The top-level (national) governance of adult education and training is divided between different ministries, presently as follows:

• The Ministry of Interior (Belügyminisztérium) is responsible for school-based adult education that belongs to the public education sector, including primary and secondary education

• The Ministry of Culture and Innovation (Kulturális és Innovációs Minisztérium) is responsible for school-based vocational education and training in the field of adult education and non-formal adult education (including vocational and non-vocational learning) and higher education;

• Vocational qualifications regulated in other legislation in addition to the Adult Education Act (the development of their curriculum and publication of exam requirements), falls under the responsibility of the Ministry responsible for the given field and the Ministry of Culture and Innovation.

• The Ministry of Interior is responsible for qualifications of art, pedagogy and general knowledge that can be obtained in upper secondary vocational schools.

Vocational Education and Training Innovation Council

The VET Innovation Council (Szakképzési Innovációs Tanács) was founded in the autumn of 2018 by the initiative of the – at the time - Ministry of Innovation and Technology. The purpose of this council is to discuss strategies for reforming Hungarian vocational education and training. The council works as a national body recently at the Ministry of Culture and Innovation, to assist the Minister responsible for VET and adult education in professional decision-making, it gives opinions and makes suggestions. From 2019, the Act LXXX of 2019 on VET regulates the descriptions of the Council’s new tasks. Its main duty is to reconcile the interests of the national strategic issues of VET. In 2020 the membership of the Council renewed and expanded.

The Council makes recommendations:

• for the development of professional requirements, curricula, and new processes,

• in the context of the experience of job opportunities for entrants with a vocational qualification, in particular, the situation of unemployed young people.

The Council gives an opinion on:

• draft legislation on vocational education and training;

• strategic issues affecting the development of VET systems;

• the principles of the VET support system;

• the efficiency of VET;

• the application of VET curricula and professional requirements.

Sector Skills Councils

Tasks and members of the Sector Skills Councils (Ágazati Készségtanácsok) were regulated by the Act on Vocational Education and Training (CLXXXVII of 2011). New tasks of Sector Skills Councils are regulated by the Act LXXX of 2019 on Vocational Education and Training. The Sector Skills Councils represent the economic organizations of each economic sector.

Tasks of the sector skills councils:

• they give an expert opinion on the registration of a vocational training programme requirements

• They make suggestions:

• for the duration of the vocational training, the programme outcomes based standards and requirements, the content of textbooks and other study aids

• to operate the vocational training system;

• to determine the professional content of basic sectoral education

• to define the Register of Vocational Occupations (Szakmajegyzék)

• They make a forecast to plan and define the short- and medium-term development directions and goals of VET.

According to the Act LXXX of 2019 on VET (2019. évi LXXX. törvény a szakképzésről) entered into force on 1 January 2020, and Government Decree on the implementation of the Vocational Education and Training Act (12/2020. (II.7.) Korm. rendelet a szakképzési törvény végrehajtásáról), there are nineteen Sectoral Skills Councils. The Hungarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry coordinates them and ensures the conditions of their operation. The new presidents and members of the Sector Skills Councils were appointed in May 2022 for two years.

Hungarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry

The Hungarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Magyar Kereskedelmi és Iparkamara) carries out its VET tasks as a public service delegated by the government and laid down in legislation. The Act LXXX of 2019 on VET regulates its role in vocational education and training

The Chamber:

• gives opinion on the justification of performing basic vocational training tasks in non-state vocational training institutions;

• proposes directions for enrolment in a VET institution;

• manages the register of dual training institutions, facilitates the conclusion of vocational training employment contracts, qualifies and monitors the specialised educational activities of dual training institutions;

• delegates the chairperson of the sectoral basic examination and the member of the examination committee performing inspection tasks via the regional chamber of commerce

• develops the training and examination requirements for the chamber’s practical teacher training and examination and organises them;

• coordinates the training for the master examination and the tasks related to the examination

• organises study competitions;

• performs the secretarial tasks of the Sectoral Skills Council, coordinates its operation and ensures the conditions for its operation;

• contributes in career guidance and counselling

In addition, the Hungarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry performs additional public tasks based on the contract with the government:

• operates the dual training advisory network

• operates the national system of level exams

• controls practical training at business organizations

• operates the county level development and training committees

• conducts research at Hungarian enterprises for the purpose of forecasting countrywide short-term labour demand

• registers and inspects the experts included in the register of adult training program experts

National Office of Vocational Education and Training and Adult Learning

The National Office of Vocational Education and Adult Training Learning (Nemzeti Szakképzési és Felnőttképzési Hivatal) is a state administrative body for vocational education and training that works under the direction of the minister for VET (Ministry of Culture and Innovation), it also carries out tasks related to adult learning. Its operation is regulated by the Government Decree  on the Implementation of the Vocational Training Act (12/2020. (II.7.) Korm. rendelet a szakképzési törvény végrehajtásáról). The following activities are linked to NOVETAL:

• operates the Data Reporting System for Adult Training;
• operates the graduate career tracking system;
• operates the National Reference Point, which publishes the European Quality Assurance in Vocational Education and Training (EQAVET)and develops and maintains the Europass Certificate Supplements;
• supports VET Centres as a mid-management organisation from founding through approval of operational procedures to financial auditing and performs maintainer tasks.
• operates the School Register and the electronic examination system;
• publishes textbooks, digital learning materials and teaching aids in the field of VET;
• ensures the operation of the School Register (KRÉTA) and, as part of it, the system supporting the prevention of early school leaving, as well as the closed system distance learning training management system.

NOVETAL operates the Hungarian platform of Electronic Platform for Adult Learning in Europe (EPALE) as a project.

Pest County Government Office

The government designates the Pest County Government Office (Pest Vármegyei Kormányhivatal) as a state administrative body for adult training.

Duties of the Government Office are:

• managing the Data Reporting System of Adult Training;

• handling the notifications required to launch an adult training activity;

• issuing the necessary permissions for adult training activity;

• operating the expert system;

• maintaining a register of adult training organisations and experts;

• conducting the procedure for the recognition of qualifications obtained abroad.

The Office uses the Data Reporting System for Adult Training (felnőttképzési adatszolgáltatási rendszer) to carry out its tasks within its competence. Through this data reporting system, the followings can be implemented:

• notification of adult training activities;

• authorisation of adult training activities;

• issuing certificates of completed training (in case of a notified training at the request of the participant, or in case of an authorisedtraining, compulsorily);

• data reporting related to training loans;

• voluntary data reporting on planned trainings;

• recording participant satisfaction surveys.

From 1 September 2020, adult training activities can only be performed if it is notified and authorised. Adult training organisations can request notification and authorisation of the training activity via the Data Reporting System of Adult Training and they shall fulfil their data reporting obligations in this system.

IKK Innovative Training Support Centre

The government assigned the IKK Innovative Training Support Centre Private Limited Company (Innovatív Képzéstámogató Központ Zrt.) as a state administrative body for adult training, for the external evaluation of adult training organisation’s quality management system. Duties of the IKK are:

• external evaluation of the quality management system of VET institutions;

• coordination of the activities of people involved in counselling and career guidance.

• development of content and tools for vocational education and training, and methodology for the development of teaching tools.

• development of content and tools for vocational training and the methodology for the development of teaching tools;

• development and maintenance of uniform principles for a credit system transferable from VET to higher education;

• developing a methodological system for sectoral training centres;

• providing a methodology basis for the workshop school system, the Dobbantó Programme and the Orientation Year;

• operating and developing the infrastructure serving the national systems of VET and adult learning.

During the external evaluation of VET institutions, IKK examines whether the organisation performs the adult training activity correspondingly to their quality management system. Thus, in the focus of the evaluation are:

• evaluation of adult training activity and the work of teachers by general pedagogical aspects;

• evaluation of general pedagogical and leadership theory aspects;

• fulfilment of the adult training organisation’s individual goal.

The methodology and tools used during external evaluation are uniformly developed by the IKK based on the European Quality Assurance Reference Framework for Vocational Education and Training (EQAVET), and publishes it on its website. Methods of external evaluation:

• visiting/observing teaching activities;

• observation;

• interview; and

• examination of documents.

The IKK assumes a prominent role in the renewal of adult and vocational training and the development of digital competences. Their mission is to help people choosing careers, changing professions and those involved in vocational training navigating in the new system of vocational training.

Public Employment Service

The Public Employment Service (PES; Nemzeti Foglalkoztatási Szolgálat) and its regional offices have a key role in ordering and supervising labour market trainings. The organizational structure of the PES, in terms of its labour market tasks, consists of the Ministry for National Economy (the ministry headed by the minister responsible for employment policy) and the organizational units of government agencies that perform employment and labour market tasks (employment divisions and departments).

PES helps the efficient functioning of the labour market adjusted to the Government’s employment policy. It activates the labour market actors, facilitates social integration and promotes equal opportunity for everyone.

The mission of the Public Employment Service is to facilitate and expand employment, actively assist jobseekers in finding the right job and employers in finding the most suitable workforce as quickly as possible, and in employment subsidies.