education

Another promise from Orbán cabinet that the average teacher salary will be EUR 2100

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The government is working to raise the monthly salaries of teachers by 75 percent to average 800,000 forints (EUR 2,144) by 2025, a state secretary at the interior ministry told public broadcaster M1 on Monday.

Bence Rétvári said the government would use an expected 800 billion forints in European Union funding for the purpose, while another 5,600 billion forints from domestic coffers could be used to maintain the scheme until 2030.

Rétvári said the first portion of the rise had been paid to teachers in January from the central budget, while “the difference would be paid subsequently as soon as the EU funds arrive”. He also slammed the opposition for “doing everything that those funds should never arrive”.

These are the best-paying jobs in Hungary

money hungarian forint budget

The Central Statistics Office (KSH) has released new data on jobs with the highest gross wages in the country for the year 2022. Pénzcentrum gathered and compiled all the important information regarding these workplaces. Surprisingly, not all of them even require a university degree.

Between December and January 2022, the monthly average gross wage of an employed Hungarian reached HUF 515,800 (EUR 1377.84). This means a rise of 17.5 percent compared to the previous year. However, with an average inflation rate of 14.5 percent, in practice, this only means an increase of 2.6 percent in real wages, Pénzcentrum wrote.

Read also: Inflation to accelerate in Hungary in the future

The perception of these changes may differ a lot from person to person, as there are still huge differences between the highest and the lowest-paid people in the country. Most jobs where higher wages are present usually require the possession of a diploma. However, there are some, which are not technically linked to any degree, but having one in the field means an advantage. Let’s take a closer look at some of the best-paid jobs in Hungary in 2022.

Air traffic controller

You might be surprised, but excluding doctors who work in specialised fields, air traffic controllers make the most money in Hungary. With an average monthly wage of HUF 2.3 million (EUR 6143.90), this is the highest-grossing profession in the country. In addition, it is one that does not require a degree in higher education.

However, to pursue this career, one does need to take a very demanding and strict test. If that wasn’t hard enough, keep in mind, that this can only be taken once.

Decisionmaker, minister, state secretary

The second place is occupied by who else, but politicians. Grossing at an average of HUF 1.8 million (EUR 4808.27) a month, this is also a profession that does not necessarily require a diploma. While the overwhelming majority of those who concern themselves with politics own a degree mostly in the fields of law or economy, we can mention several prominent examples who don’t possess such a paper.

This career is mostly not determined by skillsets and knowledge but through connections and appointments. Members of parliament, government and municipal representatives are not required by law to have finished any programme in higher education.

Professional athlete

Those who make a living from sports earn a gross monthly wage of HUF 1.4 million (EUR 3739.77). Unfortunately for those athletes who compete professionally, they often must decide at a young age, to either continue their studies or focus on their sports career.

Those who chose the latter, often don’t find the time and energy required to obtain a degree. While many do so regardless, it is not an expectation from elite athletes to have a degree in any field.

Stockbrokers

Those employed in the profession predominantly possess a degree in economics. However, the trade also invites people from different areas of study. What they have in common, is that they all need to pass the brokerage exam, before starting employment.

This requires knowledge from the combined fields of law, mathematics and economy. Those who manage to do so successfully can expect an average gross wage of HUF 1.3 million (EUR 3472.64) a month.

Software Developer

Barely scraping over the magic mark, those employed in the field earn a gross average wage of a little bit over HUF 1 million (EUR 2671.26) monthly. While having a diploma connected to computer studies is definitely an advantage here, due to the high demand for skilled and experienced professionals, one can take up employment after completing a 6-month crash course.

And the rest

In the latter half of the list, the average gross wages all fall below HUF 1 million (EUR 2671.26) a month. These jobs include for example therapists of alternative medicine, train drivers and system administrators.

We should mention, that while many professions exist, where it is possible to earn a good salary without the requirement of a degree, having one will often provide a competitive advantage. This is not only because of the paper the university provides for graduates but also all the know-how and practical experience one acquires during their studies.

Read also:

CEU is launching free university courses in Hungary!

CEU Hungary

The Central European University (CEU) opened its newest campus in Vienna just two years ago. However, the institution would like to keep its presence in Hungary as well. They aim to achieve this through the so-called Bibó István Free University (Szabad Egyetem), founded by the lecturers of the university.

As recently announced, the school will be launching three new courses, all of which will be in Hungarian. They have one thing in common – all will revolve around the topic of public life, Telex reports.

Democratic Innovations: Communal Opportunities and Tools for Better Governance

This course focuses on the democratic involvement of societies in everyday politics. Some of the most important topics include the democratisation of parties and the direct involvement of citizens in political decision-making. Throughout the lessons the students will try to answer these questions, as well look at democratic innovations and tools of participatory policy making. The lecturers include several high-profile experts from different universities, but Gergely Karácsony, the Mayor of Budapest will also make an appearance. The best-performing students will even receive an opportunity to participate in a traineeship program as well. The course takes place at the Budapest building of CEU at 15 Nádor Street, in room 105, but joining online is also possible. Unfortunately, this course has launched already on the 27 of March, but you can still register for future lessons on the official page.

Empty Words and Concepts – Seven Journeys in the Forest of the History of Political Ideas

This course includes 7 seminars, throughout which the students will familiarise themselves with the evolution and development of modern political ideas, ideologies and concepts, from ancient times to modernity. Some highlights include such questions as when the modern understanding of democracy and rule of law came to materialise, why the separation of branches of power is necessary, or what the difference between liberals and conservatives is. Throughout the lessons, such themes will be discussed by 2-3 experts, with the possibility of questions from the audience. The moderator of the discussions is historian Rudolf Paksa. The course starts on 20 April and will be held at the Budapest building of CEU, in room 104. Online participation is available. For more information and registration, check out the website of the seminar.

Handicapped People in Our Society: Systemic Disadvantages and Supporting Factors

Throughout the course, experts, researchers and handicapped participants will talk about and focus on the social and historical aspects of living with a disability. They will introduce the main concepts and their domestic and international backgrounds to the students and then initiate a discussion with the audience. The course is open to anyone, as the learning material was gathered to guarantee proper participation for anyone interested in any of the topics mentioned. Reading material is also provided to the students. The first seminar will take place on 27 April, at the Budapest building of CEU, in room 105. Just like in the case of the two other courses, the opportunity for online involvement is also available. If interested, you can register for the course at the following link.

 

Hungary’s left undermining teacher wage increase?

No future without teachers

Hungary’s left wing backs demands for higher teacher salaries at home while working “every day in Brussels to make sure that the EU funds necessary for this wage increase never arrive”, Bence Rétvári, parliamentary state secretary of the interior ministry, said at a press conference on Friday, calling this attitude “duplicitous”.

He noted that Klára Dobrev, the head of the Democratic Coalition shadow government, has talked to teacher unions many times, starting in August 2021, when teacher union demands were incorporated into DK’s election campaign. Rétvári questioned whether Dobrev had told the unions that she was “working in Brussels to make sure there would be no EU monies to cover teacher salary increases”, MTI wrote.

Read also:

Top US and UK universities compete for a Hungarian student

yale university

Mór Szepesi is a senior student at the American International School of Budapest (AISB). He prepared for his admissions abroad with the support of his teachers and parents. In the end, he received offers of admission from five Ivy League universities and several other American and English universities. This is rare not only in Hungary but also internationally.

“I’m involved in a lot of things, but I didn’t even dare to think that I could be accepted to more than one university, so I said I wouldn’t have a ranking. Anywhere they admit me, I’ll be very happy to go,” says Mór Szepesi, a senior student at the Budapest American International School. It’s no exaggeration to say that America’s top Ivy League schools are competing for him, eduline.hu reports.

“The Ivy League universities always announce their admissions results on the same day because it’s an agreement between them. That was at 1 AM last Thursday. My whole family was sitting there, we opened the letters together,” recalls the senior high school student.

Yale, Princeton, Columbia, Wharton, Brown and Duke Universities all await him as a student.

All of these institutions regularly appear at the top of the rankings of the world’s best universities, eduline.hu writes. It is extremely rare for a student to be admitted to more than one Ivy League university at the same time, not only in Hungary but also worldwide.

“Four years is not a short time, so I’m trying to gather as much information as I can, but I think I’m in the lucky position that I won’t be able to make a bad decision,” Mór Szepesi confirms.

Mór applied to universities not only in the US, but also in the UK. He has been accepted to King’s College London, among others, but he has also been accepted to the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, which is also one of the world’s top universities. However, by now, he is sure that he will go to the United States.

Read also:

Hungary-founded kindergarten inaugurated near Kyiv

Daily News Hungary Logo Új

Hungary has always done everything in its power to help in the reconstruction of Ukraine, a government official said on Monday, at the inauguration of a kindergarten in Zahalc, near Kyiv.

At the event inaugurating the well-equipped container nursery supported with Hungarian government funds and coordinated by the Hungarian Interchurch Aid (HIA), Levente Magyar welcomed the development of the village, which he said evolved from “ruins and unusable roads into a reviving, optimistic community that looks into the future”.

The region was badly damaged during early in the war, and the Hungarian government has been working with HIA to help rebuild local institutions, he said.

Reconstruction of the local school will also begin shortly, Magyar said.

Degree requirements at leading Hungarian university to be abolished

elte ttk universities in Hungary

This year, the Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE) will no longer require language exams for those wishing to graduate. Professional organisations are concerned about the decision.

No language exam required to graduate university

From now on, it is recommended, but not compulsory, to take a language exam to obtain a diploma at ELTE. The decision was announced by the university a few months after Parliament gave higher education institutions the power to decide on the matter, RTL Híradó reports. “Students who are graduating now, in the autumn or in the summer, will no longer have to have a language exam certificate,” Lénárd Darázsi, the university’s vice-rector, told the channel.

Is this really a good idea?

Tamás Légrádi, President of the Professional Association of Language Schools (Nyelviskolák Szakmai Egyesülete), said that it is almost inconceivable to get a job without a language exam. Moreover, he said, a diploma could become worthless on the labour market without a language certificate. The news report also mentions an earlier Eurostat survey which showed that Hungarians are the least willing to learn foreign languages among the young people surveyed in the EU.

Read also:

Hungarian children are being taken to Austria

Hungarian children school

Hungarian education is increasingly being dropped by parents. More and more people send their children to school in Austria.

Hungarian children taken to Austrian schools

Last year alone, 1367 new Hungarian students were enrolled in Austrian institutions. Their numbers are growing at such a pace that in a few years, Hungarians could be the largest minority in Austria.

Not only are more and more people moving to Austria to work, but the number of Hungarian students studying there is also growing steadily. In the 2010/2011 school year, only 2,117 Hungarian students were enrolled in Austrian public education, but by the 2021/2022 school year, the number will have risen to 10,646, G7 reports.

Number of Hungarian students in Austria increased the most

While in Austria, the number of Hungarian students in primary and secondary education increased, in Hungary, it decreased by 14 percent. The overall number of foreign students in Austrian schools has also grown rapidly over the past 15 years. It went from 9 percent in 2006/07 to 17 percent in the latest year.

However, of the 20 countries measured, the number of Hungarian children in Austrian schools has increased the most in the last decade and a half, rising eightfold.

The G7 article concludes that one in every 100 Hungarian children now goes to school in Austria.

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Minister Szijjártó: While Hungarian schools are accepting Ukrainian refugees, Hungarian schools in Ukraine are being closed

Ukraine and Hungary Cooperation

Hungary is not willing to send ammunition to Ukraine, though it will not stop other European Union countries from doing so, Péter Szijjártó, the foreign minister, said on Monday, adding that Hungary had therefore constructively abstained concerning the matter.

Szijjártó noted that proposals were on the agenda of today’s meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels to increase arms shipments and to finance one billion euros-worth of artillery shells for member states to supply Ukraine from their own stocks as part of the European Peace Framework.

“Hungary is not supplying weapons … we want peace,” he told a press conference held during a break of the meeting. “That’s why we’re not taking part … We’re not supplying ammunition to Ukraine, neither are we preventing others from doing what they want… ”

Hungary’s contribution to the EPF is one percent, or around ten million euros, to be used for other purposes such as working for the stability of the Western Balkans and reducing migration pressure, a ministry statement cited Szijjártó as saying.

The minister said Hungary would not take part in procuring ammunition or delivering it to Ukraine.

Szijjártó said Brussels was still fomenting “an atmosphere of war” and that countries promoting peace were under mounting pressure to fall in line. He added that a diplomatic settlement was the only way to save lives.

“No matter the pressure on us … we continue to represent the cause of peace,” he said.

He said Hungary had been criticised for taking its position to the UN Security Council, adding that it had been frowned on that a country from “the European choir” should “sing out in international organisations”. Given that the EU comprises sovereign countries, “this is quite extraordinary”, he said. “We reject any pressure that undermines the sovereignty of Hungarian foreign policy…” he added.

On the topic of the “disenfranchisement of the Hungarian minority in Ukraine”, Szijjártó said he had turned to Josep Borrell, the EU high representative for foreign affairs, with a request that, when it comes to Ukraine’s possible accession talks, he should make it clear to Kyiv that respect for national rights is one of the most fundamental European values and that the rights of the Hungarian national community should be respected.

He said it was “unacceptable” that 99 Hungarian primary and secondary schools in Transcarpathia were under the cloud of closure from Sept. 1 when 1,300 schools and kindergartens in Hungary had taken in Ukrainian refugee students.

The minister said Ukraine’s EU prospects would be heavily determined by whether Ukraine respects the rights of the Hungarian national minority and whether it restores the rights they enjoyed prior to 2015.

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Leaked EP delegation report raises serious concerns about Hungary

European Commission EU funds Hungary Ursula von der Leyen

A seven-member delegation from the European Parliament’s Committee on Culture and Education visited Hungary between 2 and 4 November last year. The delegation met with government and opposition politicians, heads of state authorities, journalists, representatives of educational and cultural institutions and NGOs. The report on the visit was recently completed.

The report, obtained by Népszava, expresses serious concerns about the state of the media, education and culture in Hungary.

Népszava also shared an excerpt from the report:

The vast majority of our counterparts described a tension-filled, highly sensitive and politicised working environment, characterised by an atmosphere of unrest, leading to self-censorship among potential critics of government policies.

Serious allegations

According to the newspaper, the delegation’s report raises serious concerns about media regulation, academic freedom, the rule of law, and fundamental rights. Reportedly, the delegation also questions the independence of the Media Authority and criticises the creation of KESMA (Central European Press and Media Foundation). According to the report, the creation of the foundation proves that independent media in Hungary are being dismantled and forced to serve the government. Furthermore, the report criticises the fact that the public service media do not give space to those who hold views contrary to those of the government. It also criticises the fact that advertising by the state and state-owned companies is mostly confined to the pro-government press.

The delegation also criticises the government’s constant centralisation of decision-making in education and cultural policy. In some organisations, they say, government influence is growing, which is accompanied by a loss of autonomy for teachers and institutions.

Provocative questions?

The report allegedly states that, according to the delegation members, “the Hungarian government intentionally divides the media into pro-government and opposition media […].”

András Koltay, President of the National Media and Infocommunications Authority and the Media Council, told the delegation during the meeting that he believed the media couldn’t be considered independent. He said that the media had always followed a political line.

Although the newspaper did not provide a source, according to their information, Koltay described some of the questions as provocative and asked the members of the delegation not to come to Hungary again.

Index recalled that the government had already indicated at the time of the visit that the delegation had arrived with preconceived ideas and had asked inappropriate questions. Fidesz MEP Andrea Bocskor said after the visit that it was already clear what conclusions would be reached in Brussels. She said she thought the meetings were one-sided and the questions were often biased.

Koltay’s reaction to the Népszava article

András Koltay reacted to the Népszava article in a statement sent to MTI (Hungarian Telegraphic Office). In his response, he stressed that the fundamental criterion for the independence of the media is that journalists respect the professional ethical norms of the media. These norms include, for example, that if they write an article about someone, they must give them the opportunity to express their own point of view. As he wrote, this failed to happen this time, as it did for all the other media reporting on the case.

He added that he could not comment on the content of the report, because they did not receive it. He also said that during the meeting everyone had communicated in a polite tone. However, there was one member of the delegation who asked him to take a position on a political issue that was not related to the work of the Media Authority. At the end of the conversation, the delegation member made personal remarks about him, which Koltay rejected. He also explained that he had not asked the delegation not to come to Hungary anymore. “On the contrary, I would encourage them to come as often as possible, and to engage in more discussions, in order to promote mutual understanding,” Koltay said.

Judit Varga justice minister government European Union
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Hungarian minister to EU: You are harming Hungary

European Union

The distribution of European Union recovery funding has been “extremely cumbersome and slow”, Mihaly Varga, the finance minister, said in Brussels on Tuesday.

Varga said the European Commission’s assessment of the funding so far had been “unreasonably optimistic”. Arriving at the meeting of EU finance and economy ministers, Varga told MTI that Hungary’s experience of recovery funding had been severely problematic, with only one-fifth of the funds having been allocated.

Five EU member states have yet to receive recovery funding, he said, adding that competition and the economic opportunities between countries were seriously distorted as a result. The minister said that borrowing within the framework of recovery funding had also proved tricky, and only a small number of member states had succeeded in tapping this money.

Varga pointed to a “lack of trust” in the European Commission’s handling of the facility, adding that “this type of joint borrowing” would be “unnecessary” in the future. Joint borrowing, he added, had a detrimental effect on the ability of countries that manage their public debt and finances independently to access such market financing.

Meanwhile, on the topic of the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank, Varga stated said Hungarian banks were well-capitalised and fresh credit ratings found the Hungarian banking system to be strong. “The current situation is something we can face calmly…” he said.

Read alsoRussian “spy bank” tried to “pressure” Hungary as it faces bankruptcy

Touching video: Hungarian students bid farewell to their teacher with a line-up

barcs hungary school teacher retirement

An extraordinary event took place in Barcs, a small town in Somogy county, Hungary. The students of the Ferenc Széchényi High School and College, which has been in operation for more than 30 years, decided to commemorate the retirement of one of their favourite teachers, László Schnellbach. Watch the moving video below.

The students of the Barcs school organised themselves and lined up on the corridor of the high school. Hundreds of students gathered to say goodbye on the teacher’s last day of work in March. They bid him farewell with applause that lasted for minutes, vg.hu writes.

In the caption of the video posted by the school on its Facebook page, it is written that since 1992, there is no student at Széchenyi who has not been taught media, ethics or Hungarian by Mr Schnellbach. For many years, he has performed his duties as librarian, supervising competitions and ordering textbooks.

“The most well-educated, human with a capital H, whose gentle nature, kind words and thoughtfulness will be missed by all! Dear Laci! Thank you for what you have done for Széchenyi; thank you for doing your part in Széchenyi!”

the farewell post reads.

The video

Jamie Lee Curtis
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How Hungary’s GDP could double with better PISA results

Hungarian economy GDP

Hungary could double its GDP with better a better educational system, states Eric Hanushek. The world-renown economist states that in Hungary children who have not acquired universal basic skills at an early age will have an especially difficult time on the job market.

Eric Hanushek, Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University thinks that Hungary could double its GDP. The economist advocates for using economic analysis to improve educational measures. Mr. Hanushek gave a lecture on Education in a Changing World in the Grand Lecture Hall of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, which was reviewed by qubit.hu.

In a recent paper, Hanushek and his fellow researchers used micro-data from international and regional achievement tests to put children’s performance on the common PISA scale used by the OECD.

Their conclusion is that at least two-thirds of the world’s youth do not reach basic skill levels at the age of 15. This number in Hungary is 28%.

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“In the EU, if everyone achieved at least the PISA baseline, it would mean 1.8 times the growth of GDP, and in Hungary, according to my calculations, it would mean doubling GDP” – said Mr. Hanushek.

Negative trends

Although the 28% is not terrible and is comparable with the results of the United States, the economy of the US still grows much faster than in Hungary.

“We are borrowing educated people from the world. Silicon Valley employs Hungarians, Indians, and Chinese; people who got their education in other countries. But we create a supportive environment that makes it worth coming to work here.” According to Mr. Hanushek, similar patterns or a will to make the country appear more favourable to workers are not visible.

Hungarian youth face another problem after entering the job market without the necessary skill. The Hungarian economic landscape ‘punishes’ those who do not reach basic skills.

Viktor Orbán Huxit EU
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“Those without skills earn much less than those at the same skill level in other OECD countries” – said Hanushek, citing data from the International Programme for the Assessment of Adult Ability and Competence, PIAAC.

The solution

The professor outlined a rather simple solution to improve Hungarian education.

“More effective teachers who educate more effective children should be paid more because if you keep teachers’ salaries low, you won’t have good teachers.” Mr. Hanushek illustrated this with Finland, where “young people with very good skills” go to become teachers.

“In Hungary, for example, I hear there is a shortage of maths teachers. Then I would say, as an economist, pay them more, and then you will have maths teachers.”

The biggest education abroad fair of Europe in Budapest in March

Baltic Council Budapest

“Days of International Education” is the biggest education abroad fair in Europe, organized twice a year in the Baltic States (Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia), in Poland and since March 2022, in Budapest, Hungary.

The organizer of the large-scale event is Baltic Council for International Education – an education abroad agency with 28 years of experience and over 1000 partner institutions all over the world. Each year, around 50 educational institutions represent themselves at the fair, which attracts thousands of visitors, who have the unique opportunity to meet the representatives of schools and to get first-hand information about universities, secondary schools, language camps and courses abroad. The next fair is going to be on the 25th of March in Crowne Plaza Hotel with about 50 institutions from abroad.

Baltic Council Budapest
Baltic Council Hungary

Studying abroad is becoming more and more popular especially among high-school students, who are eager to learn about opportunities to continue their studies at a university or a college abroad after obtaining their high school diploma in Hungary. Spending a few years abroad as a university student is of course an experience for a lifetime with plenty of opportunities to develop academically and personally, discover new places and building connections with people from all over the world. It also gives you the chance to improve your foreign language knowledge, broaden your horizons, and to become self-confident and independent. Last but not least, an international diploma is an indisputable benefit later as well.

Baltic Council Budapest
Baltic Council Hungary

The most popular study destinations among Hungarian students are the Scandinavian countries (Denmark, Finland and Sweden), the Netherlands and the UK, however, Belgium – with its affordable tuition fees – is also chosen more and more often. Students are also interested in studying in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, and even Canada or the US. Education in the Scandinavian countries is not only free for all EU citizens, but also innovative and practical, which makes it attractive to international students. Similarly, university programs in the Netherlands are also very good-quality and practice-oriented with teachers who have real-life experience in the field they teach.

Baltic Council Budapest
Baltic Council Hungary

More than 2000 English-taught programs are available in the Netherlands, including special courses, which might not even exist in other countries. Even after Brexit, the UK still remains quite a liked destination among students, since British universities are acknowledged world-wide, and have their hundreds of years of tradition behind. German-speaking countries are also among the top study destinations of students in Hungary, especially among those who come from German-Hungarian bilingual classes. Apart from European countries, the American and Canadian colleges are gaining popularity as well.

Baltic Council Budapest
Baltic Council Hungary

On the 25th of March at the Days of International Education around 50 educational institutions are going to be present from all around the world. Universities, business schools, secondary schools and language camps from the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, the UK, the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, France, Spain, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Canada and the US are going to represent themselves. Participants will have the unique opportunity to meet the representatives of the institutions personally, and find out information directly from school they are interested in. Apart from study programs, people who register for the event can also get informed about the application process, scholarships, housing, loans and employment.

Younger children and adults can also find something for themselves: the organizer of the event, Baltic Council also offers several summer programs for kids and teenagers, and language course for adults. Just to mention a few examples, University of Bristol (UK), Artevelde University of Applied Sciences (Belgium), Eindhoven University of Technology (the Netherlands), Mediadesign University of Applied Sciences (Germany), Newton University (the Czech Republic), IFM Business School (Switzerland) will be present. The full list of participants can be seen at website of Baltic Council HERE. HERE is the Facebook event. Anyone who is interested in studying abroad is welcome at the fair on the 25th of March (Saturday) in the conference room of Crowne Plaza Hotel Budapest (1062 Váci út 1-3.). The event is free; however, visitors are kindly asked to register previously at the following LINK.

Corvinus University’s English language courses are immensely popular in Hungary!

Corvinus university

In total, more than 2,000 students applied for Corvinus University’s English language courses in the first place in this year’s admission procedure. The number of applicants for English language courses has thus increased by almost 50 percent. Courses offered exclusively at Corvinus for the first time this year are also popular, with an overall increase in the number of applicants at Corvinus.

The quality of education offered by Corvinus University of Budapest is attracting more applicants this year than last, according to figures released by the Educational Authority. The most popular course is the Bachelor of Business and Management, with nearly 30 percent more applicants for the English-language version of the course than last year. International Management, which can be studied in English, is the second most popular field, with 11 percent more applicants than in 2022. The popularity of the English-language Bachelor of International Studies has also grown significantly, with a 20 percent increase in the number of students applying to study this course.

The university’s two new English-language Bachelor’s programmes, which are available in Hungary only at Corvinus, were also well received: hundreds of applications were received for the Philosophy, Politics and Economics degree and the Business Data Science degree.

“The numbers show that there is a receptiveness among applicants to the key objectives we set out when we changed the university model, including internationalisation and a high-quality training portfolio. I am delighted that Corvinus is able to offer talented students a constantly renewed, high-quality choice. We are focusing on quality rather than quantity in our training, in an international environment, with small group teaching,” said Anthony Radev, President of Corvinus, commenting on the application figures.

Among the Corvinus Master’s programmes, the Management and Organisation programme remains the most popular, with a 35 percent increase in applications for the English-language programme. Corvinus is launching several new one-year English-language Master’s programmes this year, the most popular being Marketing Strategy and Innovation.

“Two thirds of our training is now in English. This year, 50 percent more people chose these courses as their first choice than last year, reflecting the strong demand for access to opportunities at universities abroad. We were among the first Hungarian universities to make our Master‘s degree programmes more flexible to meet the needs of the labour market: we offer four one-year courses and four two-year courses that can be completed in one year. The number of applications proves the justification of the new structure,” emphasised Előd Takáts, Rector of Corvinus.

The strategic goal of Corvinus is to become the leading university in the field of economic and social sciences in the Eastern and Central European region by 2030. To achieve this, more and more English-language courses are being launched every year, internationally renowned lecturers are being recruited and research and publication output is being significantly increased.

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UN Committee is “extremely concerned” about the situation of women’s rights in Hungary

United Nations Hungary

The Un CEDAW Committee is criticising Hungary regarding the situation of women’s rights. The Committee finds it extremely concerning that the government considers it discriminatory to legislate to protect women against violence.

Hungary had to submit its 9th periodic report to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) Committee of the UN. The UN’s findings find the situation of women’s rights concerning in Hungary, qubit.hu reports.

The Hungarian government’s delegation was headed by Attila Beneda, Deputy State Secretary for Family Affairs of the Ministry of Culture and Innovation during the session. During the Hungarian delegation’s oral presentation, the committee’s chairperson, Ana Peláez Narváez, repeatedly called on Beneda to stop talking out of turn and report on how Hungary is living up to the commitments it made.

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The UN’s final report has condemned Hungary for failing to comply with the international convention adopted in 1979.

Family before career

“The Committee is deeply concerned about retrogressive movements seeking to exclude reference to gender from the political, educational, and social discourse in the State party. The State party’s equality policy is based exclusively on a concept of the family and primarily conceiving a woman’s role as a wife and a mother.”

From the Hungarian government’s point of view “the issue of gender equality for women and men is substantially approached from the perspective of family”. The UN Committee, however “notes with concern the rise in stereotypical attitudes about the roles and responsibilities of women and men in the family and in society”.

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According to the Hungarian government’s report, the gender gap “is mainly coming from the fact that because of raising children, women are disadvantaged on the labour market and in many other areas”.

“The social equality between men and women should be treated from a family perspective, because the primary difference is not the female or male nature, but rather the fact that they are raising a child or not” – says the Hungarian report.

The UN Committee condemns this approach, as it “overemphasizes women’s responsibilities as mothers and wives”. This is “undermining women’s social status, autonomy, educational opportunities, and professional careers”. The Hungarian stance is also “constituting an underlying cause of gender-based violence against women”.

The UN also condemns Hungary for the recent amendments in the abortion laws, which require women to listen to the foetus’ heartbeat before abortion.

Another noted area is the gender pay gap (17%), alongside the horizontal and vertical segregation in the labour market, as well as barriers to women’s access to management positions, higher-paid jobs and decision-making positions.

More than 126,000 students apply for university places in Hungary

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More than 126,000 secondary school-leavers have applied to study at Hungarian colleges and universities from September, the minister of culture and innovation said on Monday.

János Csák told a press conference that the number has increased from 99,000 last year, adding that the rising number of applicants indicated that Hungary’s higher education system “has become more attractive”.

He said the government implemented many changes in the past 5 years with the aim of developing a nation of “economically strong, culturally confident, self-sufficient families here and in the Carpathian Basin”.

Csák welcomed that more students than ever applied from disadvantaged regions, and that many indicated a desire to become school and kindergarten teachers.

State Secretary Balázs Hankó attributed the increase in the number of applicants to a revamped entrance system, noting that 20 percent of applicants chose majors in engineering, science, maths and computer technology.

Hankó also noted that 11 Hungarian universities were among the world’s top 5 percent.

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New education bill promises significant payrise for Hungarian teachers

Teacher kids education

The interior ministry has published the draft legislation on public education on its website to enable further consultation with professional organisations and the public.

The government and advocacy groups have agreed on the schedule of the consultation, the ministry said in a statement late on Thursday. The government raised teachers’ wages by 10 percent from January, but will bump them up to 21 percent retroactively “as soon as Hungary receives the European Union funding it is entitled to”, the statement said. Wages may increase by 25 percent in 2024 and by up to 30 percent in 2025, compared with 2021 levels, it said.

Teachers’ wages may reach 80 percent of the average wage of degree holders by 2025, it said. Regarding further issues in public education, the ministry took the results of last year’s National Consultation public survey into consideration when drafting the bill, the statement said. Teachers working in disadvantaged regions or with children struggling with multiple disadvantages will have higher raises, it said. Performance will also be a factor. The bill would also simplify teachers’ progress in the wage system, the statement said.

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