Academic Freedom Index in Hungary
Hungary: Academic Freedom Index was 0.299 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
0.299
Change on year
down 1.6%
World rank
125th
of 174 countries
All-time high
0.946
in 1990
All-time low
0.023
in 1950
Years of data
108
1918–2025
Academic Freedom Index in Hungary, 1918–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Hungary recorded 0.299 for academic freedom index in 2025.
That represents a change of down 1.6% on the previous year and down 42.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, academic freedom index in Hungary peaked at 0.946 in 1990 and was at its lowest, 0.023, in 1950.
Hungary ranks 125th of 174 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Academic Freedom Index in Hungary, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1918 | 0.457 | — |
| 1919 | 0.345 | -24.5% |
| 1920 | 0.361 | +4.6% |
| 1921 | 0.372 | +3.0% |
| 1922 | 0.375 | +0.8% |
| 1923 | 0.386 | +2.9% |
| 1924 | 0.384 | -0.5% |
| 1925 | 0.388 | +1.0% |
| 1926 | 0.388 | +0.0% |
| 1927 | 0.388 | +0.0% |
| 1928 | 0.388 | +0.0% |
| 1929 | 0.388 | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 0.388 | +0.0% |
| 1931 | 0.388 | +0.0% |
| 1932 | 0.381 | -1.8% |
| 1933 | 0.381 | +0.0% |
| 1934 | 0.381 | +0.0% |
| 1935 | 0.381 | +0.0% |
| 1936 | 0.381 | +0.0% |
| 1937 | 0.381 | +0.0% |
| 1938 | 0.379 | -0.5% |
| 1939 | 0.351 | -7.4% |
| 1940 | 0.106 | -69.8% |
| 1941 | 0.085 | -19.8% |
| 1942 | 0.085 | +0.0% |
| 1943 | 0.085 | +0.0% |
| 1944 | 0.03 | -64.7% |
| 1945 | 0.041 | +36.7% |
| 1946 | 0.403 | +882.9% |
| 1947 | 0.417 | +3.5% |
| 1948 | 0.378 | -9.4% |
| 1949 | 0.079 | -79.1% |
| 1950 | 0.023 | -70.9% |
| 1951 | 0.023 | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 0.037 | +60.9% |
| 1953 | 0.037 | +0.0% |
| 1954 | 0.037 | +0.0% |
| 1955 | 0.041 | +10.8% |
| 1956 | 0.038 | -7.3% |
| 1957 | 0.036 | -5.3% |
| 1958 | 0.038 | +5.6% |
| 1959 | 0.038 | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 0.086 | +126.3% |
| 1961 | 0.104 | +20.9% |
| 1962 | 0.131 | +26.0% |
| 1963 | 0.131 | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 0.139 | +6.1% |
| 1965 | 0.139 | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 0.139 | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 0.139 | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 0.146 | +5.0% |
| 1969 | 0.147 | +0.7% |
| 1970 | 0.163 | +10.9% |
| 1971 | 0.163 | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 0.163 | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 0.163 | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 0.163 | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 0.163 | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 0.163 | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 0.163 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 0.163 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 0.163 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 0.207 | +27.0% |
| 1981 | 0.207 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 0.207 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 0.207 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 0.207 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 0.206 | -0.5% |
| 1986 | 0.206 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 0.215 | +4.4% |
| 1988 | 0.232 | +7.9% |
| 1989 | 0.262 | +12.9% |
| 1990 | 0.946 | +261.1% |
| 1991 | 0.946 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 0.946 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 0.946 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 0.946 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 0.946 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 0.946 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 0.946 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 0.946 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 0.946 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 0.946 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 0.946 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 0.946 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 0.946 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 0.946 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 0.946 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 0.946 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 0.946 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 0.946 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 0.946 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 0.688 | -27.3% |
| 2011 | 0.617 | -10.3% |
| 2012 | 0.602 | -2.4% |
| 2013 | 0.589 | -2.2% |
| 2014 | 0.553 | -6.1% |
| 2015 | 0.521 | -5.8% |
| 2016 | 0.526 | +1.0% |
| 2017 | 0.475 | -9.7% |
| 2018 | 0.447 | -5.9% |
| 2019 | 0.417 | -6.7% |
| 2020 | 0.37 | -11.3% |
| 2021 | 0.354 | -4.3% |
| 2022 | 0.327 | -7.6% |
| 2023 | 0.322 | -1.5% |
| 2024 | 0.304 | -5.6% |
| 2025 | 0.299 | -1.6% |
Hungary compared with similar countries
- Hungary's 0.299 is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.847, 35% of the median. (55 countries reporting)
- Hungary's 0.299 is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.7865, 38% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 0.401 | 0.345 | 0.457 | 2 |
| 1920s | 0.3818 | 0.361 | 0.388 | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.3792 | 0.351 | 0.388 | 10 |
| 1940s | 0.1709 | 0.03 | 0.417 | 10 |
| 1950s | 0.0348 | 0.023 | 0.041 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.1301 | 0.086 | 0.147 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.163 | 0.163 | 0.163 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.2156 | 0.206 | 0.262 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.946 | 0.946 | 0.946 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.946 | 0.946 | 0.946 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.5435 | 0.417 | 0.688 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.3293 | 0.299 | 0.37 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Hungary
More social development data for Hungary
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 71,332 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 2,055 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 3 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 3 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0002 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 2,055 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0075 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is academic freedom index in Hungary?
- Academic freedom index in Hungary was 0.299 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest academic freedom index recorded in Hungary?
- The highest recorded value was 0.946 in 1990.
- What is the lowest academic freedom index recorded in Hungary?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.023 in 1950.
- How does Hungary rank for academic freedom index?
- Hungary ranks 125th out of 174 countries with data for 2025.
- Is academic freedom index rising or falling in Hungary?
- Over the last ten years it is down 42.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Hungary data come from?
- The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Academic Freedom Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 108 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Central estimate of the extent to which academics can research, teach, publish, express opinions, and participate in academic bodies without interference, censorship, or institutional restrictions, and universities exercise institutional autonomy.