In our research, we examine the frequency and distribution of volunteering of higher education students by country, institution and faculty, as well as what motivation types of volunteering exist among students. We also examine the impact of the rate of volunteering by faculty on individual volunteering allowing for the effect of other social and demographic background variables. In our analysis volunteering is a higher education efficiency variable as volunteering has a positive impact on students’ career, it develops a variety of skills and competences and it develops civic awareness. Volunteering has a positive impact on educational efficiency as well.

Volunteering is difficult to define but according to some researchers (Wilson 2000, Cnaan - Amrofell 1994, Handy et al. 2010, Dekker, Halman 2003) it has four main criteria. These are the following: It is voluntary, non-obligatory, carried out by people's own choice and free will. The voluntary work is free of charge, thus paid work can be excluded. Volunteering is producing material, intellectual goods or services for the benefit of others or for public good. Volunteering is usually done in an organizational context.

There are two main types of volunteering based on motivations (Czike – Bartal 2005): the old type or traditional and the new type of volunteering. The old type or traditional volunteering is characterized by helping the poor, the importance of religion, faith, moral duty and belonging to the community. The new type of volunteering is characterized by gaining experience, challenge, professional development, spending leisure time in a useful way and making friends. According to Stefanescu & Osvat (2011) nowadays the motivations of volunteering among the young generation mostly instrumental (new type of volunteering) such as it is important making friends, meeting people with similar interest, spending leisure time usefully, learning and practicing sports and cultural activities, gaining information, developing and practicing skills, getting a job more easily, enlarging human capital. But nowadays the mixed motivations are also common among students, such as helping others is also important for students with new motivations.

According to Wollebek and Selle (2003) the changes in the patterns of volunteering may be due to the changes in individual values. At this point, they refer to Inglehart (1977, 1990), who put forward the idea that post-materialist values, such as democracy, human rights, gender equality, self-fulfillment, environmental protection and leisure, have replaced material values. Contrary Inglehart’s views, according to Putnam (1995, 2000) the political apathy is increasing, local initiatives are decreasing and materialistic and individualistic values are more appealing to young people. The former values seem to be increasing the probability of voluntary activities, and the latter values are rather decreasing this probability.

According to some researchers (Astin& Sax, 1998; Hesser, 1995; Eyler et al., 1997; Mabry, 1998) volunteering among students is very important because volunteering can be an indicator of students’ efficiency in higher education. Volunteering is a sort of interim variable between the impact of studies and the development of students’ competences. Voluntary work has a positive influence on students’ academic achievement, and just like higher education as a whole, it develops other competences necessary in real life for example active, conscious citizenship and a sense of responsibility. In addition, volunteering helps in students’ socialization for work, and volunteers, especially those who do new forms of volunteering, later find employment more easily.

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