Hungary aims increase share of foreign students studying

Budapest, October 28 (MTI) – The government is aiming to increase the number of Hungarian university students studying abroad as well as the proportion of international students studying in Hungarian higher education institutions, the state secretary for education said on Friday.

At present, the proportion of international students studying at Hungarian universities and colleges is 9 percent, László Palkovics said at the International Alumni Meeting conference in Budapest. The government’s higher education strategy aims to raise this figure to 15 percent by 2024, he said.

The state secretary said that around 10 percent of Hungarian students study abroad today, adding that the government aims to increase this share to 20 percent or higher.

Palkovics noted that the overall number of students in Hungarian higher education was about 100,000 around the time of the change of regime (1989-91). This grew to 450,000 within a short period of time. Due to demographic challenges, the number of students in higher education is now on a decline, but has stabilised at around 300,000, he said.

Photo: trubadurmagazin.hu

Source: MTI