Slovakia - Education and TrainingSlovakia-Education-and-Training
UNESCO Student Mobility Number 32,010
CIA World Factbook: 25.68%
Overview
The Slovak education system consists of three stages: primary education, secondary education and tertiary education. Besides church and privately owned, majority of schools are State owned. The secondary education lasts in general four years and in some cases may last five to eight years. According the Slovak Law, ten-year education is compulsory.
Based on the number of pupils, secondary school students (grammar schools 74,000 students, vocational 135,000 students) have the highest interest in studying at trade academies, hotel academies, and schools of electrical engineering.
*Only public universities data
The university environment is not homogeneous from small colleges with dozens of students to universities with ten thousand students. In 2017 university education was provided by twenty-two university colleges, eleven colleges (not integrated into university colleges or higher education institutions) and two vocational colleges. Higher education was also offered by five foreign universities - University of International and Public Relations in Prague, Hochschule Fresenius GmbH, INSTITUT SUPERRIEUR SPÉCIALISÉ DE LA MODE - MOD'SPÉ Paris, Staropolska Szkoła Wyższa w Kielcach and Szent István Egyetem.
University degree was obtainable in 373 study fields and study departments were divided into nine groups: education and training (10 departments), humanities and arts (45), social, economic and legal sciences (57), natural sciences (62), design, technology, production and communication, agricultural and veterinary sciences (39), health (48), services (22) and information science, mathematics and information and communication technologies (22).
136,684 university students in 2017 represent a year on year drop of 7.45% (10,996 students out of who 8,884 were students from public higher education institutions and 2,112 students from private universities). The decreasing tendency of the number of university students is also reflected in the significant reduction of the number of newly enrolled students in private higher education institutions. 2,327 newly enrolled students in private colleges in 2017 recorded a 13.53% decline compared to year 2016. For public higher education institutions in 2017, 23,844 first graders represent a 10% decrease compared to 2016.
Statistically 55.17% students, including the doctorate, majored in social sciences, science and services.
The number of doctorate students in both public and private universities decreased by 398 students (5.57%) on year-on-year basis. Daily form of study experienced a year-on-year decrease of 202 post-graduate students (4.97%). External form of study noted a drop of 196 students (6.35%). At public higher education institutes the number of students studying in a doctorate study was lower by 362 compared to the previous year (5.36% year-on-year decrease), while at private universities the number decreased by 36. Out of all students, doctorate students represent 4.96% share.
In 2017, female students represented 58.94% (a year-on-year decrease of 0.27 percentage points).
Sub-Sectors
Online Programs
Online programs are not very common at Slovak schools. The only exception is University of Central Europe and City University Seattle where students study via e-mail and Moodle discussion forum. Slovak students may extend their qualification via e-learning at Business Institute, the largest private MBA institution in the Czech Republic and Slovakia or gain MBA, bachelor and engineer degrees at foreign universities.
Research and Development
Slovakia ranks among the countries with the lowest level of research and development resources in the university sector in the EU. In 2017 universities received R&D state budget funding almost exclusively through the Slovak Ministry of Education. The university sector had total R&D resources of 185 million EUR (0.22% of GDP). Slovak students in search of R&D scholarships or grants may use the National portal EURAXESS, European portal EURAESS, CORDIS (including Horizon 2020), Fulbright Commission or Central Information Portal for R&D and Innovation under the auspices of Slovak Ministry of Education resources.
Professional Training Services
High school exchanges to the United States can be facilitated through a non-profit or commercial organization, e.g. Slovak Academic Information Agency or can be self-organized. The majority of university students are interested in economic and humanities subjects whereas technical areas rank third in popularity. Slovak students interested in studying in the U.S. need to apply for the correct student visa.European countries appear to be a more attractive destination for studies due to school fees, EU scholarship eligibility and vicinity. University studies in the U.S. are more achievable to academically talented students and student eligible for athletic scholarships. English is no longer considered an advantage in the labor market. Most foreign employers expect a minimum of English knowledge and offer to pay for corporate courses in English or other languages Opportunities University Mobility Foreign schools are regarded as highly prestigious and attractive. All public higher education institutions took part in The Individual Erasmus Mobility Initiative 2016 call which resulted in 2,399 students studying mostly in Czech Republic, Spain and Germany (4.93 months stay on average) and 1,337 interns mostly in Czech Republic, Spain and Germany (average internship length of 3.33 months). 11.9% Slovak students leave to study abroad where they graduate (versus EU average of 3.1%). Only 0.1% return to graduate in Slovakia (versus EU average of 7.6%). Top 5 countries where Slovaks study are: Czech Republic, Hungary, UK, Austria and Germany.
Since English language is mandatory by law from grade three onward Slovak students qualify for both undergraduate and graduate studies in the U.S. U.S. university degrees offered locally or within Europe show to be more accessible. The number of Slovak students in the U.S. has been relatively stable at 340+ in the last years.
Entering the market
U.S. universities may be established in Slovakia based on Law 596/2003 Coll. on State Administration in Education and School Self-Governing Bodies once their request is approved by the Slovak Ministry of Education.
U.S. universities may enter the Slovak education market via a partnership with local schools through student exchange programs. One-year study exchange programs are highly attractive. (Note: As more and more companies require their employees to speak English, there are numerous organizations offering exchange programs to learn English in native country.)
U.S. universities may also make use of Erasmus+ is the European Union (EU) program for education, training, youth and sport for the period 2014-2020. Erasmus+ supports activities that are closely matched with the EU's priorities for cooperation policy with partner countries throughout the world including Canada and the United States and regions. Three years into the program proved popular with North American countries.
Fulbright Commission – (in years 1992-2018: 365 U.S. Grantees, 330 Slovak Grantees) Program portfolio for Slovak Citizens includes Fulbright Scholar Program, Fulbright Student Program, Fulbright-Schuman Program, Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship, The U. S. Institutes on American Studies and Weiser Professional Development Award.
Slovak Education reform - searching for innovative projects and approaches to improve education at Slovak schools under the Generation 3.0 initiative - non-governmental organization Pontis Foundation in cooperation with the US Embassy in Slovakia will invite US experts to share their experiences and know-how with measuring the impacts of the initiatives on the education system.
Cooperation with Slovak businesses through establishing their schools, run apprenticeship programs or organize internship programs to attract potential employees.
Market Challenges
- more school capacities than actual number of students
- less than 50% are interested to study
- regional governments will open only classes based on their regional abor market needs (63% of graduates don’t work in their major)
- inclusion (13 million EUR deficient) and integration
- demotivated teaching staff, lack of teachers/elderly teaching staff (av. 46 years)
- missing textbooks for certain grades
- dual education (lacking 1.5 million EUR funding, complicated administrative processing)
Tertiary education
- less applicants, enrollments and graduates (According to Center for World University Rankings 2018 -2019 out of 1,000 universities The Comenius University in Bratislava placed No.673 as the only Slovak university.)
- Accreditation Committee – missing 0.4 million EUR in funding, unclear university evaluating criteria
- 57% of graduates don’t work in their major (There is a growing mismatch between university graduates and the needs of the labor market, with Eurostat showing youth unemployment as high as 22%. 35% of university graduates work at high school degree positions.)
- Low salaries cause disinterest in teaching profession or teachers leaving for business field (The average salary of a public college teacher in 2017 was 1,513.60 EUR, of a public higher education institution professor 2,228.67 EUR and associate professor 1,700.28 EUR. (Note: Starting January 1, 2019 the minimum wage set by law is 520 EUR.)
Events
Study and Career Fair - 2019 dates are not yet publicly disclosed.
Other smaller fairs focus on individual markets, e.g. Veletrh Gaudeamus presenting Czech universities or Scandinavian Study introducing universities from UK, Netherlands, Denmark, Finland and Canada.
Resources
EducationUSA https://educationusa.state.gov/
Slovak Ministry of Education https://www.minedu.sk/vyrocne-spravy-o-stave-vysokeho-skolstva/
J.W. Fulbright Commission Bratislava www.fulbright.sk/
Institute of International Education https://www.iie.org/Research-and-Insights/Open-Doors/Data/International-Students/Places-of-Origin
Slovak Academic Information Agency https://granty.saia.sk/Pages/ProgramZoznam.aspx
Erazmus+ http://www.erasmusplus.sk/
Center for World University Rankings https://cwur.org/2018-19.php
U.S. Commercial Service Contact
Lucia Maskova, Commercial Specialist
Lucia.maskova@trade.gov
Tel.: 011 421 2 5922 3325
Prepared by the International Trade Administration. With its network of more than 100 offices across the United States and in more than 75 markets, the International Trade Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce utilizes its global presence and international marketing expertise to help U.S. companies sell their products and services worldwide. Locate the trade specialist in the U.S. nearest you by visiting http://export.gov/usoffices.
CIA World Factbook: 25.68%
Overview
The Slovak education system consists of three stages: primary education, secondary education and tertiary education. Besides church and privately owned, majority of schools are State owned. The secondary education lasts in general four years and in some cases may last five to eight years. According the Slovak Law, ten-year education is compulsory.
Based on the number of pupils, secondary school students (grammar schools 74,000 students, vocational 135,000 students) have the highest interest in studying at trade academies, hotel academies, and schools of electrical engineering.
| 2017/2018 | School | Students | Teachers |
| Primary | 468,000 | 35,000 | |
| Secondary | 212,009 | 21,000 |
| 2017/2018 | School | Students | Teachers |
| Tertiary | 136,684 | 9,601* |
The university environment is not homogeneous from small colleges with dozens of students to universities with ten thousand students. In 2017 university education was provided by twenty-two university colleges, eleven colleges (not integrated into university colleges or higher education institutions) and two vocational colleges. Higher education was also offered by five foreign universities - University of International and Public Relations in Prague, Hochschule Fresenius GmbH, INSTITUT SUPERRIEUR SPÉCIALISÉ DE LA MODE - MOD'SPÉ Paris, Staropolska Szkoła Wyższa w Kielcach and Szent István Egyetem.
University degree was obtainable in 373 study fields and study departments were divided into nine groups: education and training (10 departments), humanities and arts (45), social, economic and legal sciences (57), natural sciences (62), design, technology, production and communication, agricultural and veterinary sciences (39), health (48), services (22) and information science, mathematics and information and communication technologies (22).
136,684 university students in 2017 represent a year on year drop of 7.45% (10,996 students out of who 8,884 were students from public higher education institutions and 2,112 students from private universities). The decreasing tendency of the number of university students is also reflected in the significant reduction of the number of newly enrolled students in private higher education institutions. 2,327 newly enrolled students in private colleges in 2017 recorded a 13.53% decline compared to year 2016. For public higher education institutions in 2017, 23,844 first graders represent a 10% decrease compared to 2016.
Statistically 55.17% students, including the doctorate, majored in social sciences, science and services.
The number of doctorate students in both public and private universities decreased by 398 students (5.57%) on year-on-year basis. Daily form of study experienced a year-on-year decrease of 202 post-graduate students (4.97%). External form of study noted a drop of 196 students (6.35%). At public higher education institutes the number of students studying in a doctorate study was lower by 362 compared to the previous year (5.36% year-on-year decrease), while at private universities the number decreased by 36. Out of all students, doctorate students represent 4.96% share.
In 2017, female students represented 58.94% (a year-on-year decrease of 0.27 percentage points).
Sub-Sectors
Online Programs
Online programs are not very common at Slovak schools. The only exception is University of Central Europe and City University Seattle where students study via e-mail and Moodle discussion forum. Slovak students may extend their qualification via e-learning at Business Institute, the largest private MBA institution in the Czech Republic and Slovakia or gain MBA, bachelor and engineer degrees at foreign universities.
Research and Development
Slovakia ranks among the countries with the lowest level of research and development resources in the university sector in the EU. In 2017 universities received R&D state budget funding almost exclusively through the Slovak Ministry of Education. The university sector had total R&D resources of 185 million EUR (0.22% of GDP). Slovak students in search of R&D scholarships or grants may use the National portal EURAXESS, European portal EURAESS, CORDIS (including Horizon 2020), Fulbright Commission or Central Information Portal for R&D and Innovation under the auspices of Slovak Ministry of Education resources.
Professional Training Services
High school exchanges to the United States can be facilitated through a non-profit or commercial organization, e.g. Slovak Academic Information Agency or can be self-organized. The majority of university students are interested in economic and humanities subjects whereas technical areas rank third in popularity. Slovak students interested in studying in the U.S. need to apply for the correct student visa.European countries appear to be a more attractive destination for studies due to school fees, EU scholarship eligibility and vicinity. University studies in the U.S. are more achievable to academically talented students and student eligible for athletic scholarships. English is no longer considered an advantage in the labor market. Most foreign employers expect a minimum of English knowledge and offer to pay for corporate courses in English or other languages Opportunities University Mobility Foreign schools are regarded as highly prestigious and attractive. All public higher education institutions took part in The Individual Erasmus Mobility Initiative 2016 call which resulted in 2,399 students studying mostly in Czech Republic, Spain and Germany (4.93 months stay on average) and 1,337 interns mostly in Czech Republic, Spain and Germany (average internship length of 3.33 months). 11.9% Slovak students leave to study abroad where they graduate (versus EU average of 3.1%). Only 0.1% return to graduate in Slovakia (versus EU average of 7.6%). Top 5 countries where Slovaks study are: Czech Republic, Hungary, UK, Austria and Germany.
Since English language is mandatory by law from grade three onward Slovak students qualify for both undergraduate and graduate studies in the U.S. U.S. university degrees offered locally or within Europe show to be more accessible. The number of Slovak students in the U.S. has been relatively stable at 340+ in the last years.
Entering the market
U.S. universities may be established in Slovakia based on Law 596/2003 Coll. on State Administration in Education and School Self-Governing Bodies once their request is approved by the Slovak Ministry of Education.
U.S. universities may enter the Slovak education market via a partnership with local schools through student exchange programs. One-year study exchange programs are highly attractive. (Note: As more and more companies require their employees to speak English, there are numerous organizations offering exchange programs to learn English in native country.)
U.S. universities may also make use of Erasmus+ is the European Union (EU) program for education, training, youth and sport for the period 2014-2020. Erasmus+ supports activities that are closely matched with the EU's priorities for cooperation policy with partner countries throughout the world including Canada and the United States and regions. Three years into the program proved popular with North American countries.
Fulbright Commission – (in years 1992-2018: 365 U.S. Grantees, 330 Slovak Grantees) Program portfolio for Slovak Citizens includes Fulbright Scholar Program, Fulbright Student Program, Fulbright-Schuman Program, Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship, The U. S. Institutes on American Studies and Weiser Professional Development Award.
Slovak Education reform - searching for innovative projects and approaches to improve education at Slovak schools under the Generation 3.0 initiative - non-governmental organization Pontis Foundation in cooperation with the US Embassy in Slovakia will invite US experts to share their experiences and know-how with measuring the impacts of the initiatives on the education system.
Cooperation with Slovak businesses through establishing their schools, run apprenticeship programs or organize internship programs to attract potential employees.
Market Challenges
- Slovak Ministry’s unsatisfactory budget of 1.35billion EUR with tendency to grow to 1.54 billion EUR (from current 3.9% to 4.1%* GDP in 2021 whereas EU’s current budget is 4.7% - 5%GDP).
- Ongoing education reform based on Finland
- Neglected science & research and modernization of schools
- Salaries (to grow by 200 million EUR)
- more school capacities than actual number of students
- less than 50% are interested to study
- regional governments will open only classes based on their regional abor market needs (63% of graduates don’t work in their major)
- inclusion (13 million EUR deficient) and integration
- demotivated teaching staff, lack of teachers/elderly teaching staff (av. 46 years)
- missing textbooks for certain grades
- dual education (lacking 1.5 million EUR funding, complicated administrative processing)
Tertiary education
- less applicants, enrollments and graduates (According to Center for World University Rankings 2018 -2019 out of 1,000 universities The Comenius University in Bratislava placed No.673 as the only Slovak university.)
- Accreditation Committee – missing 0.4 million EUR in funding, unclear university evaluating criteria
- 57% of graduates don’t work in their major (There is a growing mismatch between university graduates and the needs of the labor market, with Eurostat showing youth unemployment as high as 22%. 35% of university graduates work at high school degree positions.)
- Low salaries cause disinterest in teaching profession or teachers leaving for business field (The average salary of a public college teacher in 2017 was 1,513.60 EUR, of a public higher education institution professor 2,228.67 EUR and associate professor 1,700.28 EUR. (Note: Starting January 1, 2019 the minimum wage set by law is 520 EUR.)
Events
Study and Career Fair - 2019 dates are not yet publicly disclosed.
Other smaller fairs focus on individual markets, e.g. Veletrh Gaudeamus presenting Czech universities or Scandinavian Study introducing universities from UK, Netherlands, Denmark, Finland and Canada.
Resources
EducationUSA https://educationusa.state.gov/
Slovak Ministry of Education https://www.minedu.sk/vyrocne-spravy-o-stave-vysokeho-skolstva/
J.W. Fulbright Commission Bratislava www.fulbright.sk/
Institute of International Education https://www.iie.org/Research-and-Insights/Open-Doors/Data/International-Students/Places-of-Origin
Slovak Academic Information Agency https://granty.saia.sk/Pages/ProgramZoznam.aspx
Erazmus+ http://www.erasmusplus.sk/
Center for World University Rankings https://cwur.org/2018-19.php
U.S. Commercial Service Contact
Lucia Maskova, Commercial Specialist
Lucia.maskova@trade.gov
Tel.: 011 421 2 5922 3325
Prepared by the International Trade Administration. With its network of more than 100 offices across the United States and in more than 75 markets, the International Trade Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce utilizes its global presence and international marketing expertise to help U.S. companies sell their products and services worldwide. Locate the trade specialist in the U.S. nearest you by visiting http://export.gov/usoffices.