In order to promote, encourage and co-ordinate the development and implementation of distance education in Hungary - taken into account the initiative of the international community of distance education as well - the Hungarian National Council for Distance Education was established in 1991 by the Minister of Education and Culture. The position of the President of the Council is held by the Secretary of State of the Ministry of Education and Culture.
The Hungarian National Council for Distance Education (NCDE) as a co-ordinating body promotes the implementation and development of distance education in Hungary with the participation of the representatives of the difference institutions and governmental bodies concerned and transfers the needs of the "sphere of users" and those of the employers to the national network of distance education, established on the basis of Hungarian higher education.
Since its establishment the National Council has established in Hungary a network of regional centres for distance education, maintains contacts with the Board of Experts for Distance Education, consisting of high ranking experts, and elaborates the national concept for the development of distance education. Further, in co-operation with foreign experts, the Council has completed international co-operation projects and feasibility studies concerning upgrading distance education activities, and investigated the possibility of development on a national level. The Council maintains intensive international contacts and participates in the allocation of national and international resources.
The establishment of the regional centres for distance education
was preceded by a comprehensive analysis, completed by supervising
the situation and perspective of distance education in Hungarian
higher education institutions at the end of 1991. Based on the
experience of the above survey the National Council decided on
the establishment of the regional centres in the frame of a tender.
As a result regional centres for distance education have been
set up within the following institutions:
* University of Agricultural Sciences, Gödöllõ
* Lajos Kossuth University, Debrecen
* Janus Pannonius University, Pécs
* College of Commerce and Economics,
Szolnok
* István Széchenyi College
for Transport and Telecommunication, Gyõr
* University of Veszprém.
In co-operation with the National Council the regional centres promote the development of distance education in the regions concerned, the exploration of requirements and possibilities, training of distance education experts, etc. The National Council contributes to the maintenance and development of the centres financially (for infrastructural investments and personnel costs) and by providing its organisational background and the system of national and international contacts as well.
In the first half of 1996 additional 4 regional centres for distance education are to be set up. From 1 November 1994 the National Centre for Distance Education has started its operation and the main field of its acitivity is - as the Secretariat of the National Council for Distance Education - to co-ordinate distance education at a national level.
The Presidium of the National Council provides the operative work
between the sessions of the National Council. Members of the Presidium
are as follows:
Mária HONTI,
State Secretary, Ministry of Education and Culture, President
Dr Károly KOCSIS,
Rector of the University of Agricultural Sciences Gödöllõ,
Acting Vice-President
Dr Tamás LAJOS,
Professor, Technical University of Budapest, Vice-President
Dr László MÉRAY,
Professor, University of Veszprém, Vice-President
Dr Péter SOLTÉSZ,
Head of Department, Ministry of Education and Culture ministerial
co-ordinator
Dr István SZABÓ,
Secretary General
Dr. Tamás SZEKERES,
Rector of Széchenyi István College
Dr. Sarolta ZÁRDA,
Director - SZÁMALK Systemhouse
Dr. Péter MOSON,
Technical University of Budapest
Gyula CSOMA, Director
Hungarian Institute for Public Education
László SZILÁGYI,
Director- Ministry of Labour
József MLINARICS,
President- National Foundation of Distance Education