An alternative to positive discrimination? The first five years of the Gyula Illyés Programme

Abstract

In the autumn of 2021, Corvinus University of Budapest launched the Gyula Illyés Programme to support young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. This study analyses the programme’s outcomes in the light of the experiences of the lecturers leading the programme, members of student organisations, and the young participants – and, not least, the work of Gyula Illyés. The ten-month programme develops not only professional skills but also personal skills. The approach of the Gyula Illyés Programme differs from established affirmative action models in two respects: (1) firstly, it imp arts the skills necessary for success and only subsequently assists with university admissions, and (2) the Programme takes into account the disadvantaged situation itself rather than the participants’ background. The Programme’s experiences may prove useful for Hungarian higher education in promoting the institutional integration of equal opportunities.