New Pioneering Training Programs in Victim Support
The victim support system in Hungary has reached an important milestone with the launch of a new postgraduate training program in the fall of 2024. Thanks to the cooperation between the University of Miskolc and the Ministry of Justice, Hungary’s first specialized training course in victim support has been introduced, providing professionals with comprehensive theoretical and practical knowledge in this field.
The aim of this new training program is to address the growing demand for skilled professionals, driven by the continuous expansion of victim support centers throughout the country. This two-semester course focuses not only on the basic concepts and legal framework of victim support, but also provides insights into crime prevention, victim policy, criminal law, as well as relevant aspects of communication and psychology. In addition, students will have the opportunity to gain first-hand experience through practical sessions in victim support centers, allowing them to familiarize themselves with daily operations.
The training, made possible through the partnership between the University of Miskolc and the Ministry of Justice, represents a major step forward in improving the quality of victim support services. The program facilitates the recruitment of new victim support professionals, thereby contributing to more effective assistance for victims and the expansion of nationwide service coverage.
In 2025, the cooperation was further expanded as the need emerged to launch a legal specialization program alongside the postgraduate training designed for non-lawyers. This new program aims to enhance the quality of legal representation provided to victims. The Ministry of Justice has identified the strengthening of the legal foundations of victim support as a key task and therefore supports the development of subject curricula that promote the implementation of victim support policy. The new specialization course for victim support lawyers, starting in the fall of 2025, will cover competencies such as crime prevention, communication, familiarization with the legal and institutional framework, as well as the presentation of relevant domestic and international best practices.
