Dormitory placement costs may rise at several universities in Hungary

The university dormitories in Hungary will be heated to 20-22 °C during winter. Because of the skyrocketing gas prices, it is imaginable that some universities will have to raise dormitory costs, the chairman of the FEKOSZ, the National Association of Higher Education Dormitories, told the Hungarian press.

The weather in Hungary turned chilly in the last few days, and forecasts show that the Indian summer will not come back soon. Therefore, in some places, the heating season started in Hungary. However, because of the continuously rising energy prices, it is a pressing question for all Hungarian dormitories how high their heating bill will be this year.

Imre Hegedűs, the chairman of the FEKOSZ, said that most institutions are currently in the planning phase of their energy costs. Leaderships are to make strategic decisions in the issue, 24.hu reported. He added that nobody calculated with 18 °C. Most dormitories plan to heat the buildings to 20-22 °C in autumn and winter.

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Of course, it is not all the same whether a dormitory is supplied by district heating or natural gas heating. Furthermore, the building’s design and whether it merges with the university is also a crucial factor in the case of heating. He believes that, in the long run, all universities should switch to renewable power sources.

He said each university’s student union and Senate had to accept dormitory fees for the 2022-2023 academic year until May 31. Of course, those bodies could not predict the price of gas and electricity this May when they gave green lights to the dormitory fees in effect from September.

Therefore, they may raise the prices during the academic year. That would be a vis maior situation, Mr. Hegedűs added. 

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FEKOSZ is an association for the protection and advocacy of higher education colleges organised and operating on a democratic basis. Through its activities, it intends to create a community of interest for the students and staff of the colleges of Hungarian higher education institutions. The aim of the organization is to raise Hungarian higher education colleges to a level that gives us a worthy role in the process of becoming an intellectual. It cooperates with other domestic and international organisations dealing with higher education and public education, mik.ma says.

Source: 24.hu, mik.hu