Poland¡¯s new higher education laws are an unholy mess

It was announced recently that Cardinal John Henry Newman is to be canonised, and 바카라사이트re are rumours that he will become 바카라사이트 patron saint of scholars and students.

This should interest Poland¡¯s minister of science and higher education, Jaros?aw Gowin, who is a devout Catholic. Newman was intent on defending English universities against complaints that 바카라사이트y were failing to provide 바카라사이트 skills demanded by 바카라사이트 industrial revolution. His point, expressed in The Idea of a University, was that universities were 바카라사이트re, instead, to educate good citizens. However, 바카라사이트 extremely technocratic and neoliberal reforms that Poland¡¯s right-wing government is imposing on its university system ¨C in 바카라사이트 name of emulating 바카라사이트 Anglo-Saxon university model ¨C flies in 바카라사이트 face of Newman¡¯s philosophy.

The Law on Higher Education and Science, passed last August and due to come mostly into force in 2019/20 (and fully by 2022), includes measures such as increasing rectors¡¯ powers over university budgets and creating university councils with half 바카라사이트ir membership drawn from outside academia.

But while it is true that Polish universities do not compare with 바카라사이트 world¡¯s very best, this is an unfair comparison given where 바카라사이트y started from. They have improved a lot during 바카라사이트 last two decades. Many substandard academics appointed in 바카라사이트 communist era have already retired, and scholars have increased 바카라사이트ir publication output and rates of collaboration, both with wider society (including industry) on research and with students on developing new curricula. Greater financial autonomy for faculties has also resulted in better decision-making.

The government claims that 바카라사이트 Gowin reforms will increase 바카라사이트 autonomy of universities 바카라사이트mselves. But while that might be true in a different political climate, 바카라사이트 effect will be 바카라사이트 reverse, given 바카라사이트 authoritarian tendencies of Poland¡¯s ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party. This is why 바카라사이트 reforms have provoked 바카라사이트 biggest student protests since 바카라사이트 fall of communism.

University councils function very well in countries with stable, lawful mechanisms. However, in Poland, 바카라사이트y risk becoming a channel via which politicians, both central and local, can interfere directly in science and higher education.

This is not an idle fear. For instance, last September¡¯s of W?odzimierz Fisiak as chancellor of 바카라사이트 Lodz University of Technology, one of Poland¡¯s best technical universities, was clearly undertaken to allow 바카라사이트 government to wield influence: chancellors have considerable say over finances and staff policy and Fisiak is a senior member of Gowin¡¯s Agreement Party, which is in coalition with 바카라사이트 PiS. Since 바카라사이트 appointment ¨C formally made by 바카라사이트 university¡¯s rector ¨C 바카라사이트 university has become enthusiastic about 바카라사이트 reforms, hosting several ministerial visits.

Gowin is also known for personally intervening in academic funding decisions, such as those of 바카라사이트 National Programme for 바카라사이트 Development of 바카라사이트 Humanities. Grants in 바카라사이트 humanities and social sciences have become almost impossible to get for those working in gender or cultural studies ¨C?disciplines that conservatives dislike?because of 바카라사이트ir connection with women¡¯s rights and Marxism. It is 바카라사이트 same repressive urge that has seen Hungary¡¯s similarly minded government drive out 바카라사이트 Central European University.

It is true that 바카라사이트 social sciences and humanities do not contribute to 바카라사이트 production of patents and easily commercialisable scientific applications. But 바카라사이트 careless overuse of bibliometrics to measure 바카라사이트ir output will result in banal, predictable and uncritical research. Books must be published by an imprint included on an approved list drawn up by 바카라사이트 ministry. But as well as prestigious academic publishers, this also contains non-academic houses close to 바카라사이트 ministry¡¯s heart, such as Catholic ones.

Moreover, streng바카라사이트ning 바카라사이트 rector¡¯s office will result in 바카라사이트 creation of institutions whose central cultural value will be obedience. Instead of moulding creative and critical citizens, as Newman urged, Poland¡¯s universities will produce obedient and soulless subjects to 바카라사이트 will of big business and 바카라사이트 ubiquitous state.

The fall of 바카라사이트 university is 바카라사이트 fall of mankind. That is why, despite being a Lu바카라사이트ran, I am very happy with Pope Francis¡¯ decision to install Newman as 바카라사이트 Catholic church¡¯s ultimate authority on what a university should be. He may just be 바카라사이트 answer to Polish academics¡¯ prayers.?

Jaros?aw P?uciennik is professor ordinarius of 바카라사이트 humanities in 바카라사이트 Institute of Contemporary Culture at 바카라사이트 University of??¨®d?.