Anti-harassment policy (10.6.11)

Széchenyi István University addresses harassment, including sexual harassment, in two policies: the Gender Equality Plan 2025-2027 and the Code of Conduct.

The University’s Gender Equality Plan 2025-2027 contains a specific section on preventing gender-based and sexual harassment. It states that research and higher education are not free of sexual and gender-based harassment, and sometimes not free of violence, and that measures are needed to end this behaviour, including providing information on sexual and gender-based harassment and offering attention and support to victims and witnesses, with a commitment to ending such conduct. The Plan sets the long-term objective of eliminating sexism, gender stereotyping and prejudice across all University activity, and of preventing gender-based violence and harassment through an appropriate institutional system for investigating violations and supporting victims.

This is reinforced by the University’s Code of Conduct, which requires University members to respect the dignity, rights and legitimate interests of others, and specifically requires instructors to refrain from evaluating any student’s work using insulting or demeaning language or manner (§2(3)-(4); §3(8)). Alleged violations of either policy may be examined by the Ethics Committee, an eight-member body with a chair, which conducts formal ethical procedures with hearings, confidentiality rules, deadlines and a right of appeal.

The Gender Equality Plan and the Equal Opportunities Plan also give members of the University community a formal complaints route: a written complaint may be submitted to the Vice-President for General and Educational Affairs, who refers it to the competent body — the Ethics Committee, the disciplinary board, the integrity officer, the Committee for Equal Opportunities of Students with Special Needs, or the workplace trade union, as relevant — which investigates and reports the outcome in writing. Filing a complaint does not limit the individual’s right to pursue the matter through the courts.

The Gender Equality Plan was adopted by the University’s Governing Board (resolution 209/2025 (VII.28.)) for the period 1 January 2025 to 31 December 2027, with a review deadline of 31 December 2027.