Higher Education

The key Act governing higher education is the Law on Higher Education and Science of 2018. It covers all main areas of higher education and research activity, including the establishment and liquidation of HEIs; extent of autonomy, types and tasks of HEIs; governance and funding; types of programmes and certification; rights and responsibilities of students, doctoral students and academic staff; financial support for students and doctoral students; qualification requirements and employment conditions for academic staff; student and doctoral student self-government bodies; commercialisation of research output and know-how; award of doctoral and post-doctoral degrees and professorial titles; quality evaluation of programmes, doctoral schools and research activity; access for foreign nationals to higher education and research activity; and national-level bodies within the higher education and science system. Regulations of the minister responsible for higher education define, for example, areas of knowledge, fields of science and arts, and scientific and artistic disciplines in which HEIs provide degree programmes; general requirements for the provision of degree programmes and curriculum design; and national standards for degree programmes for regulated professions.

There is no single Act of Parliament for adult education as a whole. Relevant provisions are included mainly in the legislation on school education and higher education. Regulations of the minister responsible for higher education address selected aspects such as continuing education in non-school settings, accreditation of institutions providing continuing education in non-school settings, and outline statutes for public institutions providing continuing education.

1.2. Policy Documents and Measures

The Strategy for Responsible Development 2017–2020 (with a 2030 perspective) sets an overall framework for Poland’s social and economic development and identifies education among its key elements. The main areas for intervention in the field of education include: changing the structure of the school education system to ensure equality of opportunities and high quality, and increasing the flexibility of the vocational education system (see Chapter 1.3); adapting vocational education and higher education to the needs of the economy (greater external stakeholder involvement; revised curricula responding to labour market needs and developing practical skills); ensuring the development of higher education towards excellence in science; the upskilling of teaching and non-teaching

staff in educational institutions; and supporting the third mission of higher education, with arrangements facilitating the validation of learning outcomes (LOs) for adults.

Objectives: Measures:

Stimulating creativity and innovation at all levels of education:

Integrating the national qualifications system:

Increasing participation rates in early childhood education and care (ECEC):

Adapting education and training to labour market and social needs:

Introducing a new approach to adult learning based on the recognition of the value of learning in the workplace and as part of structured social engagement:

School and higher education reforms: curricula based on LOs, drawn up since 2009, with emphasis on active learning and problem-solving.

Establishment of the PQF in 2016.

Government programme extending the range and improving the quality of ECEC provision, implemented since 2008.

Revised classification of occupations, redefined qualifications for each occupation and related changes in vocational exams; structural reforms (see Chapter 1.3); modernised core curricula for vocational education (LOs; more robust component developing key competences); practically-oriented vs academically-oriented programmes introduced in higher education; and greater flexibility in continuing education through wider use of non-school settings.

Mechanisms for the validation of non-formal and informal learning introduced as part of vocational exams and in higher education; National Training Fund established in 2014 to support employers investing in continuing education of their employees; trilateral agreements (between a labour office, employer and training institution) introduced for the training of adult learners; programmes for seniors launched.