The State of Educational Research in Hungary

Gyöngyvér Pataki
Hungarian Educational Research Association (HERA)
Spring 2012

Educational Research in Hungary

Educational research (EdR) in Hungary is mainly divided into two groups and connected to several research institutions. The first group is the traditional “pedagogical research” (pedagógiai kutatás) based on the teacher training college activities and the activities of the teacher education sections of the universities.  The second group is called ‘applied social research in education’ (oktatáskutatás). It is mostly represented by the doctoral (PhD) programmes and their research activities.

The first line of research is usually considered as applied (individual or child) psychology, where the scientific work follows a psychological paradigm. It is mostly focused on classroom and school research, meaning the methods and techniques of teaching and learning as well as the evaluation methods and techniques by which the results of the teaching-learning processes could be evaluated. The second line of research is concentrated to educational policies rather than the school practices. The first line of research represents cca 70 % of the EdR in Hungary. The second type of research (30 %) however, is better organised and represents the Hungarian research on national and international fora (including HERA as well as EERA).

Before the transition (1989/90) EdR has been financed from two main sources. One was the budget of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (the relevant proportion of which went later to the budget of the Ministry of Education. The second was the budget of the National Scientific Research Fund which also incorporated EdR projects.

Financing the EdR diversified after the transition. We do not have comprehensive statistics about EdR finance at present. (It would be az important subject for further research). The following siources and figures are estimations only.(year 2011)

• EdR in independent R&D organisations (inside and outside of higher education) HUF 1 932 000 000 (central budget)

• 24% of all researches supported was conducted int he field of Arts and Humanities

• National Fund for Scientific Research (EdR projects) HUF 500.000.000

• Teacher training at MA / MSc and PhD levels (part of which has to be EdR activities) together with training schools (gyakorló iskola) is 9 % of the yearly state budget of higher education, that is HUF 24.000.000.000
  Note: HUF 283 = EUR 1

To conclude, EdR in Hungary is under constant alteration due to changing legistlations and funding reforms. More collaboration at national and international level is required to enhance sufficient knowledge production and transfer in a competitive global educational arena.

References:
<link http: www.otka.hu _blank external link in new>Hungarian Central Statistical Office
National Fund for Scientific Research

Member Profile

HERA was founded in 2011. At present HERA members are about 98 researchers. HERA is organized in seven Universities. The universities are concerned are the following: University of Eötvös Lórándt,University of Debrecen,University of Pécs,University of Szeged, Partium Christian University, Kaposvár University, Kodolányi János University. In the last two years four different networks were founded according to the initiatives. The Center for Higher Education Research and Development of international repute initated a <link http: cherd.unideb.hu en _blank external link in new>higher education network. Three other initiatives have been launched: Sociology of Education, Sport Education and Curriculum Planning and Development.

 At the moment HERA has to face with a segmented educational research arena in Hungary. There are deep and intractable generational and geographical divisions. We cannot speak about generation gap as it is understood in the western part of Europe. Generation gap was artificially generated by the fact that before the political transition only pedagogy driven research areas were supported. At the political transition the so called applied social research in education emerged together with new research institution inviting younger researchers. The above mentioned segmented research territory can also be associated with different research traditions and networking strategies, which leads to insufficient research collaboration. HERA aims to narrow this division by generating communication and networking between pedagogy driven educational researchers and applied educational scientist. The existing network structure demonstrates that this goal has partially already fulfilled.

To develop suitable services in respond to the need of the membership at all level of research carrier HERA provides a yearly conference (HUCER). HUCER gives an opportunity for the best paper competition and it is also a forum to represent the work of the already existing networks. The scene of the conference is changed each year in accordance with the regional diversity of the association. To support carrier development and networking within and outside the organization mailing lists have been set up. HERA also organized a round table with policy makers to give remark on the lack of coherence and continuity in the content and funding of education research.

Furthermore, HERA intends to facilitate knowledge transfer and exchange by disseminating findings. To bridge the gap between educational researchers, practices and policy makers the Hungarian Educational Research Journal (<link http: herj.hu _blank external link in new>HERJ) opens an on-line platform for English publications. A special issue disseminating the results of a cross-border collaboration (<link http: unideb.mskszmsz.hu _blank external link in new>HERD) has already published in paper base.

Finally under the condition of the current democracy deficit throughout Europe, civil engagement is weak. It must also be mentioned that civic research association is unique in the educational academic field in Hungary.