The government is considering the introduction of a tuition fee for several popular university programmes, while others, such as degrees in communication, would be abolished completely, the State Secretariat’s new higher education strategy reveals.
The Ministry of Human Resources had recently informed university and college deans of the plan, which includes the cancellation of several popular programmes, such as degrees in communication. Other courses – e. g. andragogy – would be available only to students prepared to pay a tuition fee. Other popular programmes will be available only at the National University of Public Service if the strategy, which foresees a 15 per cent reduction in the total number of courses, is implemented. Changes are expected to take effect in September 2016 if the strategy is adopted.
State Secretary responsible for higher education László Palkovics is expected to decide on the issue by late March. Last year, the State Secretary said that economically unviable university and college BA and BSc courses may well be abolished.
In reaction to press reports, the State Secretariat said that negotiations are under way between the Ministry of Human Resources and the competent committees of the Hungarian Rectors’ Conference on the rationalisation of higher education programmes. They added that there is no connection between the number of state scholarships available in certain programmes and discussion on the reorganisation of the educational structure.
via hvg.hu and eduline.hu
photo: István Fazekas/hvg.hu