Hungarian Universities Remain Excluded from Erasmus+ Programme
Hungaryian universities are making great strides in international rankings and success, according to a recent interview with Balázs Hankó, the state secretary for higher education in Hungary. In the interview published in Magyar Nemzet, Hankó criticized the European Union for hindering the development of Hungarian universities and playing politics with the future of students and lecturers.
Hankó denounced a report from the European University Association in 2023 claiming that Hungarian universities lacked autonomy, stating that the report focused on state-run universities when most institutions are now privately managed. He accused the association of spreading misinformation about Hungary’s university structure.
Despite these challenges, Hankó highlighted the government’s efforts to improve higher education in Hungary. The Pannonia program, supported by 10 billion forints (EUR 25.4m), allows thousands of Hungarian and foreign students to study abroad, while the HU-rizont scheme supports Hungarian researchers in international projects. As a result, the number of Hungarian universities ranked in the top 5 percent globally has increased from 7 to 12 in just 5 years.
Furthermore, vocational training in Hungary has seen significant progress, with the new system implemented in 2020 receiving recognition in international competitions and rankings. The connection between vocational training and higher education is strengthening, leading to a 74 percent increase in applicants from vocational training to universities. Additionally, 40 vocational training centers have formed partnerships with universities to facilitate this transition.
Despite these achievements, challenges remain, such as unfair salaries at major Hungarian public universities and concerning data on drug use among university students. As Hungary continues to reform its higher education system and strengthen ties between different levels of education, the future looks bright for Hungarian universities and their students.
