On 19 November 2023, Treffpunkt Europa reported that Hungary’s Mathias Corvinus Collegium (MCC), backed by Viktor Orbán’s government, has established a significant international educational network funded by state assets worth 1.4 billion euros. The article begins:
Next to the Töröcsik Mari Park and not far from the joint campus of the Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences and Szent István University (SZIU) is where you will find the Mathias Corvinus Collegium (MCC) in Budapest. Over 7000 students attend “Viktor Orbán’s pet university” (The Guardian, Great Britain) or “Orbán’s elite factory” (Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Germany) in one of the 28 locations to be part of “the cadre factory of illiberalism” (Tagesspiegel, Germany) and to further promote the faith of “Orbánism” (STANDARD, Austria). “The MCC is an educational institution and research center devoted to the flourishing of the Hungarian nation”, defines the MCC itself on their website. Although the MCC does not offer a traditional university degree, it does, according to the MCC, provide a complement to Hungarian higher education. Those who are successful in securing a coveted scholarship place (Approx. 10 applicants apply to one place in Budapest) receive financial support to participate in MCCs international network.
Key Points:
- MCC received massive state funding of 1.4 billion euros through shares in major Hungarian companies, exceeding annual higher education spending.
- The institution has expanded internationally, acquiring 90% of Vienna’s Modul University and establishing partnerships with prestigious European schools.
- Leadership maintains close ties to Orbán’s Fidesz party, with key positions held by party affiliates and government officials.
- Employees at acquired institutions report concerning shifts toward ideological influence and pressure to maintain pro-government political stances.