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This article explores the history and key features of the doctoral education system at Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), including the quality requirements, organization, and key mechanisms. It discusses the changes in the doctoral education system in Hungary, the role of the National Doctoral Council and the Hungarian Accreditation Committee, and the governance and control structure of the doctoral education at ELTE.
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Doctoral education at ELTE: quality requirements, organization, key mechanisms ELTE Eötvös Loránd University 13 March 2019 Prof. Dr. Péter Szalay Vice-Rectorfor Research E-mail: vr.research@elte.hu
BriefHistory of ELTE Founded by PéterPázmány, the Archbishop of Esztergom Moved from Nagyszombat (Trnava) to Buda, then to Pest Adopted the name of Baron LorándEötvös (1848-1919) Turn of the 18th-19th century ELTE is amongthe 15 largest universities in the world
Hungary’s largestselectionof educationalprograms 8faculties 28 000students,2 500internationalstudents 45bachelorprograms 101masterprograms 130doctoralprogramsin16doctoralschools
Facts and figures – Academicstaff Number of academic staff:1 408 75% of the staff have scientific qualifications: • the highest rate among Hungarian universities • Fullmember of theHungarianAcademy of Sciences (HAS): 79 • Number of academic staff of international origin (FTE): 120 • Number of research staff (FTE):239
Doctoral Education atelte Peopleresponsible: Full Professor Dr. Péter SzalayVice-Rector for Research Full Professor Dr. Barna MezeyPresidentof the University DoctoralCouncil Total number of students: cca.28 000 Number of active PhD students:1 402
History of thedoctoraleducationin Hungary Before 1993: Soviet (Russian) structure: • University doctorate based on a thesis (dr. univ.) • Candidate of Sciences (CSc) title given by the Academy of Sciences • Doctor of Sciences (DSc) title given by the Academy of Sciences –required for full professorship Previous Law on higher education in 1993: • establishes doctoral programs at universities • dismisses univ. doctorate and CSc • introduces PhD • introduces habilitation as requirement for professorship
History of thedoctoraleducationin Hungary Features of the doctoral systemin 1993: • 3-year study • programs associated with the specialties of the particular university • programs accredited by Hungarian Accreditation Committee • 3-year fellowship for the students • Degree process: • Final exam • Dissertation – two reviews • Public defense
History of thedoctoraleducationin Hungary Reconsideration of the law in 2002 and 2007: Reasons: • too large number of programs throughout the country • not enough control on quality • “intercity professors” New features: • doctoral schools – independent within the university structure • hierarchical levels of doctoral councils • well defined disciplines • more rigorous accreditation • continuous accreditation of both program and staff
History of thedoctoraleducationin Hungary Reconsideration of the law in 2002 to 2007(cont.) National Doctoral Council: • Most important decisions about the doctoral system • Managing the Hungarian Doctoral Database which includes: • Doctoral schools • Academic stuff • Thesis topics • Students • Degrees awarded • Thesis • Analysis of trends • Distribution of state-financed scholarships
History of thedoctoraleducationin Hungary Reconsideration of the law in 2002 to 2007 (cont.) Hungarian Accreditation Committee: • Accreditation of all procedures related to Hungarian higher education • For doctoral programs it considers • doctoral schools • their programs • core members • supervisors • Uses the Hungarian Doctoral Database (HDD) Since 2009, accreditation is continuous, and adequacy of the data is checked yearly in HDD
History of thedoctoraleducationin Hungary New Law onHigher Education: 2011/CCIV. 3 => 4 years and 180 => 240 credits 1. phase „Education & Research” 2. phase: „Research & Dissertation” Afterthesecondyear: obligatory „complexexamination” • Increased fellowship (two levels) • Reward (for the student) in case of successful completion • Penalty (for university) in case of not finishing in time
Governance and controlstructureof thedoctoraleducation 1. 1. Parliament – law and other important rules 2. Ministry – number of PhD students & fellowships 3. Education Office – issuing and withdrawing licenses 4. Hungarian Accreditation Committee • specifying disciplines • accreditation of schools, programs, core members 5. National Doctoral Council • definition of principles (e.g. complex exam, curriculum, quality assurance) • distribution of fellowships among universities
Governance and controlstructureof thedoctoraleducation 2. 6. Senate of the university • passes institutional Doctoral Statute • establishes doctoral schools • endorse teaching plans 7. Hierarchy of doctoral councils – institutional doctoral affairs • University Doctoral Council • Doctoral Councils by disciplines • Councils of Doctoral School • Core members of Doctoral School 8. Association of PhD Students – representative (e.g. in Senate)and advocacy body
How to establish a new doctoral school? University strategy to develop the concerned discipline Compliance with the University Doctoral Statue Proposition and decision by the University Doctoral Council Decision by the university Senate Preparing the official documents for the Hungarian Accreditation Committee Accreditation of doctoral schools for 5 years
How to establish a new doctoral school? Most important national rules: Act on Higher Education (2011) Implementation decree on Higher Education (2015) Decree on Doctoral Schools, Doctoral procedure and habilitation (2012)
QualityAssurance 1.Guaranteedby Law National authorization of doctoral schools General requirements • MSc degree required for entrance • 2 languages at exit • number of credits and semesters • independent scientific work • dissertation & open debate on it • public database of PhD degrees • …
QualityAssurance 2.Structure of the doctoral school „Coremembers” • At least seven qualified core members • Four of them must be full professors of the given institution • They must show active research (publications are checked) • They must have own graduate student regularly Supervisors Teachers (contributingtothe program)
QualityAssurance 3.Controls and accreditationprocedure • Qualitycontroltwotimes per year (in April and September) • examination of conformity • directors of doctoral schools • corememberscriteria • supervisors • doctoralschooleducation • usingtheHungarianDoctoralDatabase (www.doktori.hu) • Complexand completeaccreditation • each 5 yearsbytheHungarianAccreditationCommittee • University DoctoralCouncil • controlseducation and graduation
StatisticaldataNumber of staffmembersbydoctoralschools of ELTE
Principles of Scholarhips' allocation in Hungary • Allocation of scholaships among 29 higher education institutions: • university size - number of awarded MSc/MS degrees1 • „intensity" of PhD education - number of active PhD student1 • number of PhD degrees awarded1 • number disciplines covered by the doctoral schools • professional background - staff number and quality • education efficacity - proportion of degrees/acceptedstudents 1average in the last 3 years
Number of Scolarship in Hungary and at ELTE 19,3% 17,7% 17,7% 19%
StatisticaldataApplications, newregistrations, statesupportedand self-financingstudents, 2018
Awardeddoctoraldegreesat ELTE and in Hungary ELTE givesnearly 1/5 of theawardeddoctoraldegrees in Hungary
Actual problemsand troubles • Deflation of the fellowship • Low graduation rate • Quality decreasing (good students are going abroad) • Per-capita support became essential part of thebudget of the universities => no research money at the groups • High percentage of not awarded degrees
New National Talent Program Fellowship for talented students to do research: • 500 BSc and MSc student • 661 PhD students The fellowship includes: • Substantial monthly allowance • Research money ELTE offers: • cca. 60-70 BSc and MSc fellowships • cca. 200 PhD fellowships
Perspectives of theHungarianAccreditationCommittee (MAB) Set up their own database New accreditation procedure: • No regular check of the formal indicators • On site accreditation procedure which checks • Personnel • Financial situation • Infrastructural situation • Procedures • Teaching program • Quality control
Furtherinformationavailablefrom: Science Policy Office, Rector’s Cabinet ELTE Eötvös Loránd University • Facebookwww.facebook.com/elteinternational • Webwww.elte.hu/en E-mailvr.research@elte.hu Address H-1056 Budapest, Szerb str. 21-23 Phone +36 1 411 6500