On this page

1. Formal, non-formal and informal learning

2. Youth-targeted information campaigns on global issues

3. Information providers

4. Key initiatives

Formal, non-formal and informal learning

Formal education

In Hungary, global issues are promoted in upper-secondary education through a dual approach: the topic is integrated into traditional subjects (cross-curricular) and, since 2021, is available as a dedicated optional subject.

Concept for Global Responsibility Education

The Concept for Global Responsibility Education (Koncepció a globális felelősségvállalásra nevelésről) serves as the fundamental policy framework in Hungary. It outlines the core values required for young people to navigate an interdependent world and understand global challenges. According to the document, the core values of global responsibility are openness, empathy, holistic approach, adopting global perspectives, engaging in social justice, peaceful and effective conflict management, child and youth orientation including environmental, social and economic considerations and critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

The intention is that by acquiring all these values, young people will be able to understand the world of interdependence and global problems. Global issues are defined in the Concept as poverty, climate change, wars and regional conflicts.

To address these, the document emphasises several education pillars, such as peace education, education for democracy, civic responsibility, participation, education of activities, awareness, respect and observance of human rights, education for self-knowledge, knowledge of other cultures and appreciation of education, environmental education and sustainability education.

The Concept specifically urges the expansion of the topics of global education in the Eco-School Education and Training Program (Ökoiskolai nevelési-oktatási program), considering areas, such as respect for human dignity and solidarity; education for democracy; active citizenship education; human rights awareness, awareness raising and respect for other cultures; respect for education; education for the environment and sustainability and education for development. [Concept for Global Responsibility Education (Koncepció a globális felelősségvállalásra nevelésről)]

National Environmental Education Strategy

The foundational professional framework for environmental education is the National Environmental Education Strategy (Nemzeti Környezeti Nevelési Stratégia). The Hungarian Society for Environmental Education (Magyar Környezeti Nevelési Egyesület) published its latest (3^rd) edition in 2010. Although it is a non-governmental professional document, it remains a primary reference for educators. The strategy is intended to provide educators with a communication and recruitment tool with recommendations in addition to 'awareness raising'.

The strategy consists of pedagogy of sustainability, including values and principles and quality assurance; private life, including the topics of material culture, family, household, lifestyle, health promotion and leisure, tourism; social environment, including topics like traditions, science, religion, law, environmental information, financing environmental education, international cooperation; institutional environmental education, such as extracurricular environmental education, non-school environment; towards the realisation of the strategy, including tools of environmental education.

National Environmental Programme

In 2022, the Parliament adopted the 5^th National Environmental Programme (2026-ig szóló 5. Nemzeti Környezetvédelmi Program) which sets the strategic environmental framework until 2026. The programme defines the country's environmental goals and the tasks and means required to achieve them, considering the country's environmental status, the development goals of society and the obligations arising from international cooperation and EU membership.

The document reinforces that environmental education is an integral part of public education and public education tasks in Hungary. Its principles are embedded in key educational frameworks, such as the National Fundamental Curriculum of Nursery Schools (Óvodai Nevelés Országos Alapprogramja) and the National Core Curriculum (Nemzeti Alaptanterv). The Act CXC of 2011 on National Public Education (2011. évi CXC. törvény a nemzeti köznevelésről) provides guidelines to educate environmental awareness and healthy way of life, suitable to the age of the child.

The programme also states that in the field of environment, sustainable-focused 'lifelong learning' and education still need to be developed. Besides the government programmes, various civil organisations, national parks and museums participate in environmental educational tasks.

Global education in high schools

While the Concept for Global Responsibility Education provides the framework for global education, its exact integration into secondary and higher education is implemented through specialised subjects and cross-curricular activities. In 2021, the framework curriculum for the optional subject 'Sustainability' was introduced for grades 5–12. A textbook, teaching tools and teacher training are available for the 'Sustainability' curriculum. Since 2024, 'Sustainability' has been an optional maturity exam subject. Based on information from the Ministry, in 2024, 216 students took this exam.

In addition to environmental education clearly appearing in elementary school environments, and classes in biology, chemistry and geography in secondary schools, there are several lessons available to schools to incorporate the issues of global education into their curriculum through cross-curricular activities.

Most of the lessons or programmes available are related to environmental education or the topic of sustainability, such as the Week of Sustainability (Fenntarhatósági Témahét), the Kölcsey Ferenc High School Environmental Education Program (Kölcsey Ferenc Gimnázium Környezeti Nevelési Program) and the Mihály Vörösmarty High School Environmental Education Program (Vörösmarty Mihály Gimnázium Környezeti Nevelési Program).

Furthermore, several environmental study competitions have been introduced, such as the Károly Kaán National Natural and Environmental Competence Competition (Kaán Károly Országos Természet- és Környezetismereti Verseny) and the Pál Kitaibel National Biological and Environmental Education Contest (Kitaibel Pál Országos Biológiai és Környezetvédelmi Tanulmányi Verseny).

The development of relevant competences is also supported by Digital Theme Week (Digitális Témahét) and European Money Week ('Pénz7' in Hungarian), which is a financial and entrepreneurial thematic week. (For more information about the European Money Week see 3.8.)

Eco-schools

The Eco-school Program (Ökoiskola Program) is the primary institutional framework for establishing the foundations of education for sustainable development in Hungary. Currently, the Educational Authority (Oktatási Hivatal) runs the Program. The aim is to create foundations for the education of sustainable development.

Under the Program, schools can earn the title 'Eco-school' or 'All-Time Eco-school' which is awarded directly by the Deputy State Secretary Responsible for Public Education. In addition, schools awarded this title are accepted as professional members of the Hungarian Eco-schools Network, where they can share best practices and guidance and access training and programmes.

At the beginning of 2016, the number of institutions with the title 'Eco-school' was over 900, and a third of them held the title 'All-Time Eco-school'. According to Hungarian Central Statistical Office data, in 2024, 1 415 schools were participating in the Program, and 845 of them held the title of 'All-Time Eco-school', and the numbers are increasing. According to Ministry information, in 2025, one in every three students attends a school with the title of 'Eco-school'.

Non-formal education

School community service

The Concept for Global Responsibility Education (Koncepció a globális felelősségvállalásra nevelésről) explicitly links global issues with social responsibility through the school community service (iskolai közösségi szolgálat, IKSZ). Although the service is performed locally, the Concept emphasizes that the experience helps students understand global interdependence. All secondary school students (grades 9–12) are required to complete 50 hours of service. As an outcome, students gain practical experience in social, environmental, or humanitarian fields, which is recorded in their maturity certificates. (See more information on the school community service below.)

Support for educators - teacher's training

The Government Decree No. 419/2024. (XII.23) [419/2024. (XII. 23.) Korm. rendelet] regulates the conditions for the establishment of teacher training programmes in Hungary.

The Accreditation Department of the Educational Authority is the primary quality assurance body, accrediting training sessions in the field of environment, environment-conscious thinking and sustainability, such as: 'Education for sustainability' ('Fenntarthatóságra nevelés'); 'Beyond Walls' - Implementation of sustainability projects in and outside of schools ('Falakon túl - Fenntarthatósági projektek iskolai és iskolán kívüli megvalósítása'); Green Hour – Exercises and methods for teaching sustainability and preparing for final exams for teachers ('Zöld óra - Gyakorlatok, módszerek a fenntarthatóságra neveléshez és az érettségi vizsgához továbbképzés pedagógusoknak') and 'I can have a say in adults matters too!' – Democratic education in kindergarten, learning about participation ('Én is beleszólhatok a felnőttek dolgába!' -Demokratikus nevelés az óvodában, a participáció elsajátítása).

Another initiative is the accredited training of the Hungarian Society for Environmental Education 'Ökosodj!' [in approximate translation: be more ecologically conscious] for kindergarten and school teachers and anyone who participate in children's education. The aim is to acquire the relevant knowledge and skills to teach sustainability through various methods, and to develop the skills needed to create a local/institutional environmental programme.

Several lesson plans and teaching materials are available online, developed by various public and non-public actors, such as the Eco portal (Ökoportál); the National Public Education Portal (Nemzeti Köznevelési Portál) by the Educational Authority; the Eco-school Program (Ökoiskolai nevelési-oktatási program); the Hungarian Society for Environmental Education (Magyar Környezeti Nevelési Egyesület); the Week of Sustainability Issues (Fenntarthatósági Témahét); the Digital Theme Week (Digitális Témahét) and the European Money Week ('Pénz7').

World's Largest Lesson

The World's Largest Lesson event is organised for the 11^th time in 2025 in Hungary. The Ministry of Interior (Belügyminisztérium) is the owner of the project and the UNESCO Hungarian National Commission, the UNICEF, and the National Council for Sustainable Development support the implementation of the programme. 

In 2025, the theme was 'Animals living with us'. The aim of the programme is to demonstrate harmony between humans and animals, and to develop students' cognitive and emotional intelligence through responsible animal care and biodiversity conservation. To deepen the theme, teaching packages were provided to teachers, and tenders for 2 age groups. As of March 2026, no information is yet available on the 2025 data. In 2024, a total of 757 schools registered for the programme, and 107 190 students were reached and actively engaged.

Main programmes or actions aimed at supporting young people to learn about global issues 'by doing'

'You pick it up!' – Volunteering for a pure Hungary

According to its own self-determination, Hungary's largest volunteer movement is 'TeSzedd!' (in approximate translation: 'You pick it up!'), which is supported by the Ministry of Energy (Energiaügyi Minisztérium). The aim of the movement is to volunteer to clean the neighbourhood of the participant. By this activity, the students involved can complete 5 hours of school community service (iskolai közösségi szolgálat, IKSZ) from their compulsory 50 hours. It lasts 3 days per year (since 2011). The target group is everyone, especially young people and students.

In 2025, 1 413 tonnes of waste was collected in 2 400 areas by more than 115 000 volunteers (source is Ministry information).

'72 hours without compromise'

The '72 hours without compromise' ('72 óra kompromisszum nélkül') is a voluntary social action organised by the three historical Christian churches. In the framework of the national programme, volunteer work is carried out by young people in groups for 72 hours. The target group is everyone, especially 14–30-year-old young people. The responsible organisation is the Ecumenical Youth Office (Ökomenikus Ifjúsági Iroda).

The speciality of the action is that volunteer groups only get acquainted with their task for three days only the night before the programme begins. Their tasks also include preliminary planning before and joint evaluation at the end. The main aim of the programme is to ensure broad publicity and to 'make volunteer work visible in youth communities'.

The tasks are divided into social, ecological and development areas. Social tasks include any activity that involves people, such as programmes, lectures, helping for the elderly and young people. Ecological tasks can be environmental, and nature conservation actions, such as forest clean-up, litter collection, and tree planting and development activities, including renovation of playgrounds and kindergartens, painting of fences.

Financing and funding sources:

• Hungarian Catholic Church (Magyar Katolikus Egyház),
• Hungarian Reformed Church (Magyarországi Református Egyház),
• Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Hungary (Magyarországi Evangélikus Egyház),
• Municipality of Budapest (Fővárosi Önkormányzat),
• National Cooperation Fund (Nemzeti Együttműködési Alap)
• National Volunteer Centre Foundation (Önkéntes Központ Alapítvány)
• Budapest City Management Centre Ltd. (Budapesti Városüzemeltetési Holding Zrt.)

In 2024, more than 9 000 participants volunteered in around 200 projects in 100 Hungarian settlements in Hungary and beyond.  The project is held in October, every year. Also, this activity can be counted as 9 hours of school community service from the compulsory 50 hours.

School community service

From January 1, 2016, 50 hours of school community service (iskolai közösségi szolgálat, IKSZ) is a compulsory pre-requisite for graduation.

'The community service means social and environmental protection activity, as well as its educational processing, carried out individually or in group for the advantage of the local community of the student, which is carried out within an organised framework and is independent of financial interests.' [Act CXC of 2011 on National Public Education (Nemzeti köznevelésről szóló 2011. évi CXC. törvény)]

The responsible organisation for the school community service is the Educational Authority. The aim of the programme is to develop the personal and social skills of students, strengthen their sense of responsibility, and to prepare them for teamwork. The target group is high school students.

According to the rules, school community service activities can be carried out in the following areas: health care; social area and charity; education; culture and community; environment and nature conservation; disaster recovery; sports and leisure time with children, pupils with special educational needs, elderly people; crime and accident prevention for bodies established for the purpose of performing specific police duties.

There are several pieces of legislations that concern the school community service. The Decree no. 20/2012. (VIII. 31.) of the Ministry of Human Capacities on the operation of educational institutions and the names of public education institutions [20/2012. (VIII. 31.) EMMI rendelet], the Act CXC of 2011 on National Public Education (Nemzeti köznevelésről szóló 2011. évi CXC. törvény), the Government Decree no. 100/1997. (VI. 13.) on the publication of the maturity exam rules [100/1997. (VI. 13.) Kormányrendelet] and the Act LII of 2023 on the new career system of the teachers (2023. évi LII. törvény a pedagógusok új életpályájáról) also regulate the school community service.

Funding and quality assurance

Most programmes mentioned above are financed through the central budget of the Ministry of Interior (Belügyminisztérium), the Ministry of Culture and Innovation (Kulturális és Innovációs Minisztérium) and the Ministry of Energy (Energiaügyi Minisztérium). Specific projects often receive support from the Children and Youth Fund (Gyermek és Ifjúsági Alapprogram, GYIA).
For teacher training, the  Educational Authority acts as the accreditor. For broader programmes like the 'World's Largest Lesson', quality is ensured through the involvement of international organisations (UNICEF, UNESCO) and the provision of standardised, professional educational materials.

Youth-targeted information campaigns on global issues

While Hungary does not have a single, centralised web portal dedicated exclusively to global issues, several high-profile, government-funded campaigns and initiatives actively promote these topics to youth. These campaigns often focus on environmental protection, sustainability, and democratic participation.

Plastic Cup

The Plastic Cup in Hungary aims to eliminate plastic and prevent it from entering the Tisza River and Lake Tisza. They organise litter collecting events on the river and send the plastic for recycling with the support of the Ministry of Energy (Energiaügyi Minisztérium). The project has so far monitored 5 728 sites to map the waste situation. More than 450 tonnes of waste have been removed from the environment. 3 963 700 PET bottles have been collected and processed. 817 contaminated sites have been cleaned up. 180 boats were built from waste. They also created a textbook series, called 'Clean Tisza', and in 2024, the 'RiverSaver Manual' to raise awareness of the river pollution problem. They also launched a mobile app to coordinate applications for the cup and to inform participants about news, and a podcast series on water pollution.

Parliamentary Youth Day

The 'You have a say!' Parliamentary Youth Day ('Van beleszólásod! Parlamenti Ifjúsági Nap') aims to give young people the opportunity to participate in the legislative procedure and debates and meet the members of the National Assembly and the EU Parliament. During the day, 300 students have the chance to talk to national and EU parliamentarians, think in teams with their peers in a workshop, visit the Parliament and learn about EU youth opportunities, the Erasmus+ programme and the European Solidarity Corps, in each year. (For more information on the Parliamentary Youth Day, see 5.8.)

Planet Budapest - Sustainability Expo and World Summit

The Planet Budapest organises each year a Sustainability Expo and World Summit with the support of the Prime Minister's Office (Miniszterelnökség), the Bethlen Gábor Fund Management Ltd. (Bethlen Gábor Alapkezelő Zrt.) and the Blue Planet Foundation. The programme aims to help young people learn more about sustainability through experimental learning.

In 2026, the event was held between February 25 and March 29. The professional part was concentrated in the first five days, while the experience-based educational programmes were available for more than a month. The main programme for 2026 is called 'Planet Heroes' and is specifically aimed at 10–16-year-olds. It is a 60–minute interactive theatre experience where participants' decisions directly influence the outcome of the story, teaching them the importance of cooperation and responsible decision-making. The event is complemented by additional elements, including thematic Planet Ride, the Planet Explorers discovery tour, and the Planet Lens nature photography exhibition. Admission to the event was free.

'Don't Hurt Me World – See. Hear. Understand.' campaign

Responding to global trends of social isolation and cyberbullying, the Ministry of Culture and Innovation launched the 'Don't Hurt Me World – See. Hear. Understand.' ('Ne bánts világ' – Láss. Hallj. Érts. kampány) national school campaign on World Mental Health Day (10 October 2025). The aim of the programme is to strengthen psychological safety and community cohesion within schools. The campaign uses interactive workshops to address sensitive issues such as bullying, cyberbullying, sexual harassment, and drug prevention. By treating mental health as a matter of national strategy, the programme provides young people with practical tools to navigate crises and seek help in an increasingly complex digital world.

Information providers

In Hungary, there is no single, centralised 'Global Issues' portal. Instead, information is disseminated through specific public bodies and agencies, with a primary focus on international mobility, sustainability, and European cooperation.

Tempus Public Foundation

The Tempus Public Foundation, established in 1996, is a public benefit organisation operating under the Ministry of Culture and Innovation (Kulturális és Innovációs Minisztérium) which is the most significant information provider regarding international opportunities and global education trends.

The objective of the Tempus Public Foundation is to support initiatives aiming at the modernization and quality improvement of education, training and human resources development; to encourage international cooperation and mobility and to strengthen the European dimension in these fields.

Their activities include promoting the programmes; assistance and consultancy services; active role in partnership building; financial management; monitoring and dissemination and valorisation.

The Tempus Public Foundation manages the following international mobility programmes that offer opportunities for all actors in education and training:

• Erasmus+ (Erasmus+),
• CEEPUS Program (CEEPUS program),
• Hungarian State Eötvös Scholarship (Magyar Állami Eötvös Ösztöndíj),
• Collegium Hungaricum Program (Collegium Hungaricum program),
• Stipendium Hungaricum Program (Stipendium Hungaricum program) for foreign students studying in Hungary, and
• Pannónia Scholarship Programme.

Tempus Public Foundation also acts as a contact point for the National Europass Center (Nemzeti Europass Központ). It offers special training courses for teachers and educators on how to use EU funds in their activities.

Specific contact points

While a unified global issues website does not exist, young people can access information through several dedicated online platforms. The Erasmusplusz.hu and Pannoniaosztondij.hu portals serve as the primary digital contact points for international mobility and global citizenship opportunities. The National Youth Council (Nemzeti Ifjúsági Tanács) is an information hub for the EU Youth Dialogue and global representative programmes (such as the UN Youth Delegate). They provide information through social media and their official website. The Educational Authority (Oktatási Hivatal) provides information on sustainability and environmental education through the Eco portal (Ökoportál) and the National Public Education Portal (Nemzeti Köznevelési Portál).

Role of public authorities

The Ministry of Culture and Innovation (Kulturális és Innovációs Minisztérium) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Külgazdasági és Külügyminisztérium) are the top-level authorities responsible for the strategic dissemination of information. They often use the agencies mentioned above (Tempus Public Foundation, National Youth Council) and as the practical interface to reach young people.

Key initiatives

Week of Sustainability

The decrees of the Ministry of Interior (responsible for public education from 2022) on the school years regulate in each academic year the so-called 'Thematic Weeks'. The most relevant thematic week for global issues is the Week of Sustainability Issues (Fenntarthatósági Témahét). The Ministry of Interior (Belügyminisztérium) is responsible for the programme. The aim of the programme is to

'develop the environmental sensitivity of high school students to make them understand the identification, mitigation and prevention of local, regional and global environmental problems. It encourages students to recognise that Earth is a fragile ecological system, whose preservation is a shared responsibility of present and future generations.'

The curricular elements of the programme were adapted to specific age groups and are available online on the website. In 2026, for secondary school students, lesson framework curricula are available in the topics of waste, responsible consumption and eco labels, forest as ecosystem, sports and health, and sustainable transportation. In addition, students could participate in a competition called Green Earth Cup ('Zöld Föld' Kupa)  to get actively involved.

The programme also includes the Green Bridge Volunteer Expert Programme ('Zöld Híd Önkéntes Szakértői program'), which links schools with real sustainability experts to ensure that scientific and practical knowledge is authentically reflected in education. The Week of Sustainability is organised in the Carpathian Basin and more than 400 000 students and more than 1 700 schools participate in the programmes each year.

Education activities of the Blue Planet Foundation

The Blue Planet Foundation (Kék Bolygó Alapítvány) provides environmental education and implements the sustainability perspective in teaching. The target group is all age groups but with special focus on the younger generation. They hold climate and sustainability lectures at universities, in secondary and elementary schools, at conferences, and at NGOs. The lectures can be interactive to actively involve young people by demonstrating experiments, expressing their opinion by voting, or testing their knowledge with quizzes. The lectures cover topics such as waste management; energy safety; dangers of overconsumption; the circular economy; the value of water and soil and conserving biodiversity.

The Prime Minister's Office (Miniszterelnökség) and the Bethlen Gábor Fund (Bethlen Gábor Alapkezelő Zrt.) support the Foundation.