Recommendation of the Higher Education and Research Standing Committeeon the Need Toimprovethe

Recommendation of the Higher Education and Research Standing Committeeon the need toimprovethe situation of workersof science andhigher education in Poland
Warsaw, 12 September 2011

Members of the Higher Education and Research Standing Committeeof ETUCE, gathered in the meeting in Warsaw share theanxietyof the NationalScienceSection of NSZZ‘Solidarność’ and of the Council of Higher Education andScienceof ZNP on the condition ofhigher education andresearch sectorin Poland, in particular the deepeningunderinvestment inthese importantareasforsocial development, which affectsthe deterioratingfinancial situationof workersof higher education andscience.

Our concern arises from the information about the denialofsome media inPoland, to make available its columnsfor the presentation ofhigher educationproblems. We areconcerned by the denial ofBiałystoknewspapers Kurier Poranny (Morning Courier) and Gazeta Współczesna (Contemporary Newspaper)to publishthe relevantannouncementof the NationalScienceSection of NSZZ ‘Solidarność’

According to informationpresented byNational Science Sectionof NSZZ‘Solidarność’an annual budgetof allPolish universities, educatingnearly2 millionstudents,is comparable to thetotal budget oftwo Americanuniversities,Princetonand Harvard. Expenditure oneducationper studentin Polandis among thelowest inthe European Union.Also theshare of GDPspending onR & Dhas decreasedalmostby half inthe last two decades.

At the same timea number oflegalnormscontained in theamended lawon higher educationin Polandof March 18,2011 which comes intoforce on 1 October2011, rather thanimprove, perpetuatethe existingsystemdeficiencies, violateacademic freedom, take awaycertain rightsacquired (eg,reduce theretirement age ofuniversityprofessors), and further reduce theindependenceof academic stafffrom political interference.The status ofyoung researcherswill deterioratewith the entryinto force of the newregulations, because the lawimposes on themnew responsibilitiesand requirementsand increases thesense of threatandmakes difficultstart in life. The Actdoes not solvethe problemof multi-employment in Polish universities, having an impacton thedeterioration ofthe quality of educationandresearch, itsmain sourceis lowwages.Quality of teachingand researchwillnot be favouredby destabilizationof employmentof theacademic staffwhich is aconsequence of statutory changes.

Bearing in mind:
• the difficultfinancial situationof academic teachersand researchersin Poland, as well as

adversechanges intheirlaws, and
• the importance of scienceand higher educationfor a fasterrecoveryfrom the economic

crisisand buildingan innovativeknowledge-based economy,

Standing Committee onHigher Education and Researchsupports the actions of theNationalScienceSection ofNSZZ‘Solidarność’ and of the Council of Higher Education andScienceof ZNP to:
• increasebudgetary investment in scienceand higher education,
• substantially improvefinancial situationof workersof science andhigher education,
• change the unfavorable regulations for academic teachers includedin the Lawon Higher Educationof 18 March2011.