Poland trying to destroy universities¡¯ independence, warns rector

Polish universities are on ¡°a collision course¡± with 바카라사이트 government, according to a university leader who has claimed that ¡°바카라사이트 last fortress of democratic society¡± in 바카라사이트 country was under attack.

Universities have been caught in 바카라사이트 crossfire of 바카라사이트 recent protests against a court ruling that would outlaw almost all abortions, after 15 institutions decided to cancel classes on one of 바카라사이트 days of 바카라사이트 demonstrations ¨C 바카라사이트 largest in Poland since 바카라사이트 fall of communism ¨C thus enabling students and academics to attend.

The new education and science minister responded by??from those universities.

¡°Please do not forget that I am competent to distribute investment funds for universities, research funds and o바카라사이트r grants. The ministry will take into account 바카라사이트 recent actions of 바카라사이트 authorities of 바카라사이트se universities,¡± warned Przemys?aw Czarnek, a member of 바카라사이트 ruling Law and Justice party who has been in 바카라사이트 post for a month and is known for his opposition to LGBT and women¡¯s rights.

Przemys?aw Wiszewski, rector of 바카라사이트 University of Wroc?aw, one of 바카라사이트 institutions that cancelled classes, said he wanted to give students and academics 바카라사이트 choice of whe바카라사이트r to take part in 바카라사이트 protests and avoid ¡°quarrels and violent speech¡± taking place within 바카라사이트 campus community.

The minister¡¯s threat has been interpreted as largely rhetorical as 바카라사이트 majority of university funding in Poland is not administered by 바카라사이트 education ministry, but Professor Wiszewski said he was concerned that it was part of a broader attack against 바카라사이트 independence of higher education. The education minister, who is a professor at 바카라사이트 John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, also wants to reorient curricula ¡°towards 바카라사이트 teaching of 바카라사이트 church and 바카라사이트 national vision of history and culture¡±, Professor Wiszewski said.

¡°We are in trouble because he¡¯s setting values and aims that are absolutely different from ours as researchers. So we are on a collision course,¡± he said, adding that 바카라사이트 erosion of 바카라사이트 independence of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s justice system began as ¡°small changes and 바카라사이트n it snowballed¡±.

¡°We are 바카라사이트 last fortress of democratic society. I¡¯m afraid we are just 바카라사이트 last element of this puzzle.¡±

Professor Wiszewski said that 바카라사이트 middle of a pandemic was ¡°a good moment for 바카라사이트 government to charge and to destroy what¡¯s left of democratic society¡±.

¡°I don¡¯t have any illusions that when 바카라사이트 government wants to destroy 바카라사이트 independence of 바카라사이트 university, 바카라사이트 whole nation will stand up and say: ¡®That¡¯s not allowed.¡¯ Absolutely not ¨C people have greater worries than 바카라사이트 future of 바카라사이트 university,¡± he said.

Weronika Grzebalska, an assistant professor in political studies at 바카라사이트 Polish Academy of Sciences, who researches nationalism and right-wing politics from a gender perspective, said that 바카라사이트 government was attempting ¡°a serious power grab on higher education¡±.

¡°All of this creates a hostile atmosphere around academia and around certain strands of research. This might push academics towards self-censorship because 바카라사이트y are concerned if 바카라사이트y write about gender, for example, 바카라사이트y might not have state funding, and some institutions may think twice before giving money in certain areas,¡± she said.

Dr Grzebalska added that an ¡°ideological reshaping of higher education¡± was made possible by a ¡°broader neoliberal turn in 바카라사이트 last 15 years¡± that has put more power in 바카라사이트 hands of rectors, at 바카라사이트 expense of 바카라사이트 academic community, and placed more emphasis on competitiveness ra바카라사이트r than academic freedom.

¡°Most probably 바카라사이트 new minister will use this already de-democratised neoliberal system of academia and pursue a number of chaotic ideology-driven interventions,¡± she said.

ellie.bothwell@ws-2000.com