Shocking: Hungarian top university may close due to serious financial problems?
The Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME) is one of the best Hungarian universities, regularly ranked among Europe’s top universities. However, talks ceased with the Ministry of Culture and Innovation about increasing wages and other financial matters. They are unable to introduce a pay rise from their budget.
According to index.hu, ELTE University, the BME, the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music and the Hungarian University of Fine Arts conducted negotiations with the Ministry of Culture and Innovation about the pay rise of their employees and teachers. These universities are state-run institutions, not foundation universities like the University of Debrecen or Szeged.
However, the trade unions of the universities could not hammer out an agreement with the government even though a salary increase seems inevitable in the sector. Index.hu said that a group of teachers at BME said their institution was sinking.
They added that the state support they get is only 40% of the level 20 years before, and they await help from the public bodies in vain. They said only a superhero or a wonder could help them.
BME is regularly among the world’s best ones, but they chose not to become a foundation university.
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It’s high time the entire “higher education” sector be reformed. First, rank the majors according to usefulness to the nation. Medicine, engineering, and biochemistry, for instance, are first; vocational programs (plumbing, stonemasonry, culinary, etc.) next; history of art, politics, “gender” “studies,” and so on are last.
Second, according to said ranking, all the costs of a degree are fully, partially, or not at all funded by the taxpayer. Anyone whose studies get so funded must stay at least 10-15 years working in Hungary OR they need to repay the cost of their studies to the taxpayer.
Third, those with useful degrees need to get tax breaks for, say, seven years, to further encourage them to stay in Hungary.
This way we, taxpayers, spend money on college degrees we ALL actually benefit from long term. Meanwhile, those who want to study useless cr.. can do so, but on their own dime. Win-win!