The current rector and three former rectors of the University of Debrecen have expressed their support on Monday for maintaining the university’s foundation-based governance model.
The university’s press center quoted Zoltán Bács, who has held the position of rector since May 1 and previously served as the university’s chancellor, saying that since the 1990s Hungarian universities have faced serious difficulties due to their status as budgetary institutions, which subjected them to highly bureaucratic rules prioritizing administrative procedures.
According to him, this created a major disadvantage in the international higher education, research, and innovation market, where Hungarian institutions were unable to compete due to rigid public-sector wage structures that ignored performance incentives, difficulties in cooperating with companies, and limitations on asset management.
He noted that, compared to this, the long-term framework agreement and six-year funding contract now provide much more predictable conditions.
Bács recalled that the decision on the model change at the University of Debrecen was made on January 21, 2021, after preparatory bodies, faculty councils, the student union, and trade unions had expressed their opinions. The Senate vote supported the change with 65 votes in favor, 0 against, and 3 abstentions, with 98 percent participation.
He stated that under the model change, the university received only the assets in which it had already been operating.
The rector emphasized that the University of Debrecen has “benefited greatly from the model change,” as a board of trustees was established that effectively represents the institution’s interests and enables further development. He also noted that the internal governance structure — including the Senate, faculty councils, committees, and election procedures — remained unchanged and in line with existing laws and regulations.
According to Bács, the university’s autonomy has not been reduced; in fact, based on European university autonomy indicators, its financial, organizational, and employment-related independence has significantly increased, placing the institution among Europe’s leading universities. He added that the university’s scientific, educational, and financial performance has also improved significantly.
Since the model change, the institution’s total assets and equity have increased two and a half times, while academic minimum salaries and performance-based bonuses have risen significantly above inflation, especially for assistant lecturers and associate professors. Corporate R&D revenue has doubled over the past four years, and the attractiveness of foundation-run universities among students has also clearly increased, he added.
Professor István Fábián, who led the university as rector between 2010 and 2013, said that although he had concerns during the 2021 model change, he already believed then that “foundation-based operation is not inherently problematic, and that improving the competitiveness of higher education institutions requires greater economic autonomy.”
He added that while university leaders had previously sought to bring university-managed assets fully under institutional ownership and remove universities from public finance regulations, the government did not accept this at the time.
He noted that the foundation system assigns university assets to the institution while placing funding and other assets under the board of trustees. He considered it positive that the board has since directed funding more directly to institutional use.
However, he also stated that while the current structure ensures the autonomy of the boards of trustees, university autonomy is not fully reflected in decision-making because the university has no control over the board.
He suggested reforms such as removing political appointees from boards, introducing institutional oversight over trustees, and limiting board membership terms. He argued that a return to a fully state-run system would not be beneficial.
Former rector János Nagy said that Debrecen’s strong performance and efficient operations are due to the well-chosen members of the board of trustees, who are committed to developing the university and respect the autonomy of the Senate.
György Bazsa, former rector of the predecessor institution Kossuth Lajos University, said that the model itself does not guarantee good performance everywhere; success depends on ambition, investment, and a stable board, as is the case in Debrecen.
Kevin Németh, president of the University of Debrecen’s student union, emphasized the importance of Hungarian universities fully rejoining the Erasmus and Horizon programs, while also supporting the continuation of the Pannónia Scholarship Program, which he said offers “in many cases favorable and broader international mobility opportunities for students.”
(MTI)
