Dr. Bálint Magyar - Minister of Education (Hungary)

Bálint Magyar was born on 15 November 1952, in Budapest. After graduation from the Fazekas Mihály High School, he majored in history, sociology and English at the Faculty of Arts, Eötvös Loránd University of Sciences (1972-77). He also completed four semesters at the Budapest University of Economics.

In 1977 he started to work as an assistant research fellow at the Eastern-European Department of the Research Institute of World Economy, Hungarian Academy of Sciences. Comparative analysis of the postwar economic development of Eastern-European countries constituted his field of research. In 1980 he successfully finished his doctoral studies. His thesis focused on ‘The Postwar History of Polish Agriculture.’

In 1981 he worked as a research fellow with the Elemér Hankiss Value Sociology Workshop. In the period between 1982 and 1987, he was a research fellow of the Co-operative Research Institute, where he participated in the village-sociological research group followed by his work at the Financial Research Company (1988-1990). He has authored several publications as well as price-winning studies and documentaries on different sociological subjects.

Since 1978 until the transition he participated in the activity of the Democratic Opposition. In the period of 1981-1985 he was the contact person between the editorial office and printing office of the illegally published periodical 'Beszélo'. He was a relevant figure of the change of regime. Having been a founding member of the Network of Free Initiatives he played a key role in the establishment of the Alliance of Free Democrats (SZDSZ) in November 1988. Between June 1998 and December 2000 he worked as the president of the liberal party. Since 1990 he has been a Member of Parliament.

In 1996 he was nominated to be the Minister of Culture and Education, he completed his term until July 1998. He was reappointed in 2002, after the social-liberal government won the parliamentary elections. His portfolio responsibilities include primary, secondary and higher education, vocational training, science, research, technological development and innovation.

He considers dynamic changes and reforms of high importance. Shortly after his first Ministerial appointment the informatics-based SULINET Program was initiated which  - after a 4-year interruption of the previous government – has been further developed and widely known under  the SULINET Express label. Furthermore, he has also been devoted to rational changes – in certain cases complete restructuring – in the field of primary, secondary as well as higher education. The first initiative to create an Innovation Bill thus supporting research in Hungary is also linked to his name. Besides, his commitment to equal opportunities – offered by the education system – can be witnessed by the significant new decisions of the Hungarian Ministry of Education: affirmative action is maintained from kindergarten to university level.     

Bálint Magyar is a fluent English speaker, married, and has a daughter.