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.

ACTIVITIES

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.

Standards and guidelines for quality assurance in the European Higher Education Area

ESG 2015-English

ORGANISATION

Organisational Structure

Financial Supervisory Boardmd1adm2021-09-06T12:41:02+00:00

Financial Supervisory Board

Name	Degree/title/membership	Place of work and position	Delegating party
Mariann Veresné Somos	CSc	Miskolci Egyetem, Dean, University of Miskolc address: Egyetemváros 3515, Miskolc	Ministry of Human Capacities
Ádám Török	full member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (MTA)	Secretary General, Hungarian Academy of Sciences address: 9, Széchenyi István tér, Budapest, 1051	Hungarian Academy of Sciences
János Józsa	full member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (MTA)	Dean, Budapest University of Technology and Economics address: 3, Műegyetem rkp., Budapest, 1111	Hungarian Rectors’ Conference

Board of Appeals and Complaintsmd1adm2021-05-03T07:09:29+00:00

Board of Appeals and Complaints

Board members

Name	Position	Start date of position	End date of position
Miklós Maróth	Chair	15 February 2019
Attila Császár	member	15 February 2019
Zoltán Nagy	member	15 February 2019
Péter Levente Lakatos	specialist	15 February 2019

Strategic Planning Boardmd1adm2023-09-28T16:08:45+00:00

Strategic Planning Board

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)

Meeting Summary and Recommendations 2022.

Meeting Summary and Recommendations 2021.

Meeting Summary and Recommendations 2020.

Meeting Summary and Recommendations 2018.

Meeting Summary and Recommendations 2017.

Meeting Summary and Recommendations 2016.

Meeting Summary and Recommendations 2015.

Meeting Summary and Recommendations 2014.

Meeting Summary and Recommendations 2013.

Meeting Summary and Recommendations 2012.

Meeting Summary and Recommendations 2011.

Hungarian Advisory Boardmd1adm2023-02-15T09:51:24+00:00

Hungarian Advisory Board

Members

Name	Place of work and position
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

POLICIES

MAB Deed of Foundation

MAB Rules of Organisation and Operation

MAB Action plan 2023

Code of Ethics

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

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.

MAB is a founding member organization of the Global Academic Integrity Network (GAIN), member of the Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment (CoARA) and an affiliate member of the European University Association (EUA) since 2023.