Hungary
Selected education policies for Hungary
Digital Education Strategy (DOS, 2016)
►. Level of resilience: Broader learning environment
A key focus of Hungary’s digital strategy is transforming teachers’ pedagogical practices by improving their digital competencies, promoting knowledge sharing, and providing them with pedagogical tools and methodological support. The Digital Pedagogical Methodology Centrer (DPMK), which provides training, support, and resources for teachers, has therefore been a key pillar of the reform. The strategy also involves measures to upgrade digital infrastructure in schools. The DPMK played a key role in supporting teachers with distance learning in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. As well as organising its own webinars for teachers and school leaders, the DPMK published a range of e-learning opportunities for teachers on its website. It also produced recommendations for distance learning when schools closed in March 2020, and provided guidance on implementing blended learning during 2020/21.
In 2020, the OECD began working alongside the Hungarian Ministry of Innovation and Technology on the “Support for the Digital Transformation of Hungarian Higher Education” project. This project will assist the Hungarian government in setting new guidelines for digital learning in higher education and evaluating and revising existing practices, building on innovations that took place in the early stages of the pandemic. As such, it supports the aims of the Digital Education Strategy as well as Hungary’s higher education strategy (Digital Welfare Program, 2020[6]).
Further reading: OECD (2019[7]), Education Policy Outlook 2019: Working Together to Help Students Achieve their Potential, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://dx.doi.org/10.1787/2b8ad56e-en.
Improving career guidance and promoting careers in STEM (2017, 2020)
►. Level of resilience: System
In 2020, the Educational Authority in Hungary developed an online Career Orientation Measurement and Support Tool. This supports the objectives of a project, funded by the European Social Fund, which aims to improve approaches to career guidance in primary and secondary schools, with a particular focus on promoting careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The online measurement tool assesses students’ general competencies – as well as those related to STEM – and matches them with career paths that suit their characteristics. To support implementation, some 1 500 teachers received training on the importance of career guidance, and on using the tool with students. Project specialists will continue to develop the online tool based on teachers’ experiences during training.
Other career guidance initiatives include developing a methodology for career guidance and establishing a professional forum that brings together representatives from the school and tertiary education sectors with representatives from the labour market. The initiatives were due to be implemented in 2021.
Further reading: Hungarian Education Authority (2020[8]), A pályaorientációs lehetőségek bővítésén dolgozik az Oktatási Hivatal [The Office of Education is working on expanding career guidance opportunities], https://www.oktatas.hu/sajtoszoba/sajtoanyagok/palyaorientacios_lehetosegek_bovitesen_dolgozik_az_oktatasi_hivatal (accessed on 1 April 2021).
References
Digital Welfare Program (2020), Az OECD is támogatja a magyar felsőoktatás digitális transzformációját [The OECD supports the digital transformation of Hungarian higher education], https://digitalisjoletprogram.hu/hu/hirek/az-oecd-is-tamogatja-a-magyar-felsooktatas-digitalis-transzformaciojat (accessed on 1 April 2021). [6]
Hungarian Education Authority (2020), A pályaorientációs lehetőségek bővítésén dolgozik az Oktatási Hivatal [The Office of Education is working on expanding career guidance opportunities], https://www.oktatas.hu/sajtoszoba/sajtoanyagok/palyaorientacios_lehetosegek_bovitesen_dolgozik_az_oktatasi_hivatal (accessed on 1 April 2021). [8]
OECD (2020), Learning remotely when schools close: How well are students and schools prepared? Insights from PISA, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://dx.doi.org/10.1787/3bfda1f7-en. [2]
OECD (2020), TALIS 2018 Results (Volume II): Teachers and School Leaders as Valued Professionals, TALIS, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://dx.doi.org/10.1787/19cf08df-en. [1]
OECD (2019), Education Policy Outlook 2019: Working Together to Help Students Achieve their Potential, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://dx.doi.org/10.1787/2b8ad56e-en. [7]
OECD (2019), PISA 2018 Results (Volume II): Where All Students Can Succeed, PISA, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://dx.doi.org/10.1787/b5fd1b8f-en. [4]
OECD (2019), PISA 2018 Results (Volume III): What School Life Means for Students’ Lives, PISA, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://dx.doi.org/10.1787/acd78851-en. [5]
OECD (2019), TALIS 2018 Results (Volume I): Teachers and School Leaders as Lifelong Learners, TALIS, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://dx.doi.org/10.1787/1d0bc92a-en. [3]