03 - Poland - Specific Legislative Framework

Legislation concerning colleges (teacher training colleges, foreign language teacher training colleges and colleges of social work) which are classified as ISCED 5B institutions for international comparisons, but are not recognised as HEIs in the national legislation

• Act on the Education System of 7 September 1991, as amended
• Regulation of the Minister of National Education of 12 August 1997 on initial teacher training institutions, as amended,
• Regulation of the Minister of Social Policy of 24 March 2005 on colleges of social work,
• Regulation of the Minister of National Education of 30 June 2006 on the programme requirements for initial teacher training in teacher training colleges and foreign language teacher training colleges,
• Regulation of the Minister of Social Policy of 7 April 2005 on the programme requirements for initial training in colleges of social work.

The Act on the Education System of 7 September 1991 covers initial education below the higher education level (school education) and continuing or adult education. It applies to both public and non-public schools and other educational/training establishments. The Act includes provisions regulating the following matters: types of establishments forming part of the education system below the higher education level; responsibilities of central and local government bodies as regards the management of education; specific responsibilities of central and regional educational authorities; bodies representing social partners in the school education system; arrangements for pre-primary education, full-time and part-time compulsory education; management and financing of public schools and other public establishments; organisation of education in public schools and other public establishments; procedures for the establishment of non-public schools and other non-public establishments, and basic arrangements for their functioning; general arrangements concerning initial and in-service teacher training institutions; and general arrangements concerning education of non-nationals in Poland. Detailed arrangements are laid down in regulations adopted by the minister responsible for school education on the basis of this Act.

The Regulation of the Minister of National Education of 12 August 1997 on initial teacher training institutions applies to public and non-public teacher training colleges and foreign language teacher training colleges. The Regulation defines the types of teachers trained in colleges, and procedures for the establishment and liquidation of public and non-public colleges and programmes offered in colleges. It lays down arrangements concerning pedagogical supervision over colleges exercised by the educational authorities and academic supervision exercised over a given college by a HEI, the internal organisation of colleges and the provision of education in colleges.

The Regulation of the Minister of Social Policy of 24 March 2005 on colleges of social work applies to public and non-public colleges of social work. The Regulation defines the areas in which colleges provide their programmes and courses, and procedures for the establishment and liquidation of public and non-public colleges and programmes offered by colleges. It lays down arrangements concerning the internal organisation of colleges and the provision of education in colleges, pedagogical supervision over colleges exercised by the educational authorities and academic supervision exercised over a given college by a HEI.

The Regulations of the Minister of Social Policy of 7 April 2005 and of the Minister of National Education of 30 June 2006 on the programme requirements for training in colleges of social work and in teacher training colleges and foreign language teacher training colleges, respectively, lay down “national standards” for programmes to be offered by colleges. Both Regulations specify the duration of programmes, groups of courses (subjects) to be taught, the minimum course load and general curricular contents, the scope and duration of practical placements, and the profile of graduates. The requirements provide a basis for the development of curricula to be implemented in colleges.

Legislation concerning higher education:

• Article 70 of the Constitution of the Republic of Poland
• Act of 27 July 2005 – The Law on Higher Education
• Main regulations adopted by the minister responsible for higher education :
• Regulation of the Minister of Science and Higher Education of 12 July 2007 on the degree programme requirements for individual fields of study and levels of study, and on the procedure for the establishment of interdisciplinary degree programmes and degree programmes in macro-fields of study and the requirements to be fulfilled by higher education institutions in order to provide such programmes;
• Regulation of the Minister of Science and Higher Education of 19 December 2006 on doctoral programmes provided by organisational units of higher education institutions;
• Regulation of the Minister of Science and Higher Education of 3 October 2006 on the requirements and procedures for the transfer of student achievements;
• Regulation of the Minister of Science and Higher Education of 27 July 2006 on the requirements to be fulfilled by organisational units of higher education institutions in order to provide degree programmes in a given field and at a given level of study;
• Regulation of the Minister of Science and Higher Education of 13 June 2006 on the names of fields of study;
• Regulation of the Minister of National Education and Sport of 23 July 2004 on the types of diplomas, degrees and specimens of diplomas awarded by higher education institutions;
• Act of 8 October 2004 on the Rules for Financing Research
• Act of 14 March 2003 on Academic Degrees and Title and on Degrees and Title in Art
• Act of 17 July 1998 on Loans and Credits for Students

The Law on Higher Education of 27 July 2005 (LoHE) repealed the Higher Education Act of 12 September 1990, the Act on Schools of Higher Vocational Education of 26 June 1997, and the Act on Military Higher Education of 31 March 1965. It applies to public and non-public HEIs; it does not apply to HEIs and higher education seminaries administered by churches and denominational organisations, except the Catholic University of Lublin, unless the LoHE or an agreement between the Government and the authorities of churches or denominational organisations provides otherwise. The LoHE defines: 1) the basic terms used in HE, including higher education institution (HEI), public and non-public HEI, university-type and non-university HEI, degrees, first-cycle, second-cycle and third-cycle programmes, non-degree postgraduate programmes, full-time and part-time programmes, field and macro-field of study, interdisciplinary programmes, etc.; 2) the requirements to be fulfilled by HEIs in order to use the terms “university”, “technical university”, “polytechnic university”, “university and another adjective” and “academy” in their names; 3) basic tasks of HEIs. It specifies the main national-level institutions and bodies in the higher education system (the General Council for Higher Education, the State Accreditation Committee and Rectors’ Conferences) together with their main responsibilities and general organisational arrangements. It lays down arrangements concerning the establishment and liquidation of public and non-public HEIs; supervision over HEIs; international co-operation of HEIs in the area of education and research; system of governance of HEIs; the internal structure of HEIs; their property and finances; employees of HEIs; the organisation of degree programmes and doctoral programmes; rights and duties of students and doctoral students; financial support for students and doctoral students; student and doctoral student self-government bodies; and order and security on the premises of HEIs. For major changes introduced by the LoHE.

The Regulation of the Minister of Science and Higher Education of 12 July 2007 on the degree programme requirements for individual fields of study and levels of study lays down the requirements for degree programmes (first-cycle, second-cycle and, where applicable, long-cycle programmes) in all 118 existing fields of study and general guidelines for the development of curricula to ensure high quality of education, as well as arrangements concerning the establishment and provision of interdisciplinary degree programmes and degree programmes in macro-fields of study by higher education institutions. It entered into force on 1 October 2007; HEIs are required to respect the new requirements as from the first year of a degree programme, but may also introduce relevant changes in curricula for higher years in degree programmes at their own discretion.

The Regulation of the Minister of Science and Higher Education of 19 December 2006 on doctoral programmes provided by organisational units of higher education institutions lays down the requirements and procedures for the establishment and provision of doctoral programmes, and the procedures, requirements and criteria for the award of doctoral scholarships and other types of financial support for doctoral students.

The Regulation of the Minister of Science and Higher Education of 3 October 2006 on the requirements and procedures for the transfer of student achievements, which entered into force on 1 January 2007, obliges all HEIs to introduce ECTS as a credit transfer and accumulation system in their Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes. In accordance with the Regulation, one ECTS credit corresponds to 25-30 hours of workload, and the number of credits to be allocated to one semester and one academic year is 27-33 and at least 60 respectively. The credit ranges for degree programmes are as follows: 180-240 credits for first-cycle programmes, 90-120 for second-cycle programmes, and 270-360 for long-cycle programmes.

The Regulation of the Minister of Science and Higher Education of 27 July 2006 on the requirements to be fulfilled by organisational units of higher education institutions in order to provide degree programmes in a given field and at a given level of study defines detailed requirements, including minimum staff resources, for the provision of first-cycle, second-cycle and long-cycle programmes in individual fields or groups of fields of study.

The Regulation of the Minister of Science and Higher Education of 13 June 2006 on the names of fields of study defines the names of all 118 fields of study in which degree programmes may be offered (see: a list in section 6.10.2 – Branches of Study). Moreover, it obliges all HEIs to replace long-cycle programmes in 101 fields of study with two-cycle programmes; only two-cycle programmes may be launched in these fields as of the academic year 2007/08.

The Regulation of the Minister of National Education and Sport of 23 July 2004 on the types of diplomas, degrees and specimens of diplomas awarded by higher education institutions defines degrees to be awarded upon completion of Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes in specific fields or groups of fields of study, and lays down HE diploma specimens for each type of degree programme. This Regulation also provides a basis for the issue of the Diploma Supplement which is an integral part of a higher education diploma.

The Act of 8 October 2004 on the Rules of Financing Research lays down the rules for financing R&D and other research-related activities from the State budget and other sources, and the rules for HEIs applying for funds to finance their statutory research and in-house research. The Act also abolished the State Research Committee.

The Act of 14 March 2003 on Academic Degrees and Title and on Degrees and Title in Art defines the terms “academic degrees” and “academic title”, the rules for awarding academic degrees and titles, the powers of the State Commission for Academic Degrees, and the framework for doctoral studies in research institutions other than HEIs. The academic degrees are the degrees of doktor (doctoral degree) and doktor habilitowany (postdoctoral degree) in a given area of science, and doktor sztukiand doktor habilitowany sztukiin an artistic discipline respectively. The academic title is the title of profesor in a given area of science or the title of profesor sztukiin an artistic discipline. The academic degrees of doktor and doktor habilitowany are awarded by authorised organisational units of research institutions, including HEIs. Such authorisations are granted by the State Commission for Academic Degrees (attached to the Prime Minister's office), on the basis of an opinion given by the General Council for Higher Education in the case of HEIs. The title of professor is conferred by the President of Poland upon a request from the State Commission for Academic Degrees.

The Act of 17 July 1998 on Loans and Credits for Students defines the rules for organisation, financing, granting and paying loans and credits for students enrolled on degree and doctoral programmes. Credits are a form of refundable financial support offered in addition to non-refundable support.

Institutions:

Conference of Rectors of Academic Schools In Poland
Uniwersytet Jagielloński ul. Straszewskiego 27 31-113 Kraków
Tel. +48 (12) 421 82 90
Fax:+48 (12) 421 82 90
Website: http://www.krasp.org.pl

General Council of Higher Education
00-918 Warszawa, Al. Szucha 25
Tel. +48 (22) 628 04 61
Website: http://www.rgsw.edu.pl

Ministry of Science and Higher Education
ul. Wspólna 1/3 00-529 Warszawa 53
Tel. +48 (22)-529-27-18
Website: http://www.mnisw.gov.pl

Ministry of National Education
00-918 Warszawa, Al. Szucha 25
Tel. +48 (22) 628 69 53
Fax:+48 (22) 628 69 53
Website: http://www.men.gov.pl

State Commission for Academic Degrees
00-901 Warszawa, Plac Defilad 1 Pałac Kultury i Nauki, p. XXIV, pokój 2401
Tel. +48 (22) 826 82 38
Fax:+48 (22) 620 33 24

The State Accreditation Committee
ul. Żurawia 32/34 00-515 Warszawa
Tel. +48 (22) 622 07 18

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