MAB
The Hungarian Accreditation Committee is a national-level, independent body of experts tasked with the external evaluation of the quality of educational and related research activities and the internal quality assurance (QA) systems of higher education institutions in Hungary. It operates within the scope of the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG). The Board is comprised of 20 higher education experts, students and external stakeholders and is the highest decision-making board. It determines the by-laws, rules of procedure, organisational framework and evaluation and accreditation criteria and procedures, and passes resolutions on accreditation decisions. Expert committees and a Secretariat contribute to its operations.
In addition, the MAB has two statutory boards, a Financial Supervisory Board and a Board of Appeals. The latter board of three independent members handles appeals against the MAB’s decisions and, in line with internal regulations, may deal with complaints against procedures. An International Advisory Board provides guidance and recommendations for the MAB’s work.
The MAB scope of activities extends to
- initial (ex ante) accreditation of new institutions
- initial evaluation of education and learning outcome framework requirements of Vocational Education and Training (VET) programmes
- initial evaluation of education and learning outcome framework requirements of Bachelor programmes;
- initial evaluation of education and learning outcome framework requirements of Master programmes;
- initial accreditation of VET programmes;
- initial accreditation of Bachelor programmes;
- initial accreditation of Master programmes;
- initial accreditation of new doctoral schools at universities;
- accreditation (ex post) of institutions in five-year cycles;
- accreditation of doctoral schools in maximum five-year cycles;
- WFME standards-based accreditation of basic medical programmes.
The MAB may evaluate running Bachelor and Master programmes if requested by an institution or the ministry. Additionally, it evaluates applications for awarding university professor positions.
The National Higher Education Act of 2011, lists some 70 higher education institutions operating in Hungary. In order to receive state recognition and to issue degrees, all higher education institutions, including private ones, must be accredited. Denominational higher education institutions receive state financing similar to state institutions and are accredited but the MAB’s mandate pertains only to secular programmes. Foreign higher education institutions are also required to be evaluated in order to receive license to operate from the Educational Authority of the Ministry of National Resources. A precondition is that they are legally recognized as HEI in their home country.
Mission statement
The Hungarian Accreditation Committee is a national expert board for monitoring, safeguarding and evaluating the quality of teaching, scientific research and artistic activities in higher education.
Its key task is to provide evaluation services to facilitate high standards of learning in Hungarian higher education institutions and to promote quality assurance to support all levels of education and all stakeholders involved. The MAB works in line with the laws relevant to higher education, performs the tasks assigned to it, meets the ESG 2015 criteria and proceeds in line with the objective, complex and modern guidelines developed by its disciplinary committees and the MAB Board. Through its activities, the MAB promotes the independence of operations. It applies, develops and/or adapts assessment methodologies conforming to international standards. The MAB’s work as an expert, accreditor, analyst and submitter of proposals follows the values specified in the international standards, is based on objective criteria and is independent, unbiased and free from politics. Through all of its activities, the MAB endeavours to solidify the quality culture of higher education institutions in order to improve the standards of Hungarian higher education and strengthen its international reputation.
Throughout its processes, the MAB consistently applies the ESG quality assurance criteria and adheres to the values adopted by ENQA and reflected in the MAB Strategy
(1) Transparency: the MAB makes the principles underlying its decisions and analyses public, and publishes its position statements as well as the criteria used in its decision-making and analysis.
(2) Independence: autonomy in its operations ensures and facilitates the high standards and recognition of the work performed by the MAB, while its independence as an organisation guarantees respect and support for the autonomy of higher education institutions.
(3) Cooperation: the MAB regularly consults higher education stakeholders and works with higher education bodies, peer agencies in quality assurance and reputable international quality assurance organisations.
(4) Integrity: the MAB acts in an irreproachable, fair, unbiased, objective and professional manner at all times.
Key goals:
- To protect all stakeholders in higher education with regard to quality.
- To support the improvement of quality standards in higher education.
- To report on the quality of higher education to the government and to Hungarian society.
The MAB performs quality certification services by assessing whether an institution or programme meets the quality criteria specified and published by the MAB in advance. The MAB will grant accreditation to an institution or programme if it meets these criteria. The core activity of the MAB is therefore the accreditation of institutions.
Additional tasks include the evaluation of university professor applications, commenting on the doctoral and habilitation policies of institutions, and formulating opinions on various issues concerning the quality of higher education.
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Standards and guidelines for quality assurance in the European Higher Education Area
Organisational Structure
Section 71(1) of Act CCIV of 2011 on national higher education specifies that the MAB Board has 20 members. Nine members are delegated by the minister, two by the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, one by the Hungarian Academy of Arts, three by the Hungarian Rectors’ Conference, two by religious legal entities maintaining higher education institutions, one by the Hungarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, one by the National Union of Students in Hungary, and one by the National Association of Doctoral Students. Members of the MAB Board are appointed for a term of six years by the Prime Minister upon the proposal of the minister responsible for education. Their mandate can be renewed for one additional term. (The member delegated by the National Association of Doctoral Students is appointed by the Prime Minister for two years.) Members of the Board – with the exception of the person delegated by the National Association of Doctoral Students – are required to hold a doctoral degree or equivalent. Members of the Higher Education Planning Committee as well as rectors and government officials are barred from membership.
Act CCIV of 2011 on national higher education specifies that for the 6-year term beginning on 1 March 2012, the President of the MAB is proposed jointly by the minister responsible for education and the president of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences from among the members of the MAB Board. The President is appointed by the Prime Minister. The position of the President of the MAB has been held by Dr Valéria Csépe since 1 June 2016.
Board members of the Hungarian Accreditation Committee (since 1 March 2018 |
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Disciplinary committees
Disciplinary committees of the MAB are composed of permanent external members (appointed for a specific cycle). In addition, the MAB also invites additional experts on an ad hoc basis to be members of Visiting Committees and to evaluate applications for new education and learning outcome framework requirements and new study programmes, university professor applications etc.
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Other committees
| Name | Degree/title/membership | Field of expertise | Place of work and position |
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János Abonyi co-chair (since 29 March 2021) |
DSc | bio-, environmental and chemical engineering sciences, computer sciences | university professor, University of Pannonia |
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Judit Csoba (since 29 January 2021) |
PhD | sociology | university professor, University of Debrecen |
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József Bognár (since 29 January 2021) |
PhD | health sciences, education sciences, sport sciences | university professor, Eszterházy Károly University |
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Gabriella Rácsok (since 29 January 2021) |
PhD | theology (ethics) | college associate professor, Reformed Theological Academy of Sárospatak |
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Mária Figler (since 29 January 2021) |
PhD | health sciences, food sciences, clinical medicine, clinical dietetics and nutrition | university professor, University of Pécs |
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Dóra Pődör (since 29 January 2021) |
PhD | linguistics | associate professor, Károli Gáspár University of the Reformed Church in Hungary |
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Károly Jármai (since 29 January 2021) |
DSc | mechanical engineering sciences, civil engineering sciences, | university professor, University of Miskolc |
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Gábor Jakab (since 29 January 2021) |
PhD | biological sciences, environmental sciences | university professor, University of Pécs |
| Krisztián Józsa (since 29 January 2021 | PhD | education sciences | university professor, University of Szeged, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences |
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Gergely Rosta (since 29 January 2021) |
PhD | sociology | associate professor, Pázmány Péter Catholic University |
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Ágnes Bán (since 29 January 2021) |
clinical medical sciences | associate professor, University of Pécs | |
| Andrea Dúll (since 29 January 2021) | DSc | media and communication sciences, psychological sciences | university professor, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest University of Technology and Economics |
| Viktória Lilla Pató (since 26 February 2021) |
administrative sciences | University of Public Service Faculty of Public Administration, vice president, Association of Hungarian PhD and DLA Candidates | |
| Csaba Borbély (since 26 March 2021) |
PhD | food sciences, management and organization sciences | MATE Kaposvár Campus |
| Csaba Kutnyánszky (since 26 March 2021) |
DLA | music | Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music university professor |
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| Name | Degree/title/membership | Field of expertise | Place of work and position |
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| Gábor Hamza
Chair |
full member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (MTA) | law and political sciences | university professor, Eötvös Loránd University |
| Márta Görög
Co-Chair |
PhD | law and political sciences | university professor, University of Szeged |
| Péter Levente Lakatos
Secretary |
law and political sciences | deputy director, Hungarian Accreditation Committee (MAB) | |
| Gyula Berke | PhD | law and political sciences | associate professor, University of Pécs |
| Ádám Boóc | PhD | law and political sciences | associate professor, Károli Gáspár University of the Reformed Church in Hungary |
| Péter Halmai | corresponding member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (MTA) | gazdálkodás- és szervezéstudományok, business administration and management, economics, regional studies | Budapesti Műszaki és university professor, Budapest University of Technology and Economics; university professor, National University of Public Service |
| István Horváth | PhD | law and political sciences | associate professor, Eötvös Loránd University |
| György Kiss | corresponding member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (MTA) | law and political sciences | university professor, University of Pécs; university professor, National University of Public Service |
| István Stipta | DSc | law and political sciences | university professor, Károli Gáspár University of the Reformed Church in Hungary |
| Name | Degree/title/membership | Field of expertise | Place of work and position |
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| Melinda Kovács
Chair (since 27 November 2020) |
full member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (MTA) | veterinary sciences, animal husbandry science | university profesor, Szent István University |
| Gyula Bakacsi
(since 27 November 2020) |
CSc | business administration and management | university professor, Budapest Business School; university professor, Eötvös Loránd University |
| József Berács
(since 29 November 2020) |
Dsc | business administration and management | university professor, Corvinus University of Budapest |
| László Bodorkós
(since 27 November 2020) |
computer sciences, education sciences | retired university chief advisor, University of Sopron (earlier: University of West Hungary) | |
| Tibor Csimadia
(since 27 November 2020) |
PhD | business administration and management | associate professor, University of Pannonia |
| Gyöngyvér Hervai Szabó
(since 27 November 2020) |
CSc | business administration and management, art management, political sciences, regional studies, sociology | college professor, Kodolányi János University |
| László L. Kiss
(since 27 November 2020) |
full member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (MTA) | physical sciences | director general, Konkoly Thege Miklós Astronomical Institute, MTA Research Centre for Astronomy and Earth Sciences |
| Gergely Kováts
(since 27 November 2020) |
PhD | business administration and management | associate professor, Corvinus University of Budapest |
| Csaba Makó
(since 27 November 2020) |
DsC | economics | professor emeritus, Szent István University/National University of Public Service; research professor, Research Department for Social Integration and Social Policy, MTA Centre for Social Sciences |
| Márton Vilmányi
(since 27 November 2020) |
PhD | business administration and management | associate professor, University of Szeged |
| Mária Figler
(since 27 November 2020) |
PhD | health sciences | university professor, University of Pécs |
| Barna Mezey
(since 27 November 2020) |
DSc | law and political sciences | university professor, Eötvös Loránd University; university professor, Széchenyi István University |
| Enikő Sepsi
(since 27 November 2020) |
PhD | literary and cultural studies, media and communication sciences, art, theatre studies | head of institute, university professor, Károli Gáspár University of the Reformed Church in Hungary, director of Benda Kálmán College for Advanced Studies (Humanities and Social Sciences) |
| László Murai
(since 27 November 2020) |
Chair, National Union of Students in Hungary | ||
| Róbert Pónusz
(since 27 November 2020) |
vice president, Association of Hungarian PhD and DLA Candidates (DOSZ) | ||
| Dr. Ágnes Tolnai
(since 24 February 2023) |
Phd | economics sciences | associate professor, Károli Gáspár University of the Reformed Church in Hungary |
Members |
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| Balázs Fűzfa (since 15 November 2019)PhDliterary and cultural studiesassociate professor, Eötvös Loránd University
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The Multidisciplinary Committee deals with cases regarding the establishment or launch of those academic programmes whose disciplines belong to more than two expert committees.
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Further committee members – two members per concerned committee – are appointed by the chairs of the expert committees for each case to be discussed.
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Financial Supervisory Board |
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The task of the SPB (Strategic Planning Board) is to follow the work of the MAB and to provide advise, especially in its annual meetings where, based on the MAB’s annual report and other documents, the SPB issues Recommendations. The MAB may also ask the SPB on occasion by mail to recommend experts for its external evaluations and to consult on other issues.
| Name | Workplace, Position |
|---|---|
| Dr. Christoph Grolimund | director, AAQ (Swiss Agency of Accreditation and Quality Assurance) |
| Dr. Guy Haug | higher education consultant, lecturer at the University of Valencia |
| Dr. Padraig Walsh | CEO, QQI (Quality and Qualifications Ireland) |
| Ronny Heintze | Deputy Director, AQAS (Agency for Quality Assurance through Accreditation of Study Programmes) |
| Prof. Dr. Melita Kovačević | professor, former vice-rector of the University of Zagreb, steering committee member to the Institutional Evaluation Program (IEP) of the European University Association (EUA) |
| Prof. Dr Marilena Maniaci | member of the board at ANVUR (Italian National Agency for the Evaluation of Universities and Research Institutes), board member of HCERES (High Council for the Evaluation of Research and Higher Education, France) |
Members |
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| Name | Place of work and position |
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| Gábor Bojár (since 22 June 2018) |
President of the Board of Directors, Graphisoft SE |
| István Petényi (since 26 Ferbruary2021) |
Managing Director, evosoft Hungary Kft. |
| András Háry (since 22 June 2018) |
Managing Director, Autóipari Próbapálya Zala Ltd. [Automotive Test Track Zala Ltd.] |
| Erzsébet Knáb (since 22 June 2018) |
Managing Director for Human Resources, Audi Hungaria |
| Gábor Szabó (since 22 June 2018) |
Managing Director, ELI-ALPS |
| Zita dr. Magyar (since 26 November 2021) |
Director, National Office of Vocational Education and Training and Adult Learning |
| Erzsébet Dr. Németh (since 26 November 2021) |
Chairman, State Audit Office of Hungary |
| Katalin Süle (since 26 November 2021) |
National Vice-President for General Agricultural Affairs, Hungarian Chamber of Agriculture (As a delegate of President Balázs Győrffy), |
| Gyula Dr. Kincses (since 26 November 2021) |
Chairman, Hungarian Medical Chamber |
| Tamás Bihall (since 26 November 2021) |
Hungarian Chamber of Commerce and Indrustry, Vice-President for Education and Training |
| Péter Horváth (since 26 November 2021) |
Chairman, National Teachers Chamber |
| Dr. Lajos Mocsai (since 08 July 2022) |
Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Foundation of the Hungarian University of Sports Science, Hungarian University of Sports Science |
The MAB has been in numerous international events and organisations in quality assurance in higher education, and upholds extensive connections with individuals and organisations involved in international quality assurance. As part of its work in this area, the MAB contributed to the development of various quality assurance principles of the Bologna Process, including the ESG (Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area).
MAB has been a member of ENQA (European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education) since its establishment in 2002. Since 2008 the MAB undergoes an evaluation coordinated by ENQA to assess its compliance with the ESG as a condition of membership. The president, secretary general and staff members of the MAB regularly attend the General Assembly of ENQA, held every 6 months, and its various forums and seminars, thereby contributing to to the evolution of quality assurance in the European Higher Education Area.
Staff members of the MAB have been elected to the ENQA Board on various occasions, and have also participated in the evaluation of quality assurance agencies in other countries. Based on its compliance with the ESG, the MAB applied for listing in EQAR (European Quality Assurance Register) and has been in the Register since 2018.
The MAB was a founding member of CEENQA (Central and Eastern European Network of Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education), the Secretariat of which operated out of the MAB until 2016.
The MAB has also been an active participant in the institution evaluation programmes (IEP) of the EUA (European University Association). It has been involved in the work of its Board from time to time, and a MAB employee is regularly invited to be on its international visiting panel.
ENQA Follow up 2020
- Higher Education Act CCIV of 2011
- Government Decrees
