Budapest: Hungarian universities suspended from the EU’s popular Erasmus youth mobility programme can return to the scheme, the country’s education minister said.
Almost two dozen higher education institutions, including some of Hungary’s top universities, were excluded from the scheme in 2022 after they were moved into foundation ownership under nationalist ex-leader Viktor Orban.
Pro-EU conservative Prime Minister Peter Magyar, who defeated Orban in April elections, promised to resolve the issue as part of his efforts to unlock all EU funds frozen over rule-of-law concerns.
His government passed a major legislative package in June, ordering public interest asset management foundations, so-called KEKVAs, to be dissolved, with universities returning to state control next year.
“Erasmus is returning to all Hungarian universities!” Minister of Education and Child Affairs, Judit Lannert said on Facebook, adding the government taken the steps needed to ensure participation.
“The 21 universities affected by the restrictions already have a valid Erasmus mobility application for the 2026/2027 academic year” she added.
Changes to the ownership model of universities under Orban was deeply controversial.
While the nationalist government insisted the reforms were meant to help to modernisation efforts, critics accused him of attempting to cement his party’s influence in education even if they lost power.
Several Orban-allied politicians served at the boards of the foundations running the universities, prompting Brussels to suspend Erasmus funding citing conflict of interest, rule of law and transparency concerns.
