The strategy of the cost-benefit principle The Science Without Borders – Brazil students in Hungary

Abstract

THE AIMS OF THE PAPER

The Brazilian government established the Science Without Borders scholarship programme, in the scope of which it was allowed for students to study for a year at foreign universities. Hungary was the first of the Central European countries to join the programme, thus the offer of Hungarian higher education institutions appeared alongside the offers of the universities of the largest countries. With regard to the future, we found it important to learn how foreign people see us Hungarians, what they think about our education system, to what extent the structure and standards of our education complies with international expectations, what our strengths are, and which areas that still face a number of challenges.

METHODOLOGY

The first part of the study introduces the Science Without Borders scholarship programme. Then, in the course of the scientific literature review, the main attributes of the three poles of international student mobility – the Pacific, Iberian and Central European poles – are discussed. Following the introduction of the topics of the questionnaire survey, the obtained findings will be presented. The questionnaire was processed through an SPSS-based statistical data analysis.

MOST IMPORTANT RESULTS

The present article describes the cost of subsistence of Brazilian students who pursue their higher education studies in Hungary. Through the analysis of costs, we managed to answer the question whether the scholarship provided to students covered all of their needs. Our research results supported our hypothesis according to which students prioritize their ability to study under more favourable financial circumstances, thus potential scholarships and the amount of living costs played an important role in the choice of the given training.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Financing education is a long-term investment in all countries of the world; its return is not quantifiable, or at least difficult to be measured through numbers. Beyond financially measurable profits, international mobility must represent much greater values, such as openness and understanding through becoming familiar with various cultures, development of critical thinking, and the improvement of skills. The choice of studying abroad is a very complex process, thus mapping the motivations behind student mobility will continue to open up numerous areas of research in the future.