Last modified on 22-05-2008
Bologna Process in Hungary
The following text is from the “Focus on the Structure of Higher Education in Europe 2006/07 National Trends in the Bologna Process” Published by‘Eurydice, the information network on education in Europe’ in 2007:
“The organisation of the higher education sector is governed by Act No. CXXXIX of 2005 on Higher Education. The new degree structure based on three cycles was adopted in December 2004. Almost all main fields of study are implemented in accordance with the new structure. Exceptions are medicine, pharmacy, dental and veterinary studies, architecture, law and certain crafts/ arts/design related study programmes, which retain a long single-cycle structure of 5-6 years. Programmes that last 5-6 years will be retained alongside the new Bachelor’s/Master’s structure for a certain transition period. Higher education institutions are obliged by law to launch programmes based on three cycles with effect from the 2006/07 academic year. The first cycle refers to programmes at ISCED level 5A lasting 6-8 semesters (3-4 years; 180-240 credit points) leading to Bachelor’s degrees (alapfokozat). The second cycle will lead to Master’s degrees (mesterfokozat) at ISCED level 5A and will last 2-4 semesters (1-2 years; 60-120 credit points). Two-year advanced vocational programmes (felsőfokú szakképzés at ISCED level 5B) are available on an optional basis prior to first cycle programmes leading to advanced vocational qualifications. Such programmes can count towards any ISCED 5A programmes up to a maximum of 60 credit points. Professional higher education training programmes (szakirányú továbbképzés at ISCED level 5A) can follow any degree (Bachelor’s or Master’s). They involve specialisation in a field of study (with the awarding of a certificate on completion), but do not lead to another degree. A three-year doctoral study programme (doktori képzés) already in existence can follow any Master’s qualification or equivalent title. In addition to the Master’s qualification or equivalent title, each candidate has to possess a type ‘C’ middle-level foreign language certificate (written and oral) and has to undergo the entry procedure which includes a written dissertation plan and an interview.
Further entry requirements can be set by the institutions. There are four basic forms of doctoral training:
- full-time student with a state scholarship (state financed student),
- full-time student without a state scholarship,
- part-time student,
- students preparing individually for their doctoral degree.
A concept paper for the development of a National Qualifications Framework has been prepared by a network of experts. It is to be an ‘umbrella’-type framework that provides a common framework to the qualification systems of the various sub-sectors of education (public education, vocational education and training, higher education, adult education), using an outcome-based approach. An interdepartmental/ ministerial committee will work out the details of the framework before the draft proposal is submitted to the government in the autumn of 2007. The framework’s implementation is planned to be financed under the New Hungary Development Plan 2007-2013 (National Strategic Reference Framework of Hungary). ECTS is the only existing credit system. It has been provided for by law since November 2000 and was introduced in practice and implemented on a general basis in the 2003/04 academic year. ECTS is mandatory and used both in terms of transfer and accumulation.
The Diploma Supplement (DS) has been issued by higher education institutions since July 2003. Since March 2006, according to the 2005 Act on Higher Education, all higher education institutions provide the document automatically and free of charge in Hungarian and English and/or (at the request of the student) in an ethnic minority language if the study programme was delivered in this minority language. The first copy of the DS is free of charge at every level of higher education. Follow-up measures (incentives and control) exist for most aspects of the Bologna Process. Financial, administrative and counselling services (e.g. design of learning outcomes for the new degree structure, discussion of the proposal with relevant representatives of the labour market, and grants for designing new curricula as part of the National Development Plan) have been introduced at national level by public authorities to encourage the full implementation of the three-cycle structure.
Applicants for grants may apply through tenders. The amount of the financial incentive may vary depending on the type and content of the application (e.g. new study programme curricula, quality assurance, etc.). The use of grants is monitored. As regards ECTS, technical assistance, information points and other administrative and counselling services have been set up by the National Credit Council, which is also responsible for follow-up measures such as general credit monitoring.
The National Europass Centre (NEC) has introduced administrative and counseling services to encourage the full implementation of the DS. The NEC is also responsible for follow-up measures.
The Magyar Felsőoktatási Akkreditációs Bizottság (Hungarian Accreditation Committee, HAC) was established in 1993. According to the 2005 Act on Higher Education, the HAC is responsible for quality assurance of institutions and study programmes (accreditations), and supports institutions in developing internal quality assurance mechanisms. The accreditation procedure is compulsory for all types of higher education institutions and programmes. The HAC is an independent body of experts, consisting of 29 members involved in higher education and research institutions. Two nonvoting student members, representing the Conference of Students’ Unions (Hallgatói Önkormányzatok Országos Konferenciája) and the National Association of PhD Students (Doktoranduszok Országos Szövetsége), take part in the plenary meetings of this body. Student participation is officially regulated and compulsory. The HAC may decide to invite some counsellors from fields not represented by full members (at present five) and regular participants (at present six) to take part at their meetings. Counsellors and regular participants take part in discussion, but are non-voting members. Foreign experts may also be invited occasionally. The HAC has an International Advisory Board (Nemzetközi Tanácsadó Testület) with nine members. The tasks of this board are to monitor, assess and evaluate the principles of operation, the orders of procedure as well as the accreditation requirements and practices of the HAC. While doing this, international requirements and harmonisation should be taken into special consideration. In terms of internal evaluation, institutions are obliged to prepare their annual institutional evaluation report to be discussed and voted by the institutional council. As part of the accreditation procedure and the interim control procedure, they are also required to prepare self-evaluation documentation, for which the HAC provides detailed guidance. Students take part in the evaluation procedure at institutional level. The institution’s annual evaluation report is accepted by the Senate, which includes student representatives. The self-evaluation documents provide spaces for students to express their opinions. External evaluation is a lengthy multilevel process. The institution prepares its documentation and self-evaluation report based upon the pre-set HAC guidelines. The HAC nominates a Visiting Accreditation Committee (Látogató Bizottság), whose composition varies according to the type of institution, the number of faculties and number of degree programmes. Based on the selfevaluation report, experiences, documented interviews and meetings during the visit, the Visiting Accreditation Committee prepares its own report for the HAC. The report, comments and evaluation are communicated to the institution, which is given the opportunity to make further remarks. The report, thus further supplemented, reaches the full plenary meeting of the HAC during which it is finalised. The Visiting Accreditation Committee meets the students and their representatives during the external evaluation procedure and conducts an interview according to pre-set guidelines. At national level, one representative of the Conference of Students’ Unions (Hallgatói Önkormányzatok Országos Konferenciája) and one representative of the National Association of PhD Students (Doktoranduszok Országos Szövetsége) are delegated to participate regularly at HAC meetings. The accreditation procedure is mandatory and involves two separate procedures. On the one hand, it involves examining higher education institutions (education and training activities and conditions, research activities and facilities, staff, organisational structure and infrastructure), and on the other hand, the degree programmes themselves (curriculum content, the proportion of practical and theory-based instruction, qualified staff and infrastructure). Each institution has to undergo the accreditation procedure every 8 years and an interim control procedure after 4 years. A summary of the results of the accreditation procedure is published in the Accreditation Bulletin (Akkreditációs Értesítő) as well as on the HAC website. The right to investigate the financial activities of the HEIs is exercised by the State Audit Office (Állami Számvevőszék). The HAC has been a full member of the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA) since 2000. The HUNGARY HAC is also a member of the International Network for Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education (INQAAHE) and the Network of Central and Eastern European Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education (CEEN).”
