New training concept for Waldorf teachers in Hungary
In Hungary, Waldorf education has been experiencing a remarkable upswing for years. Around 9,500 children now attend 46 schools and 57 kindergartens there, supervised by almost 1,000 teachers. This means that the demand for qualified teachers is also growing. In response to this, the Waldorf Pedagogical Institute (WPI) in Solymár near Budapest is breaking new ground: a modular credit point system is being developed and tested there until 2027. The new training concept is intended to form the basis for a European Master's degree course in the future and at the same time pave the way for the WPI's state recognition as a training institution.
Clearly structured modules
Instead of long, self-contained courses, smaller, clearly structured modules will be offered that can be flexibly combined. Each unit - on topics such as child development, music, science or crafts - is completed with a certificate and can be credited individually. This creates a system that adapts to the realities of prospective teachers' lives and also allows them to learn on the job. "The new concept will not only make teacher training in Waldorf education more flexible and modern, but also more accessible," SAGST project manager Johannes Schmidt is convinced. "It is a model that promotes diversity, takes individual life paths into account and enables European cooperation on an equal footing - an important contribution to quality assurance and professionalization."
Europe-wide networking
In addition to concept development, the project includes the translation of key specialist literature and close cooperation with European partners: the Alanus University of Arts and Social Sciences in Alfter near Bonn, the Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE) in Budapest and the European Council for Steiner Waldorf Education (ECSWE). There is already a formal agreement with ELTE to integrate Waldorf education more closely into university teacher training. In the medium term, the WPI is to be accredited by the traditional university - an important step towards a qualification that is recognized throughout Europe. The project also provides decisive impetus within Hungary: it strengthens cooperation between the seven independent training institutions to date and creates synergies in a diverse educational landscape.
