Dual study programmes at the University of Miskolc

The project laying the foundation for the accreditation and curriculum development of dual study programmes started at the University of Miskolc in 2013. As a result, instruction could be started in altogether 9 BSc courses at three faculties. In September 2015, 50 freshers started their studies in such a programme after a successful admission procedure. 

In the project, our consortium partner was Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén Megyei Területfejlesztési Ügynökség Közhasznú Nonprofit Kft (’ Non-profit Agency Ltd for Regional Development in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén County’). 

The objectives of the development work can be expressed with the following slogans:

’PRACTICE IS THE BEST TEACHER’

’KNOWLEDGE IS THE BEST ADVISOR’

These two sentences express the essence and two dimensions of dual study programmes. 

In these programmes, students spend an average period of 26 weeks per year at the university, acquiring the theoretical and methodological groundings in their respective fields. The practical training phase of the programmes, spent with companies, lasts 22 weeks on the average. In this phase, students acquire supplementary, experience-based professional knowledge, and also have the opportunity to acquire company- or profession-specific competences. These two dimensions of the programmes provide a combination of complex, competitive knowledge and skills. 

In the dual study programmes, students enter into a study contract with the University, and also have a contractual relationship with the organisation providing practical training. Students earn an income throughout the programme, which may cover some of their study costs. This does not involve any preliminary commitment in the selection of the students’ future workplaces but striving to retain the best students, the companies involved may offer jobs for excellent graduating students.  

Advantages of dual study programmes for students:

• they receive a ’salary’ all through the programme, which helps financing their programme costs or other study expenses;
• while students complete a university course, they also get professional experience, which will be an advantage in job-seeking as they will not be considered novices having no experience any more;
• at the end of the programme, students may get job offers from the companies;
• they will acquire a deeper understanding of the practical aspects of their professions.

Advantages of dual study programmes for companies:

• companies/institutions can directly participate in students’ training and in forming their practical approach;
• at the end of the programme, labour market partners may hire employees who need not be trained for their jobs.

We have approximately 100 company and institutional partners. The number of partners joining the programmes and offering practical training placements for our students is continuously increasing. 

Accredited dual study programmes at the University of Miskolc:

Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering: http://www.mak.uni-miskolc.hu/dualis-kepzes-/

• Materials Engineering (specialisation in Foundry Engineering)

Faculty of Economics: http://gtk.uni-miskolc.hu/

• Economics and Management
• International Business
• Finance and Accounting
• Commerce and Marketing         
• Tourism and Catering

Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Informatics: http://gepesz.uni-miskolc.hu/

• Logistics Engineering
• IT Engineering
• Software Design

There will be a considerable increase in the number of programmes as from the autumn of 2016, new dual study programmes are going to be launched in all the BSc courses of the Faculties of Earth Science and Engineering and Mechanical Engineering and Informatics.

With its diverse offer of study programmes, the University of Miskolc aspires for a leading role in the region in the development of dual study programmes through its own programmes. The implementation and efficient management of practice-oriented education is based on a new type of cooperation between secondary and tertiary level educational institutions (universities and secondary schools) and business organisations (offering practical training placements).

The companies or organisations undertaking practical training are key participants in dual study programmes. The system cannot operate without the involvement of enterprises and organisations and without establishing accredited places for practical training.

For this purpose, participants in the economic space must enter into cooperation to achieve their shared objectives in the framework of an efficient division of tasks.

In order to establish the framework for this coordinated cooperation, the University of Miskolc as gestor undertook to establish and maintain a regional Dual Study Programme Network. The formal framework for this was created with our UNI – DUO Charta, which intends to establish the cooperation of educational institutions and enterprises undertaking to conduct dual study programmes, and establishing and operating training places. 

Our UNI – DUO Model, ensuring the integration and outstanding quality of our study programmes, also facilitates cooperation between our partners and network members. 

The University of Miskolc is committed to maintaning the dual study programmes launched at its Faculties as well as to sharing accumulated knowledge and experience.

’Dual study programmes at the University of Miskolc were implemented as part of the project 

TÁMOP-4.1.1.F/2013 - „ELTÉRŐ UTAK A SIKERES ÉLETHEZ” (’Alternative roads to a successful life’) – in the framework of New Széchenyi Plan – with the support of the European Union and the co-financing of the European Social Fund.’