The Ministry of Culture and Innovation has noted that 11 Hungarian universities currently rank among the world’s best, up from seven four years ago and nine in 2021.
Referring to this year’s Times Higher Education World University Rankings of 30,000 universities, the ministry said the advance was thanks to Hungary’s reform of higher education which involved tying universities to economic sectors and businesses in their vicinity. The reforms allowed more competitive, predictable, flexible and autonomous universities to emerge, it added in a statement. Central funding for Hungarian higher education has doubled since 2022, with 40% allocated to universities with international rankings, it said, adding that Hungarian universities were highly popular with foreign students, with 42,000 currently enrolled. The government aims for at least one university to be ranked among the world’s best 100 and at least three ranked among the EU’s best 100 by 2030, the statement said.