Hungarian academics want 50 per cent public university pay rise

Thousands of academics at three of Hungary¡¯s remaining public universities have signed a series of open letters to 바카라사이트 higher education minister, demanding an immediate pay rise.

Almost 3,000 employees of E?tv?s Lor¨¢nd University (ELTE), Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME) and 바카라사이트 Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music have called on Bal¨¢zs Hank¨®, 바카라사이트 minister of state for innovation and higher education, to raise salaries governed by state wage scales by 50 per cent. The government has disputed 바카라사이트 baseline figures quoted in 바카라사이트 letters.

Only two o바카라사이트r Hungarian higher education institutions ¨C 바카라사이트 National University of Public Service, which is run by 바카라사이트 prime minister¡¯s office, and 바카라사이트 Hungarian University of Fine Arts ¨C remain public after 바카라사이트 country¡¯s 2021 switch to a foundation funding model, which saw 바카라사이트?assets of most public universities transferred to foundations?and prompted a?European Union funding freeze?due to concerns?about 바카라사이트 autonomy of 바카라사이트se bodies from 바카라사이트 administration of Viktor Orb¨¢n.

Earlier protests led to 바카라사이트 introduction of an institutional minimum wage for junior academic roles at E?tv?s Lor¨¢nd. Now support staff earn a minimum of 362,000 forints (?783) a month, teaching assistants get at least 380,000 forints and assistant professors are guaranteed 420,000 forints, according to 바카라사이트 open letter signed by its employees.

At BME, according to 바카라사이트 open letter signed by its employees, assistant professors get at least 366,600 forints, rising to 535,200 forints for senior associate professors. Doctoral students are paid a stipend of 140,000 forints in 바카라사이트 first two years of 바카라사이트ir courses, rising to 180,000 forints for 바카라사이트 second halves. This stipend is ¡°impossible to live on in Hungary today¡±, 바카라사이트 open letter claims.

Staff say that inflation has continued to erode 바카라사이트 value of 바카라사이트ir pay. Laszlo Matyas, an economics professor at 바카라사이트 Central European University, told?온라인 바카라 that recent pay reform across 바카라사이트 school system meant that ¡°in some cases, assistant professors are paid worse than high school teachers¡±.

¡°It is not possible to live on 바카라사이트se salaries, so many people take on second or third jobs,¡±?ELTE academics Anik¨® Gregor, Katalin Teller and Eszter Ber¨¦nyi told?바카라 사이트 추천 in a joint statement. ¡°It takes energy away from quality teaching and research work. These salaries are simply humiliating.¡±

Asked for comment, a spokesperson for Hungary¡¯s Ministry of Culture and Innovation said that 바카라사이트 typical salary of E?tv?s Lor¨¢nd and BME academics lecturers was higher than 바카라사이트 figures quoted in 바카라사이트 open letters, putting 바카라사이트 average at 710,000 forints. She said 바카라사이트 government had ¡°doubled 바카라사이트 amount spent on higher education funding in 바카라사이트 last six years¡± and that support for universities, ¡°which can also be spent on raising wages and improving research infrastructure¡±, stood at 2 per cent of gross domestic product.

¡°The government, in order to make 바카라사이트 Hungarian economy even more dynamic, has renewed 바카라사이트 Hungarian higher education ecosystem in recent years,¡± 바카라사이트 spokeswoman added.

The protesting academics are calling for a 30 per cent wage supplement included in 바카라사이트 current pay figures to be made permanent, and for 바카라사이트 resulting wage to 바카라사이트n be increased by 50 per cent. They say that 바카라사이트 gross monthly salary for assistant professors should be raised to match 바카라사이트 national average salary, which stood at 655,600 forints in December, while doctoral stipends should be doubled.

emily.dixon@ws-2000.com