Article
Photo by Anna Zarzycka, AGH University KSAF
The Minister of Science, Dariusz Wieczorek, has met with the academic environment of the Małopolska region, namely the university rectors and student representatives. The meeting was held on 6 May 2024 in the AGH University main hall.
“We want the representatives of public and private universities to communicate and cooperate with each other. There is a lot of challenges and planned changes ahead of us today. Cooperation is particularly important in the fight for the Polish science and more resources for research and development. Unless we have a common voice from the academic community, we will not succeed. This year, we have increased the R&D budget by 22%, but it still constitutes only 1.1% of the GDP. Funds should be spent with effectiveness in mind and not to make an impression,” said Dariusz Wieczorek.
In the discussion between the Minister of Science and the authorities of almost 30 universities from the region, a range of important issues concerning higher education has been raised, such as the quality of education, research and infrastructure funding, evaluation process, list of journals, university consolidation process, research promotion.
In turn, representatives from the environment of students and doctoral students discussed issues concerning the funding of young researchers’ studies, scholarship system, including social scholarships, housing infrastructure (construction of new halls of residence and modernisation of old ones), and psychological support, as well as dilemmas concerning the use of artificial intelligence.
The need to amend the Act on Higher Education was also a major topic of the meeting.
“After visiting over a half of regions in Poland, we are aware of the need for introducing amendments to the Act on Higher Education. We should take advantage of this moment and implement solutions which will focus on the quality of student education in Poland.”
Among the most significant topics requiring particular attention as regards the changes necessary in higher education legislation, the Minister mentioned matters related to the quality of education, non-degree postgraduate programmes, the election of rectors, the flexibility of scholarships, and raising the status of doctoral students.
The Minister’s visit in Krakow took place as part of a series of meetings with the Polish academic environment, held by Dariusz Wieczorek since taking the office.
Photo by Anna Zarzycka, AGH University KSAF
Photo by Anna Zarzycka, AGH University KSAF
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