According to István Csernicskó, rector of the Ferenc Rákóczi II Transcarpathian Hungarian College, social scholarships, dormitory assistance, and mother-baby rooms are essential for students with families. He highlighted the institution’s efforts to provide all possible support to young people who wish to start families.
Do you think it’s important for young people to be able to start a family alongside their higher education studies, and if so, why?
Everyone should be given the opportunity to start a family if they feel ready and their circumstances allow it, regardless of whether they are studying, working, or engaged in other activities. I believe family planning is a significant life decision that shouldn’t be postponed simply because a person is in higher education. Therefore, our role is to not hinder but to support young people facing such a decision.
What does your institution do to support students with families during admission, their studies, or after graduation?
The admission system in Ukraine is highly centralized, which means we cannot provide any additional points, discounts, or other support to young people with families, as the admissions rules are based on central norms that favor war veterans, military personnel, and their families. Unfortunately, we cannot provide support during the admissions process. However, once a student is enrolled, if they have children, we offer certain benefits. For instance, in addition to academic scholarships, we have social scholarship programs that offer higher support for students with young children. We also provide subsidized housing options for students with families who wish to stay in dormitories.
Beyond higher education, our institution has also founded a preschool network, including a kindergarten in Berehove, where students, faculty, and staff can receive discounted spots for their young children. This is beneficial since kindergarten spots are limited in Ukraine, particularly in Berehove.
Within the institution, we have established a “mother-baby room” where students or colleagues with young children can attend to their needs. We support family-oriented students by offering flexible study schedules, including options for remote learning and tailored practical placements closer to home.
We also have a “Nest House” program providing housing to young staff without their own residence, enabling them to apply for institutional housing. We support both students and young staff members in this way.
Do you plan to expand these initiatives, and what insights are you looking to gain from the NOE research?
Our situation is mainly hindered by the unpredictability of Ukraine. This affects our ability to develop long-term family and institutional strategies. However, it is vital for us to support young people who want to start families. Due to the current war, we’ve had to suspend some social programs, such as creating additional housing units for young families.
We are constructing a sports complex and a swimming pool where we plan to offer free swimming lessons for children, which may contribute to a family-friendly future. We’ve also proposed that female faculty with young children be given an age extension on applications, recognizing child-rearing time as equivalent to work experience. For instance, if the application age limit is 35, then those with children could extend this by two years per child, making the process more accommodating.
