- 2019Approved/Agreed
- 2020Implementation
- 2021Implementation
- 2022Implementation
- 2023Implementation
- 2024Implementation
Objectives
IVET schools and adult education and training providers have to operate as an Accredited Examination Centre (AEC) to raise the quality of the VET programmes they offer. The National Accreditation Office (Nemzeti Akkreditációs Hivatal) is entitled to certify an AEC, based on the standards defined by the Hungarian Standards Institution (Magyar Szabványügyi Testület).
Description
An important innovation of the Act on VET LXXX of 2019 is that final vocational examinations will be delivered by AECs instead of VET institutions and AL providers. The centres will run the exams for both (full or partial) VET qualifications listed in the national register of vocational occupations and vocational qualifications offered in adult training.
An IVET institution or an adult training provider can organise a final exam only if it is certified as an AEC for the full range of the related education field. The smallest unit that can be certified is the education field listed in the Standard classification system of education fields (Képzési Területek Egységes Osztályozási Rendszere-KEOR), operated by the Hungarian Statistical Office (Központi Statisztikai Hivatal).
Every institution that satisfies the requirements of the conformity assessment of bodies operating the certification of learners based on the related harmonised international standards (MSZ EN ISO/IEC 17024) is allowed to become an AEC. During the transition period, until the full implementation of the regulations provided for by the 2019 Act on VET, IVET schools are considered to be accredited examination centres until 31 December 2025 for IVET qualifications listed in the national register of vocational occupations. IVET schools may also, with prior accreditation, run the exams for partial IVET qualifications (defined in the qualifications standards of qualifications listed in the national register).
The final IVET qualification exams must be taken in front of a three-member examination committee of the AEC, whose function is to ensure the impartiality and independence of the committee. The examination consists of an interactive test (the content of which is defined by the Minister for Vocational Education and Training) and a project-based task assessing learning outcomes.
If an exam to acquire a (full or partial) vocational qualification cannot be organised by an AEC, an IKK Innovative Training Support Centre, a new State VET administrative body, is appointed to organise them.
On 16 April 2020, the National Accreditation Authority published on its website a roadmap for the accreditation of examination centres:
- first milestone - acquaintance with the related legislation;
- second milestone - supervision and amendment of the National Accreditation Authority's existing regulations;
- third Milestone - identification of the competences needed by the new qualified examination experts;
- fourth milestone - training
- fifth milestone - receiving applications for accreditation; initiation of the accreditation procedure
With regard to the first milestone, in line with the MSZ EN ISO/IEC 17024 standard and the new programme and outcome requirements (Képzési és Kimeneti Követelmények - KKK) and programme curricula (programtantervek, PTT), accreditation requirements for each education field have been prepared and after a process of adoption were adopted.
Schools started to provide adult training programmes from 1 September 2020.
Since examination experts have a key role in the accreditation procedure, the National Accreditation Authority organised training for its experts. The first preparatory training related to the accreditation of the examination centres took place in February 2021.
The accreditation body accredits an examination centre based on the national standards published by the Hungarian Standards Institution (Magyar Szabványügyi Testület). The witness examination (megfigyelo vizsga) is a part of the accreditation and supervisory review procedure in order to evaluate that the activity of the applicant complies with the requirements. The aim of the witness examination for each requested field of bodies' conformity assessment - in line with the MSZ EN ISO/IEC standard - is to provide sufficient evidence on the competences of the examination centre related to the accredited education fields.
The Decree 24/2021 (VI. 7) of the Minister responsible for innovation and technology issued by the Ministry of Innovation and Technology on the amendment of the Decree 45/2015 (XII.30.) issued by the Ministry of National Economy (predecessor of MIT) on the administration service fee paid for the procedures of the National Accreditation Authority, regulates the accreditation fees based on the staff number of the examination centre and the number of education fields.
Government Decree No 12/2020 on the implementation of the VET Act (published on 7 February 2020) regulates further the financial conditions to be fulfilled by an institution when applying for the accredited examination centre status. One condition of the accreditation, applying to non-State funded institutions, is that the institution has been operational as a financial entity for the Tax Office for at least two years and had in each financial year at least EUR 27 800 (HUF 10 million) profit before taxation.
The documentation describing the operational model for the accredited examination centres was prepared within the framework of GINOP-6.1.10-VEKOP-19 project.
In 2021, all VET Centres have submitted their accreditation applications and many accredited examination centres already started their activity. The development of the electronic system supporting final examination is on course.
Based on the amendment of the implementing Decree of the VET Act effective from 1 September 2021, an accredited examination centre publishes the name, date and venue of the vocational examination and qualification examination it organises - together with the announcement of the vocational examination and qualification examination - on its website and on the website operated within the framework of the VET Information Centre (IKK Zrt's website).
In 2022, an operational model for the operation, financing and accreditation system of examination centres was developed (GINOP-6.1.10).
The developments aimed at the creation of a national examination centre started in 2022 in the framework of RRF-2.2.3 project, which is to be carried out by IKK Zrt. together with its consortium partner, the NOVETAL.
The number of accredited examination centres has been steadily increasing in 2022. 63 examination centres have been registered by 31 December 2022. The examination centres are published on the website of IKK Zrt. and their website is also accessible from there. The IKK platform lists those examination centres that have both accreditation and a successful certification examination. All VET Centres have submitted their accreditation applications.
A 2023 amendment to the VET Act designated the IKK Innovative Training Support Centre as the national central accredited examination centre.The amendment also stipulated that candidates may request accredited vocational examination centres to issue a Europass Supplement upon successful completion of a final vocational or qualification examination.
A 2024 amendment to the VET Act changed the designation of 'accredited examination centre' to 'accredited vocational examination centre'. The VET Act, as amended in 2024 stipulates that accredited vocational examination centres shall conduct final vocational and qualification examinations using a quality management system as of 1 January, 2025..
The 2024 amendment to the VET Decree on the implementation of the VET Act, effective 1 July 2024, transferred responsibility for the electronic registration, licensing, and control of examination centres to the Directorate for Licensing and Control of Accredited Vocational Training Examination Centres (within the National Office for VET and AL, NSZFH), replacing the National Accreditation Authority.
According to the VET decree as amended in 2024, accredited vocational examination centres must use NOVETAL's (NSZFH) electronic examination platform. This platform registers data needed for final qualification examinations and issuing certificates based on those results.
Bodies responsible
- Ministry of Culture and Innovation
- IKK Innovative Training Support Center (IKK Nonprofit Plc.)
- National Accreditation Authority
- Hungarian Institute for Transport Sciences and Logistics (KTI)
- National Office for Vocational Education and Training and Adult Learning (NOVETAL)
Target groups
Education professionals
- Adult educators
Entities providing VET
- VET providers (all kinds)
Thematic categories
Governance of VET and lifelong learning
This thematic category looks at existing legal frameworks providing for strategic, operational – including quality assurance – and financing arrangements for VET and lifelong learning (LLL). It examines how VET and LLL-related policies are placed in broad national socioeconomic contexts and coordinate with other strategies and policies, such as economic, social and employment, growth and innovation, recovery and resilience.
This thematic category covers partnerships and collaboration networks of VET stakeholders – especially the social partners – to shape and implement VET in a country, including looking at how their roles and responsibilities for VET at national, regional and local levels are shared and distributed, ensuring an appropriate degree of autonomy for VET providers to adapt their offer.
The thematic category also includes efforts to create national, regional and sectoral skills intelligence systems (skills anticipation and graduate tracking) and using skills intelligence for making decisions about VET and LLL on quality, inclusiveness and flexibility.
This thematic sub-category refers to further development of national quality assurance (QA) systems for IVET and CVET, for all learning environments (school-based provision and work-based learning, including apprenticeships) and all learning types (digital, face-to-face or blended), delivered by both public and private providers. These systems are underpinned by the EQAVET quality criteria and by indicative descriptors applied both at system and provider levels, as defined in Annex II of the VET Recommendation. The sub-category concerns creating and improving external and self-evaluation of VET providers, and establishing criteria of QA, accreditation of providers and programmes. It also covers the activities of Quality assurance national reference points for VET on implementing and further developing the EQAVET framework, including the implementation of peer reviews at VET system level.
Modernising VET offer and delivery
This thematic category looks at what and how individuals learn, how learning content and learning outcomes in initial and continuing VET are defined, adapted and updated. First and foremost, it examines how VET standards, curricula, programmes and training courses are updated and modernised or new ones created. Updated and renewed VET content ensures that learners acquire a balanced mix of competences that address modern demands, and are more closely aligned with the realities of the labour market, including key competences, digital competences and skills for green transition and sustainability, both sector-specific and across sectors. Using learning outcomes as a basis is important to facilitate this modernisation, including modularisation of VET programmes. Updating and developing teaching and learning materials to support the above is also part of the category.
The thematic category continues to focus on strengthening high-quality and inclusive apprenticeships and work-based learning in real-life work environments and in line with the European framework for quality and effective apprenticeships. It looks at expanding apprenticeship to continuing vocational training and at developing VET programmes at EQF levels 5-8 for better permeability and lifelong learning and to support the need for higher vocational skills.
This thematic category also focuses on VET delivery through a mix of open, digital and participative learning environments, including workplaces conducive to learning, which are flexible, more adaptable to the ways individuals learn, and provide more access and outreach to various groups of learners, diversifying modes of learning and exploiting the potential of digital learning solutions and blended learning to complement face-to-face learning.
Centres of vocational excellence that connect VET to innovation and skill ecosystems and facilitate stronger cooperation with business and research also fall into this category.
VET standards and curricula define the content and outcomes of learning, most often at national or sectoral levels. VET programmes are based on standards and curricula and refer to specific vocations/occupations. They all need to be regularly reviewed, updated and aligned with the needs of the labour market and society. They need to include a balanced mix of vocational and technical skills corresponding to economic cycles, evolving jobs and working methods, and key competences, providing for resilience, lifelong learning, employability, social inclusion, active citizenship, sustainable awareness and personal development (Council of the European Union, 2020). The thematic sub-category also refers to establishing new VET programmes, reducing their number or discontinuing some. It also includes design of CVET programmes and training courses to adapt to labour market, sectoral or individual up- and re-skilling needs.
Transparency and portability of VET skills and qualifications
European principles and tools, such as EQF, ESCO, ECTS, Europass and ECVET, provide a strong basis for transparency and portability of national and sectoral qualifications across Europe, including the issuing of digital diplomas and certificates.
This thematic category looks at how individuals are supported in transferring, accumulating, and validating skills and competences acquired in formal, non-formal and informal settings – including learning on the job – and in having their learning recognised towards a qualification at any point of their lives. This is only possible if qualifications are transparent and comparable and are part of comprehensive national qualifications frameworks. Availability of qualifications smaller than full and acquirable in shorter periods of time is necessary; some countries have recently worked on developing partial qualifications, microcredentials, etc.
This thematic sub-category concerns all developments related to national qualification frameworks (NQFs). As in most countries NQFs are in place and referenced to the European qualifications framework (EQF), the thematic sub-category covers updating and expanding the frameworks, developing new qualifications and using NQFs as catalysts for other reforms.
This thematic sub-category refers to the development and implementation of qualifications that are smaller than full qualifications (alternative credentials) or are acquired in a shorter learning experience. It includes microcredentials, partial qualifications, units of learning outcomes (ECVET principle), digital badges, etc. These are owned by learners and can be combined or not to get a full qualification.
European priorities in VET
VET Recommendation
- VET as an attractive choice based on modern and digitalised provision of training and skills
Osnabrück Declaration
- Establishing a new lifelong learning culture - relevance of continuing VET and digitalisation
Subsystem
Further reading
Country
Type of development
Cedefop, & ReferNet. (2025). Accredited Examination Centres in VET and AL: Hungary. In Cedefop, & ReferNet. (2025). Timeline of VET policies in Europe (2024 update) [Online tool].
https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/tools/timeline-vet-policies-europe/search/36543