ESA: NORWAY SHOULD ACCEPT HUNGARIAN DEGREES IN PSYCHOLOGY

NORWAY HAS RECEIVED FOUR MONTHS TO CHANGE THEIR PRACTICE AFFECTING ELTE PPK STUDENTS NEGATIVELY

2020.05.11.
ESA: NORWAY SHOULD ACCEPT HUNGARIAN DEGREES IN PSYCHOLOGY

The master's programs in psychology at the Faculty of Psychology of Eötvös Loránd University have been popular among international students for many years. Of the more than 460 international students currently in full-time study at the faculty, 315 are in psychology. The 201-300th place also indicates the quality of psychologist training in the recognised international rankings (THEARWU). It is no coincidence, then, that students from more than 60 countries choose to study in Budapest. In 2016, however, the Norwegian Directorate of Health, in contrast to its own practice in the past and opposed to all other countries, decided not to grant a license to those who graduated from ELTE. The change has severely affected the present and recent Norwegian students in training. They were forced to face the fact that, after completing their studies, although they were welcome anywhere in the world, they would not be able to practice their learned profession in their home country. The European Free Trade Association's supervisory body, ESA , has just issued a resolution committing Norway to change its previous practice and accept the diploma in psychology issued by the Faculty of Psychology of Eötvös Loránd University, within four months.

150 Norwegian students have initiated infringement proceedings in EFTA Surveillance Authority (ESA), the supervisory body of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA). EFTA has four free trade agreements with the European Union including Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland. Their goal was that with their own tools, ESA helps remedy the violation of interests of students. The situation particularly severely affects students whose higher education studies in Hungary were already in progress at the time of the Norwegian state's unfavourable decision. Legal proceedings have also been initiated against the Norwegian state in the case. Although students were not successful in the first instance, the outcome of the second instance procedure may be positively influenced by the ESA resolution that has just been announced. It emphasizes that the professional content of Norwegian and Hungarian training in psychology does not differ to such an extent that it could justify an adverse decision regarding the recognition of the degree. Eötvös Loránd University welcomes ESA's resolution and is confident that the case will be concluded in the near future with a favourable decision for Norwegian students.