The Hungarian government has announced a 15 billion forint support programme aimed at strengthening the skills of workers in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). State Secretary for Higher Education at the Ministry of Culture and Innovation Veronika Varga-Bajusz shared the news during an interview on TV2’s Mokka programme on Wednesday.
Highlighting the transformative impact of digitalization and artificial intelligence, Varga-Bajusz emphasized the necessity of equipping workers with the essential skills to navigate these advancements.
The programme offers financial assistance for both workforce training and wage subsidies to compensate for lost earnings during the training period. The application phase began on 5 March and will remain open until the end of November. Both SMEs and large enterprises are eligible to apply. SMEs can secure funding of up to 100 million forints, while large companies may apply for up to 150 million forints. According to the State Secretary, this programme marks a notable progression from previous schemes, increasing the maximum support for SMEs from 75 million forints to 100 million forints. The initiative requires participating SMEs to train at least three employees, while large enterprises must focus on a minimum of eight. The government will support three types of training: competency development, specialized professional courses, and language education. An essential goal of the programme is to bolster the export capabilities of participating companies, enhancing their competitiveness in global markets.
Addressing concerns about the Pannónia Scholarship Programme, Varga-Bajusz dismissed claims that Spanish universities are rejecting Hungarian students. She confirmed that over 200 students participated in the programme’s first semester at Spanish institutions, and approximately 80 students are currently studying there. She further clarified that the Pannónia Scholarship Programme has facilitated the travel of over 3,000 Hungarian students in its initial semester. The programme boasts more than 4,000 collaborations with universities across Europe and worldwide, providing access to some of the world’s leading academic institutions. The initiative has successfully resolved challenges that persisted in similar schemes, such as ensuring the full recognition of academic credits—a feature that enhances its attractiveness over traditional programmes like Erasmus.
Varga-Bajusz also referenced the European Commission’s decision in December of the previous year, which rejected Hungary’s recent regulatory framework concerning universities transitioning to a new operational model. She highlighted the government’s firm stance on key issues, such as the autonomy of universities and the national jurisdiction over higher education, which she termed ‘red lines’ in negotiations. The government has initiated legal proceedings concerning the decision and remains hopeful for a resolution. In addition to the training programme, the State Secretary noted significant interest in the government’s employment loan scheme. More than 12,000 applications have been submitted, and by the end of February, over 8,000 loans had been disbursed, delivering more than 30 billion forints in financial support to young workers.
Related articles:
