Experiences concerning the implementation of the Bologna process in Hungary

1. Experiences concerning the implementation of the Bologna process in Hungary Prof. György BAZSA President of HESC Austrian–Hungarian Joint Meeting on Cooperation in Higher Education Vienna, 19 December, 2005

2. A Report on the „Bologna Hungaricum” presented in the Collegium Hungaricum

3. The European landscape of higher education: • Bologna Declaration (EHEA in 2010) • communiqués: Prague, Berlin, Bergen • the degree system: 2 and 3 cycles • recognition of degrees and study periods • diploma supplement • European credit system (ECTS) • quality assurance (ENQUA) • student and staff mobility • higher education and research (ERA) • European dimension • lifelong learning • social dimensions

4. Hungarian landscape of higher education • number of institutions • ratio of students - %

5. Present (running out) two tear structure: • University programmes/degrees (science oriented) – 5-6 years • College (Fachhochschule) programmes/degrees(practice oriented) – 3-4 years • PhD programmes/degrees (3 years) • Higher vocational programmes / no degree (2 years)

6. Student status and study ways Study funding: • state funded: basic programme + 2 semes- ters funded.New Act: 12 semesters funded • self funded: tuition fee varies, common in all institutions (state and private) Study ways: • regular (5 days a week) • corresponding (+ evening) the laters mainly for a second degree).

7. „Bologna Hungaricum” – legal background • [1993: first Act on HE (main amendments in 1996 and in 999 → integration of institutions)] • 2005 (13th December): new Act („Austrian origin”) • - Bologna structure • increased institutional autonomy(Rector + Senate + Economic Advisory Board) • very high economic and financial freedom • reduced state influence (strong HRC rights!) • stable normative financing (50% training, 25% research, 25% operation) • Government decree on Bologna structure (today only B)

8. „Bologna Hungaricum” – early stage • 1999 – 2002: „signing and meditation” • 2002: HE Conferences (HRC, CDC) started common elaboration of the Bologna structure • Framework: • HE Bologna Committees and Subcommittees • HE + Ministry: National Bologna Committee • Timescale: • 2004: first four pilot B programmes started • 2005: ~35% Bachelor enrolment • 2006: only Bachelor programmes allowed

9. „Bologna Hungaricum” – on halfway 107 Bachelor programmes are accredited andreleased by government decree – 2006 is „ante portas” – Enrolment informa- tion book appeared on 15th December 2005. Masters programmes are mainly in preparation– only two dozens are accredited. There is aprovisory list of ~ 200 planned M programmes. HEAct requires at least one M programme for each B programme. We expect around 200- 300 M programmes in the near future.

10. „Bologna Hungaricum” – degree structure Bachelor: mainly 180 or 180+30* (practice) – rarely 210 or 240 credits Master: B+M minimum 300 (no exceptions!) M: mainly 120, rarely 90, some managers only 60 credits. Undivided M in medicine (360), dentistry, phar- macy, veterinary, law, architecture (300) PhD degree: formally 180 credits of training and research (3 years state stipend) + Thesis and defence (since 1993)

11. LABOUR MARKET Doctoral studies 6 semesters M pr. M pr. M pr. M pr. Undivided programmes (law, medicine etc) 10-12 semesters Masters (2-5 sem.) B pr. B pr. B pr. B pr. Higher vocational pr. 4 semesters Bachelor programmes (6-8 semesters) The Bologna pyramid (courtesy OM)

12. „Bologna Hungaricum” – specialities • Higher vocational education(~ US com- munity college): 120 credits – from those 30 or 60 are accepted in defined Bachelor prog- rammes. --- It is not a HE degree. • +30* credits: work placement (at several B- programmes and at teacher training). • Teacher training: for lower elementary – Bachelor, 240 credits for upper elementary and secondary: only Master, 300 + 30* credits, only 2 subjects.

13. „Bologna Hungaricum” - inputs • General requirements for Bachelor programmes: • „Abitur” (8+4 years of study) • 60% (from 2006 65%) on a 120 point scale • [Before 2005: ranking based 50% on secondary school results + 50% HE entry examination] • From 2005: ranking the applicants based 100% on the results of the new national standard „Abitur” (medium and enhanced level) – HE institutions are excluded from selection • Enrolment in Master and PhD programmes is an institutional right (for M it is not yet clear)

14. „Bologna Hungaricum” - contents Each programme has a „learning and outcomes requirements” document – - prepared by institution(s) - accredited by Hung. HE. Accr. Comm. - decreed by minister „Melting” the present mainly academic universityandmainly professional college programmes into a common Bologna Bachelor seems to be difficult: tradition, institutional habit and inte- rests are too strong. (E.g. Fachhochschulen prefer +30* credits, unis don’t like it so much.)

15. „Bologna Hungaricum” - outputs Bologna requirements: degrees should be ac- cepted both by labour market and by next HE programmes. (There are no separateacademic and professional programmes.) Ideal case: learning and outcome requirements - learning is determined by Academia - outcomes by labour market. We can expect a Hungarian „Bachelor wellcome” from the labour market if we provide broad labour skills and competencies: a lot to be do!

16. „Bologna Hungaricum” – system • General system of programmes: • 14 training fields (agriculture, humanities, so- social sciences, informatics, law, military, eco nomics, technical, medicine, teacher training, sport, natural sciences, art, art-transmission). • ~ 50 training branches (e.g. inside humanities Hungarian literature, history, modern and an- tique philology, psychology, free humanities).Bachelor enrolment into training branches! • 107 training programmes (some of those with further specialities)

17. „Bologna Hungaricum” – financing Formula based: # of students × normative This follows the national average salary (-2y) + research performance + operation costs

18. „Bologna Hungaricum” – ratios L.m. PhD: 3% L.m. M: 35% Labour market: 65% L.m. Bachelor: 100% ~ 50.000 funded [~60-70.000 t.fee?] H.Voc.p. ~10.000

19. „Bologna Hungaricum” – problems • Master system is not yet elaborated: freshmen do not know precise future possibilities. • There are many doubts about the outcomes of the new teacher training system. • Labour market is not well represented in the curriculum planning process. • Academic and professional teaching mentality melt very slowly. • At universities almost the whole curriculum of 5 the years programmes is stuffed into the 3 years Bachelor programmes.

20. „Bologna Hungaricum” – problems • Institutions, Hungarian Accreditation Committee and Minister haven’t always common platform. • Neither enrolment criteria for M programmes, nor distribution algorithm of state funded Master places are elaborated. • Significant part of Academia (and the present political opposition) whish free selection bet- ween old or new programmes, disagree with the compulsory Bologna-system. • Present funding is poor in Hungarian HE – the atmosphere is not reform-oriented.

21. „Bologna Hungaricum” – challenges • effective PR of Bologna - for the incoming pupils and their parents - for the Academia (new teaching concept) - for the labour market (new skills) forms: roadshows, media, fora, net etc. • creating a good Master programme-system - vertical and crossB → M pathways - flexible for labour market • managing the entire spectrum of the Bologna Declaration→ EHEA 2010

22. „Bologna Hungaricum” Ich danke für Ihre Aufmerksamkeit! Köszönöm figyelmüket!