” the country’s future.
According to index.hu, Hankó suggested that their success is the success of the entire Hungarian nation. Therefore, the government plans to take a step forward, creating a win-win situation for universities, researchers and doctoral students.
He announced that the doctoral education in Hungary will have three levels:
- research excellence,
- cooperative doctoral training,
- traditional doctoral training.
The minister said about the research excellence doctoral program that the funding of the National Research Excellence Program has been increased to 40 billion forints, creating 300-350 positions. “The most outstanding researchers will participate here, and their minimum guaranteed monthly income will be a gross HUF 600,000.”
Number of students in doctoral studies will increase significantly
He said that currently, there are 6,500 researchers and developers per one million inhabitants in Hungary. However, since the government would like to see Hungary among the top 10 most innovative nations in Europe by 2030, they would like to increase that number to 9,000 per one million inhabitants. He did not forget to mention “the unjust exclusion of Hungarian researchers from the Erasmus and Horizon programmes”.
He also talked about launching the so-called V4 VIP doctoral program (Visegrád 4: Czechia, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary), which the minister says will simultaneously benefit candidates, research communities, and universities. He said the government’s plans were “not just a reform, but a scientific breakthrough.”
In a Facebook post, he talked about transferring the scholarship for four years, even if 4-year-long doctoral studies are finished in 2-3 years.
He said there are currently 11,000 students conducting doctoral studies at Hungarian universities.
We vote for Hungary and Europe’s future through international university cooperation, says Hankó
The culture and innovation minister addressed a meeting of the 15-member Central European Exchange Programme for University Studies (CEEPUS), the presidency of which Hungary is handing over to Albania, and said “a strong Europe is only possible with strong nations” and that Hungary is “committed to cooperation between central European and Western Balkan nations”.
Hankó told a press conference that international cooperation was “essential for Hungary” and “we have voted for the future of Hungary and Europe”, a strong Europe of “strong nations”. Such cooperation was necessary too, he added, for strengthening Europe’s competitiveness.
He said the EU must integrate Western Balkan countries as soon as possible but he poured cold water on fast-tracking Ukraine into the bloc.
Hungary, the minister added, was active in promoting cooperation between central European and Western Balkan universities, which was in the interest of the whole of Europe.
Meanwhile, Hankó said it had been unjust of the EU to exclude Hungary from the Erasmus and Horizon programmes, adding that Hungary was “committed to cooperation for the future of Hungary and Europe with the Pannonia Programme”.
Today’s meeting of the organisation’s Joint Committee of Ministers (JCM) concluded Hungary’s CEEPUS presidency between 2023-2025.
Read also:
- Everything you want to know about studying in Hungary – read more HERE