Professors Rally Against Unfair Salaries in Hungarian Universities
Thousands of professors in Hungary are demanding fair and competitive salaries to ensure quality teaching in higher education institutions. Nearly 3,000 professors from three prestigious universities in Hungary have signed open letters calling for immediate pay rises and an end to financial neglect.
Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME), and Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music have seen a significant number of their staff join the protest. At ELTE, a minimum salary was introduced last year for university teachers to ensure a certain level of income. However, higher associate professors and university professors are still struggling with low salaries, with average earnings below trainee teachers.
The government’s decision to place most universities in a special foundation, while maintaining state funding, has led to protests from university staff across the country. Only two universities, Hungarian University of Fine Arts and National University of Public Service, have been exceptions to this pseudo-privatization operation.
The pay situation for college and university teachers in Hungary has been a long-standing issue, with little improvement over the years. Despite a 15% rise in salaries in 2021 and 2022, many academics are still struggling to make ends meet. The discrepancy between the salaries of university professors and other professions, such as warehouse clerks at Aldi, highlights the urgent need for fair compensation for educators.
The ongoing protest by thousands of professors underscores the importance of ensuring decent salaries for university staff to maintain the quality of education in Hungary’s higher education institutions.
