The Plenary Assembly of the Conference of Rectors of Academic Schools in Poland (CRASP) began on 26 October at the Faculty of Law and Administration of the University of Lodz with a meeting of the Presidium of CRASP. The first internal session of the Assembly was also held there. On the second day, the conference moved to the Alchemium building at the Faculty of Chemistry of the Lodz University of Technology. The Assembly was co-hosted, apart from the University of Lodz and the Lodz University of Technology, by other universities associated in the Lodz Academic Partnership – Medical University of Lodz, the Strzemiński Academy of Fine Arts Łódź, the Grazyna and Kiejstut Bacewicz University of Music in Lodz and the Film School in Lodz.
Photo report of the first day of the CRASP meeting in Lodz
A strong and separate ministry of science and higher education
The unanimous adoption of the Resolution on the place of science and higher education in Poland was the most important event of the second main day of the Assembly (27 October 2023).
The Conference of Rectors of Academic Schools in Poland calls for the creation of a strong and separate ministry responsible for science and higher education, equipped with financial tools to develop scientific research and implement its results into the economy.
The potential of the academic community is an indispensable base for the development of the national economy and building a high international position of our country
– we read in the document signed by Prof. Arkadiusz Mężyk, President of CRASP.
Deputy Minister on pay rises
On the second day of the meeting, the participants of the Assembly and distinguished guests of CRASP were welcomed by the President of CRASP, Prof. Arkadiusz Mężyk, and then – as the host – by the Rector of the Lodz University of Technology, Prof. Dr hab. inż. Krzysztof Jóźwik, who invited the participants to watch an informative film about the Lodz University of Technology The discussions of the Plenary Assembly of CRASP, held for the first time within the walls of the University of Lodz and Lodz University of Technology, were traditionally dominated by the current problems of education and science in Poland.
The meeting began with a speech by the Deputy Minister of Education and Science, Wojciech Murdzek, who spoke, among other things, about the need for the government to provide funds for increased remuneration of researchers (a Regulation on increasing the minimum basic salary of a Professor by 30 percent from 1 January), and about the importance of promoting Polish science and its innovation. He also encouraged discussion on evaluation and its improvement. Pointing to the specific moment (changes in the country after the elections), he also referred to the challenges facing the new government in terms of science and higher education.
Report "Nauka i szkolnictwo wyższe a PKB" [Science and higher education and GDP]
The audience applauded the speech by Prof. Dr hab. Inż. Celina Olszak, Rector of the University of Economics in Katowice in which she outlined the content and conclusions of the report prepared by five Polish economic universities entitled "Nauka i szkolnictwo wyższe a PKB". It shows, among other things, that without conducting reliable research and higher education we will not have a pro-development economy. Expenditure on research affects the growth of GDP - each zloty invested in it gives 8 to 13 PLN higher GDP. The effectiveness of public expenditure on research and development works is definitely higher than the total public expenditure. Cities with significant academic centres develop up to 30 per cent faster than others, meanwhile, salaries in the group of academic teachers (an analysis of data from 2004-2023) have been falling relatively quickly, and in recent years they have been falling more and more rapidly.
University endowment, evaluation and micro-credentials
Prof. Dr hab. Alojzy Z. Nowak, Rector of the University of Warsaw, talked about the benefits of creating an endowment capital by Polish universities – a fund the revenues of which can be used to finance part of the university's current operations, e.g. to support the development of science, co-finance research, co-finance scholarships for students, doctoral students and university employees. He discussed it using the example of the best Western universities (Stanford, Harvard), which have been creating endowment capital for years.
Conclusions of the completed evaluation were presented by the Rector of the University of Lodz, Prof. Elżbieta Żądzińska. She spoke about the need for corrections in the current evaluation period and the need to introduce changes in evaluation in the period starting in 2026, which have already been discussed by the academic community.
The picture of the quality of scientific research conducted as part of the evaluation does not sufficiently reflect the position of individual academic centres in the international arena
– this is how Prof. Elżbieta Żądzińska justified this need.
The discussions ended with the so-called host's session, during which extremely interesting speeches on micro-credentials were given. Rector of the Lodz University of Technology, Prof. Dr hab. inż Krzysztof Jóźwik pointed to the need to introduce them into the educational system of Polish universities. The University of Lodz Vice-Rector for International Relations, Prof. Dr hab.Łukasz Bogucki discussed the issue of introducing micro-credentials presenting how it has been done at the University College Cork (together with the University of Lodz and other universities, it is a member of the UNIC alliance of universities).
There may be some legal problems in the Polish education system, but they are not barriers. Micro-courses, micro-credentials are an opportunity for universities. We must note that there are people who want to learn, but not necessarily in MA studies
– Prof. Dr hab. inż. Krzysztof Jóźwik said about the importance of the urgent introduction of micro-credentials.
During the Plenary Assembly, the presentation of the Education Excellence Certificates awarded by the Polish Accreditation Committee to the faculties at Polish universities that meet the requirements of PAC took place. They were presented by the Secretary of PAC, Dr hab. Marta Próchnicka, Associate Professor at the Jagiellonian University.
IOther speeches during the CRASP Plenary Assembly in Lodz concerned the following issues: support for Ukraine (further assistance from Polish universities and the idea of international campuses), IT systems supporting Polish science digitally and information platforms promoting universities (National Information Processing Institute – Polish Research Institute) and the Łukasiewicz Research Network and how it imagines cooperation with universities (President Andrzej Dybczyński).
Source and edit: Marcin Kowalczyk, Communications and PR Centre, University of Lodz
Photos: Jacek Szabela (Lodz University of Technology), Bartosz Kałużny (Communications and PR Centre, University of Lodz), Maciej Andrzejewski (Communications and PR Centre, University of Lodz)