It is my great pleasure to welcome you to the Bárczi Gusztáv Faculty of Special Needs Education of Eötvös Loránd University.

At our institution located at the Ecseri út campus, on the wall of the largest classroom which is the venue for the opening and graduation ceremonies, the motto of the Faculty is displayed: “With Knowledge for an Inclusive Hungary”.

This motto embodies the spirit in which our community of educators and researchers in special needs education has been working for more than 120 years. In 1900, our predecessor institution, the world’s first college of special needs education, opened its doors. In 2000, the Bárczi Gusztáv Teachers’ Training College of Special Needs Education moved to the Ecseri út campus, joining Hungary’s leading and most popular university. It subsequently evolved into a university faculty, enriching and diversifying its range of educational and scientific research programmes.

Hungarian special needs education defines itself as a multidisciplinary human science. Not only do our knowledge and perception of individuals with disabilities constantly change, but the individuals themselves also change, with a greater emphasis on self-determination and personal decision-making regarding their own lives. Eötvös Loránd University offers our students a rich portfolio of opportunities for expanding their knowledge in the fields of natural sciences, social sciences and humanities.

Our predecessor institutions, while establishing the professional and scientific reputation of Hungarian special needs education, also engaged in active professional policy activities aimed at improving the quality of life and strengthening the social position of individuals with disabilities.

“Bárczi” is perhaps the only university faculty in the world where special needs education and Disability Studies work together, mutually and positively influencing the seeking and sharing of knowledge. Following the principle of “Nothing about us without us,” participatory instructors also take part in the education process: we not only teach about them, but shape the knowlede of our students with them.

At Bárczi, all specialisations can be studied at undergraduate level and, there are two specialisations in the master’s programme, and various additional opportunities for scientific development are also available. The Doctoral Programme in Educational Sciences, with a specialisation in Special Needs Education, offers our graduates the opportunity to obtain a doctoral degree. In addition to these opportunities, we provide numerous further training courses that support lifelong learning.

We play a significant role in the important area of social knowledge sharing. We prepare future special needs teachers for both inclusive and special needs education, while they also play roles in social, healthcare, legal, and work environments. An important aspect of the social integration of individuals with disabilities is the preparation and support of young people and adults for the labour market. Support implies and presupposes an active involvement in shaping both the immediate community and the broader society, towards an inclusive Hungary that embraces individuals with disabilities.

Dr. habil. Gabriella Papp