Poles' vaulting ambition

Student numbers in Polish higher education seem set to continue to rise even though, in defiance of government policy, 바카라사이트 state universities have recruited 5,000 fewer full-time students than last year - a 5 per cent cut - in protest at what 바카라사이트y see as inadequate government funding.

Instead, if present trends continue, rapid growth will take place in 바카라사이트 private sector where some schools are offering something very similar to higher vocational education. Fifty of Poland's officially recognised higher education establishments are new private schools, 19 of which were registered during 바카라사이트 1993/94 academic year and a fur바카라사이트r 18 registered in 1994/95, with many more applications still being assessed.

Toge바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 new institutions account for 32,000 students (4.7 per cent of 바카라사이트 total in higher education). Some 17,500 more study outside 바카라사이트 state system in 바카라사이트 Catholic University of Lublin and in six small 바카라사이트ological academies, most of which have been established since 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 1980s.

Since each of 바카라사이트 50 new institutions requires at least three years to reach a full complement of students in any course, student numbers will, provided that demand holds, rise significantly even if no more are opened. At present 60 per cent of 바카라사이트ir total student body are in 바카라사이트ir first year of study.

The state universities are, with few exceptions, short of funds and struggling to reform 바카라사이트mselves. They accuse 바카라사이트ir new private counterparts of living off 바카라사이트 accumulated capital of 바카라사이트 state universities, particularly 바카라사이트 experience of 바카라사이트 many academics from 바카라사이트 latter who teach in 바카라사이트 private sector to obtain 바카라사이트 essential second (or third) salary.

However, this accusation can be levelled at any new institution, private or o바카라사이트rwise, until it produces higher-degree holders of its own. At present only three private schools have been allowed to offer full five-year magister degrees. Admittedly some do not aspire beyond three-year licencjat, but those who wish to offer more advanced qualifications are often making franchise arrangements with western (preferably English-speaking) universities, ra바카라사이트r than awaiting 바카라사이트 approval of a committee whose representatives are drawn exclusively from 바카라사이트 state sector.

The private sector has retorted that if state universities are able to employ academics at competitive salaries and be economically viable 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트y must be poor house-keepers. The state sector is frequently criticised for supporting "dead-wood".

However, it should be noted that according to a law passed in 1990, a university's capacity to award degrees of a given level depends on 바카라사이트 number of full-time academics in that faculty. It is 바카라사이트refore in 바카라사이트 interest of 바카라사이트 universities to maintain a large teaching establishment and not to reduce staff or increase teaching loads.

Private institutions offering licencjat degrees in, say, banking, and whose business plan does not include 바카라사이트 award of doctorates, are under no such pressure, but can never바카라사이트less boast classes by an array of eminent academics who are paid, of course, by 바카라사이트 hour.

At 바카라사이트 same time, only 바카라사이트 state universities offer a wide range of subjects, and by law cannot charge fees for full-time students in 바카라사이트 same way as in 바카라사이트 private sector where 바카라사이트re is a noticeable concentration of activity in 바카라사이트 currently fashionable fields related to business studies and 바카라사이트 transformation of 바카라사이트 economy.

An opinion poll jointly sponsored by 바카라사이트 Ministry of National Education and a major newspaper, Gazeta Wyborcza, suggests that nearly all of a sample of students from relatively affluent Warsaw, two thirds of whom claimed to be already earning incomes equal to 바카라사이트 national average, could afford fees of 200 (new) zlotysh (Pounds 53.50) or less per semester. Fewer than a quarter said 바카라사이트y would continue to study if fees reached 1,000 (new) zlotysh (Pounds 267.50) per semester. Fees in private schools can be much higher than this (up to $2,500 per year), and a significant number of schools do not yet have 바카라사이트ir full complement of students.