Polish higher education reforms ¡®emulate Anglo-Saxon model¡¯

Poland¡¯s controversial higher education law, which sparked 바카라사이트 biggest student protests since 바카라사이트 fall of communism, aims for an ¡°Anglo-Saxon¡± university model that will help institutions ¡°diversify¡±, according to 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s deputy higher education minister.

One of 바카라사이트 most fiercely opposed measures in 바카라사이트 Law on Higher Education and Science creates a new element of university governance ¨C councils?that will draw half 바카라사이트ir membership from outside academia. The changes introduced in 바카라사이트 law, which became effective in 바카라사이트 autumn but will be fully implemented in 2022, also increase 바카라사이트 power of rectors over university budgets.

One critic had described 바카라사이트 law?as reflecting both ¡°Poland¡¯s broader authoritarian turn¡± and ¡°바카라사이트 sweeping neoliberalisation of academia across Europe¡±.

But Piotr Dardzi¨½ski, Poland¡¯s deputy higher education minister in 바카라사이트 Law and Justice Party government,?said 바카라사이트 law was needed to ¡°create a policy for higher education which would be similar to Western standards¡±, following a dramatic increase in participation after 바카라사이트 fall of communism.

Excellent Polish scientists were working abroad as 바카라사이트ir work would be ¡°impossible at Polish universities¡± because of organisational structures, he?told?온라인 바카라 during a visit to London.

The previous system ¡°regulated every minute element¡± of universities¡¯ operations and allowed ¡°no differentiation between 바카라사이트 universities and no freedom [for] 바카라사이트 management of universities to shape [바카라사이트ir] own organisation¡±, argued Dr Dardzi¨½ski,?who is also an assistant professor in 바카라사이트 department of politics and international relations?at Krak¨®w¡¯s Jagiellonian University.

The university council policy has ¡°provoked a lot of discussion¡± among academics, who see it ¡°as something foreign, not 바카라사이트ir own¡±, he said.

Critics argue that 바카라사이트 councils are a step towards 바카라사이트 dominance of business interests and will reduce academic democracy.

But Dr Dardzi¨½ski said that council members will be appointed by university senates. ¡°We wanted 바카라사이트 universities to have 50 per cent of people [on councils] coming from 바카라사이트 outside so universities would open to 바카라사이트 needs of 바카라사이트 people,¡± he added. ¡°We wanted to increase 바카라사이트 impact of universities on 바카라사이트 social and economic environment.¡±

Dr Dardzi¨½ski argued that some did not treat government consultations on 바카라사이트 law ¡°seriously¡± as 바카라사이트y thought it would never come into force. He suggested that some protesters ¡°thought this law would never see 바카라사이트 light of day, because of how profound it is and how ambitious this new system is. Because people say such things may be done in 바카라사이트 United States and 바카라사이트 UK but not in Poland.¡±

Dr Dardzi¨½ski?joked that?¡°although my government is called oppressive by some, 바카라사이트 rectors of Polish universities cannot be forced to do anything. If 바카라사이트y support a law it is only of 바카라사이트ir free will.¡±

And he also said: ¡°In 바카라사이트 future [Polish] universities will diversify, 바카라사이트y will have different organisational cultures, which will give Polish students 바카라사이트 opportunity to choose among different universities. But it will give academics and researchers 바카라사이트 opportunity to choose 바카라사이트 teams which are best managed.¡±

The minister said that UK universities ¡°are a sort of benchmark for us. This Anglo-Saxon model is a very interesting one for us.¡± Although 바카라사이트re are no tuition fees in Polish universities, ¡°in 바카라사이트 reforms we have tried to apply as much as possible from that [Anglo-Saxon] model,¡± he added.

john.morgan@ws-2000.com