Resolution on the future of Hungarian Higher Education
HÖOK and ESU firmly believe that the future of Hungarian higher education must be built on transparency, partnership and shared responsibility. Any meaningful reform must be shaped together with those most directly affected by it: students, higher education institutions, academic staff and the wider academic community.
Following recent references regarding the preparation of a new higher education law in Hungary, it is essential that any reform or transformation of the higher education system takes place through a predictable, inclusive and transparent process. Higher education cannot be successfully renewed without the meaningful involvement of its stakeholders, most importantly students, whose lives, opportunities and futures are directly shaped by its quality, accessibility and long-term direction.
Students are not passive recipients of higher education policy. They are full members of the academic community and their experiences, needs and perspectives must be reflected from the earliest stages of policymaking. HÖOK and ESU therefore strongly urges decision-makers to ensure that students are not merely consulted once decisions have already been drafted but are actively involved throughout the entire process from preparation and consultation to implementation and evaluation.
A new higher education framework must create a predictable and transparent model for institutions and students alike. Long-term stability is necessary for higher education institutions to plan responsibly, to provide high-quality, student-centered education and to maintain trust within the academic community. At the same time, a reform must not be limited to questions of financing, governance or institutional operation only. These are important issues, but they cannot overshadow the everyday reality of students.
Scholarships, social support and housing must remain central questions in any discussion about the future of Hungarian higher education. Even the most well designed institutional model cannot be considered successful if students are unable to afford their studies, access decent housing or participate fully in academic life without making disproportionate personal and financial sacrifices. The cost of living, the lack of affordable student housing and the inadequacy of student support systems continue to directly affect access, progression and success in higher education.
HÖOK and ESU believe that higher education is only successful when students are successful: when they receive up-to-date and relevant knowledge, when they feel safe and supported in their institutions, when they can develop personally and professionally and when they do not have to choose between their studies and their basic living conditions.
It is also essential that decisions affecting higher education institutions are made with the involvement and genuine consultation of the institutions concerned. Institutional autonomy, academic freedom and academic integrity are fundamental values of higher education and must be fully respected in any future reform.
HÖOK remains committed to constructive dialogue and to representing the interests of students throughout this process. We believe that a strong, modern and socially responsible higher education system can only be built if students are not merely consulted but genuinely heard as equal partners.
Reason & Seconders
Recent indications suggest that a new higher education law is being drafted in Hungary. The motivation behind this resolution is to proactively demand an inclusive and transparent legislative process where students are treated as equal partners from the earliest stages. Through this document, HÖOK aims to ensure that any upcoming systemic reform prioritizes everyday student realities (such as affordable housing and social support), while fully safeguarding institutional autonomy and academic freedom.
Seconders: ANOSR, LSA, AMLÉ, BSA