A new Code of Ethics has come into effect at Corvinus University

At its session on March 17, the Senate unanimously approved the new Code of Ethics and the Rules of Procedure for the Ethics Committee. The review of the Budapest Corvinus University’s previous Code of Ethics, originally adopted in 2011, began last year. The work was led by an internal expert group, with the involvement of specialists from the Legal and Procurement, Internal Audit and Compliance, and HR units. Representatives from numerous other relevant groups also participated in the review, including the Centre for Economic Ethics, the Professorial Board, the trade union, the Corvinus Employee Council (CAT), the academic community, the ERS HUB and members of the Student Union (HÖK).  The aim of broad involvement, in addition to ensuring that all relevant opinions and suggestions were considered, was also to make every member of the university community feel a sense of ownership of the new code.  

The Code has been in force since 23 March 2023. The document is public and accessible both in the Jogtár  Repository of Regulations and via the netjogtár database link available on the university’s website, in both Hungarian and English. 

The key changes in the new Code of Ethics 

The revised document reflects both university and societal changes and aligns with the current university strategy. Its aim is to serve as a guide for every member of the university community, encouraging responsible, ethical, and value-based behavior. 

The core principles have not changed; however, the code has been updated and expanded. Building on the experiences of the past fourteen years, greater emphasis is now placed on certain areas, particularly social responsibility, sustainability, transparency, and academic integrity. 

In addition, whereas the previous Code of Ethics set out expectations for students, faculty and researchers, leaders, and service area employees in separate chapters, the new document adopts a unified approach: the same principles and values apply to all members of the university community, emphasizing the cohesion of the university ecosystem and a spirit of partnership. We hope that this approach will strengthen collective responsibility and foster a cohesive ethical culture. 

The document also incorporates the core values defined by the university community (cooperation, systems thinking, excellence, and integrity), which serve as a bridge to the strategy and are intended to be clearly reflected in day-to-day operations. 

These values shape the institution’s long-term development, the quality of its operations, and its sense of community. Based on these principles and values, the Code of Ethics sets out behavioral expectations that provide guidance for responsible, ethical, and value-driven action. 

The new Code of Ethics also establishes the fundamental ethical principles that guide the everyday decisions, behavior, and professional activities of members of the university community: 

• Fairness and sincerity 
• Respect 
• Responsibility 
• Collaboration  
• Transparency 
• Equal opportunities and equal treatment 
• Scientific integrity 
• Environmental and social responsibility, sustainability  
• Community, culture, organisation 

Among other things, these principles provide a shared moral framework that ensures the credibility, fairness, and integrity of the university community. 

The composition of the new Ethics Committee 

To ensure the enforcement of the Code of Ethics, the University Senate shall establish a seven-member Ethics Committee (acting as the body of first instance).  In addition to the new values and priority areas, the revised Code of Ethics also defines the composition of this new committee. The members of the Committee may only be natural persons who have been employed by or have been students at the University for at least one year. Members are delegated by the following organizations/leaders, from whom the Senate selects the members and alternate members (with the exception of the Student Union (HÖK) and the Doctoral Student Union (DÖK), where the competent president may delegate a candidate approved by the General Assembly): 

• Rector, 
• Students’ Union, 
• PhD Students’ Union, 
• Board of Professors, 
• community of the Heads of Institute, 
• Executive Committee, 
• Trade Union and Corvinus Employees’ Council. 

The mandate of the Ethics Committee is to encourage university citizens to adhere to the Code of Ethics, to raise awareness of ethical standards, and to provide guidance to those seeking advice on ethical issues. Furthermore, the Committee is tasked with conducting ethical investigations into alleged violations of the Code’s standards upon receipt of a well-founded report.  

A further key task of the Ethics Committee is to maintain and adapt the Code of Ethics to changing circumstances. To this end, the Committee shall review the content of the Code at least once a year and, where justified, propose amendments to the Senate. 

In addition to the Code of Ethics, the Rules of Procedure of the Ethics Committee were also adopted. This document likewise underwent a comprehensive review, clarifying and supplementing the applicable procedural rules. The Rules of Procedure of the Ethics Committee are also included within the Code (Annex 1), but they are separately available in the Repository of Regulations, where they can be accessed from the main page under the section “Regulations of Self-Governments and Representative Bodies / Rules of Procedure of Bodies.” They can also be searched for separately in the netjogtár database under the title “Rules of Procedure of the Ethics Committee.” 

The selection process for the Ethics Committee has been launched, and the relevant nominating bodies/leaders will be notified shortly. Information on the composition of the elected Ethics Committee will be available on the Intranet page dedicated to university bodies.