Od elitarności do masowości

Abstract

From elite to mass education. Diagnosis of the Polish higher education system after year 1989
 Transformation that took place in 1989 in Poland paved the way for many reforms, including those in educational system. Poland became more open to Western influences, which resulted in a significant growth of the number of students and provided easier access to colleges and universities. However, nowadays (nearly 25 years later) it turns out that quantitative increase does not always entail qualitative increase. The quality of disseminated knowledge is now on a far lower level than it used to be in the 20th century. What is more – benefits derived from having a higher education diploma are less and less perceptible. This study is an attempt to make a diagnosis of the condition of the Polish higher education after the political transformation, so it includes not only the description of positive changes but also points out all the most important imperfections.

Selected Meso-Economic Consequences of the Changing Number of Students in Academic Towns and Cities (A Case Study of Poland)

“…The system of higher education in Poland has undergone significant changes in the period of transformation, dating back to the turn of the 1980s and the 1990s. At that time, as some authors point out, access to higher education became widespread, changing from an elite system to a typical mass system [18]. A few key factors determined that higher education in Poland opened up to the masses.…”

Reforms of the higher education system in Poland since 1989. Between tradition and challenges of the 21st century

“…However, that fact is that the visions of change put forth by successive governments have not always been reflected in reality. It may currently suggest that work on modifying higher education was chaotic and internally incoherent [7].…”

“…-abolition of the need to pass university entrance exams; -an increase in civic awareness and improvement of democratic culture [9]. In addition, with the signing of the Bologna Declaration in 1999, the necessity to face the challenges of the European Union's education policy embodied by the Bologna Process [10].…”

“…Another reform was introduced by the Law on Higher Education of 27 July 2005. It shaped both the external academic order and some elements of the internal order; it also defined the principles of organization and operation of higher education institutions, the mode of their creation and liquidation, competences of academic teachers and other university employees, as well as the competences of institutions such as the Polish Accreditation Commission or Main Council of Science and Higher Education [13]. The law on higher education from the 2005 was the result of arrangements among rectors of public and nonpublic universities, but also among trade unions, the Students' Parliament and various councils (Main Council of Higher Education, Polish Accreditation Commission), but many noticed that it did not bring any significant changes.…”

“…The tradition of Polish educational reforms is that they have always been undertaken and implemented in the difficult and crucial moments of our history [1]. The idea of changing the Polish educational system was based on three crucial elements: -decentralization (as mentioned, 1989 marked the end of the monopoly of the government in shaping education system); -democratization (both in the context of the management system and the vision of educational ideals that promote pluralistic thinking); -utilitarianism (the use of education for development of creative and flexible personalities of young people who possess knowledge consistent with the highest expectations) [2].…”