1. Name of the higher education vocational training:

• Buddhist Lifestyle Advisor Assistant Higher Education Vocational Training

2. Qualification level attainable in the programme and the designation of the professional qualification as stated on the diploma

• Qualification level: QF-EHEA Short-Cycle Higher Education, FOSZK
• EKKR, MKKR: 5. level
• ISCED 554; if the student has not completed it: ISCED 551
• professional qualification: Buddhist Lifestyle Advisor Assistant
• English designation of the professional qualification: Buddhist Lifestyle Advisor Assistant

3. Field of study

• MAB/OH: theology
• KEOR 2018; 022 humanities, 0221 religious studies and theology
• ISCO/ESCO: 3413 religious assistant
• FEOR: 3730 other religious occupations

4. Duration of the programme:

• 4 semesters

5. Number of credits to be accumulated for obtaining the higher education vocational qualification:

• 120 ECTS
• Programme orientation: highly practice-oriented (70–80 percent).
• Number of credits to be recognized toward further study within the field: at least 60 ECTS.
• Duration of the continuous traineeship in full-time training: one semester.

6. The aim of the higher education vocational training:

The aim of the higher education vocational training is to train well-prepared Buddhist Lifestyle Advisor Assistants at higher-education level who, for the establishment and maintenance of a Buddhist-oriented lifestyle, provide religious education, spiritual guidance, and moral support to individuals and communities, under the supervision of a certified or bachelor’s-qualified Buddhist teacher. They support the work of Buddhist teachers and meditation specialists, and they take part in organizing religious activities and ceremonies as well as in counselling.

7. Professional competencies to be acquired

7.1. Knowledge:

• They possess a sufficient understanding of Buddhist philosophy and religious history, as well as the key theories and interpretative frameworks of Buddhist studies, necessary for establishing and maintaining a Buddhist lifestyle.
• They are familiar with the specialized terminology of Buddhism to the extent required for developing and sustaining a Buddhist lifestyle.
• Are familiar with the forms of Buddhist religious services.
• Their theoretical and practical knowledge is organized into a structured system.
• They acquire the methods of knowledge acquisition and problem-solving related to the main theories of the field (historical, exegetical, and meditative approaches in religion and philosophy).
• They have a solid understanding of the practical methods and tools necessary for the long-term and high-level practice of the role of Buddhist Lifestyle Advisor Assistant.

7.2. Abilities:

• They perform tasks appropriate to their professional qualifications.
• Takes part in organizing services: retreats, camps, Dharma lectures, charitable events, educational and cultural programmes, life-event ceremonies, sangha ceremonies; welcoming monks and visiting groups; preparing methodological materials, organizing and distributing publications.
• Able to provide Buddhist-based lifestyle development counselling.
• Capable of developing meditation and yoga awareness.
• They understand and utilize both online and printed literature in their field in Hungarian.
• They possess knowledge of effective information retrieval and processing related to their area of expertise.
• They have the necessary digital competencies (Word, Excel, PPT) to create the most important text types in Buddhist studies (such as teachings, educational articles, and academic papers) and to illustrate professional presentations.
• They plan and solve the tasks of their profession by selecting, individually and comprehensively applying, the necessary methods and tools.
• Their native and foreign language communication skills enable them to collaborate professionally.
• They develop their knowledge by applying various learning and self-development methods and can effectively use the latest information and communication tools.
• They recognize the connection between their personal growth and serving the common good.
• They are capable of lifelong learning, planning, and organizing their independent training while utilizing the widest possible range of ever-evolving and accessible resources.

7.3. Attitude:

• They approach contemporary society, its moral, intellectual, and historical phenomena, problems, and challenges, as well as everyday human conflicts, with the three attitudes of the Buddha-Dharma (Teaching): wisdom, virtue, and meditation.
• With knowledge of traditional Buddhist practices (meditation, yoga, qigong), they integrate a health-conscious mindset and lifestyle into their daily lives.
• They are open to authentically conveying and transmitting the comprehensive thinking and fundamental practical aspects of Buddhism, as well as to learning about, accepting, and accurately communicating professional and technological advancements and innovations in their field.
• They strive to solve problems independently or, if their abilities and knowledge are insufficient, in collaboration with others. They are open to professional cooperation with experts from related but different fields.
• They are committed to continuous self-education, self-awareness, and deepening their understanding of themselves.
• They practice self-criticism regarding their own work.
• They accept and authentically represent the social role and values of their profession.
• Even in new and unexpected situations, they make decisions with full consideration of legal regulations and ethical standards.

7.4. Autonomy and responsibilities:

• They act responsibly in the interpretation of Buddhism and the transmission of its teachings.
• They lead their life according to Buddhist ethics and spiritual attitudes, serving as an example to others.
• Through their meditation practice, they achieve a deep understanding and direct experience of what they have learned, allowing them to approach others with openness and a willingness to help.
• They perform their work independently while maintaining continuous self-monitoring.
• They take responsibility for their own work as well as for the performance, results, and shortcomings of the professional group they lead.
• They possess a level of responsibility appropriate to their qualifications and reflect on the consequences of their actions.

8. Modules of the higher education vocational training and their credit values:

With regard to the characteristics of the qualification level attainable in the higher education vocational training

• common module for the field of study: 30 ECTS,
• the vocational training module: 90 ECTS, including 30 ECTS of continuous traineeship.

9. Major areas of knowledge:

9.1. Common module (10-15 ECTS):

• Fundamentals of psychology, economics, and counselling
• Buddhist lifestyle
• Lifestyle text reading

9.2. Core curriculum of the vocational training module (50–70 ECTS):

• Buddhist philosophy
• Buddhist meditation
• Buddhist retreat
• Buddhist practice
• Movement-based meditation
• Applied Buddhism
• The theory of meditation
• Buddhist ethics

9.3. Vocational training module traineeship (25–35 ECTS)

9.4. Thesis consultation (2–4 ECTS):

10. Other knowledge to be acquired

10.1. Labour market fundamentals: self-management, employment law, job seeking, entrepreneurship

10.2. Foreign Language Competence: basic communication in writing and speaking, foundations of technical language

10.3. Financial and IT fundamentals: digital literacy at ECDL level, basic financial concepts and their application

10.4. Communication competencies: technical language use, reasoning, negotiation techniques

11. Criteria for the continuous traineeship component of the higher education vocational training

Traineeship placements are designated by the higher education institution, in line with the programme’s quality principles. Traineeship must be carried out at an external site (Buddhist communities, retreat centres).

12. Other provisions relevant to the programme

Based on the special provisions of Act CCIV of 2011 on National Higher Education concerning ecclesiastical higher education institutions, the content of the programme is determined by the ecclesiastical legal entity.

Updated: May 29, 2025