Hungary
is facing a problem that many other nations are currently experiencing: brain
drain. Qualified students are leaving their native lands in order to seek job
opportunities abroad. The problem is two-fold when considering the Hungarian
government is subsidizing the state university system. In fact, “73 percent of
full0time university students in Hungary attend institutions where the tuition
is funded by the government.” They are not only footing the bill for degree
seekers, but once the students graduate, they watch as students leave to
contribute to the economies in foreign countries. In order to combat this
problem, the government passed a law obliging students to sign a contract which
requires them to work for two years in Hungary for every one year of completed subsidized
education. If a job overseas is found and accepted before the allotted contract
is over, the student will be required to pay back the tuition.
Being
that this is the first and only such contract of its kind in all of Europe,
students are obviously incensed. High school and university students have led a
campaign against the law, inciting street protests and other examples of
opposition. Proponents of the law say that it’s a small price to pay for free
education. Besides, if they have to repay tuition expenses, a salary from other
European countries could easily take care of it. The government minister of
human resources says, “This country is investing in higher education, so
whoever graduates should also use their knowledge to further the interest of
the country.”
Others
believe the answer to the brain drain lies not in a contractual obligation –
which is seen largely as a negative action – but instead, to affect change
through job creation and salary increases.
Students
affected by the new law will not begin graduating until 2015. Until then, it is
possible that actions by the European Union, a newly elected Hungarian
Parliament, or student protests could derail the program.
Jeff
Chilcott
2/22/13
3:54PM
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