Increasing academic mobility and strengthening the international position of Polish science, as well as building a strong position of Polish universities and research institutes in the world - these are the key issues to be addressed by the National Team for the Development of the Internationalisation Strategy for Polish Higher Education and Science, established last week. Among the appointed persons is dr hab. Anna Jurkowska-Zeidler, prof. UG, Vice-Rector for Cooperation and International Relations at the University of Gdańsk, as well as Chair of the University Internationalisation Committee operating under the Conference of Rectors of Polish Universities and member of the International Cooperation Committee of the Conference of Rectors of Academic Schools in Poland.

The decision to prepare a strategic document on the internationalisation of Polish higher education and science was made in 2023, and work on it began on 31 January 2024. The National Agency for Academic Exchange, by decision of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, acts as the coordinator of the work.

An important stage of the project is the establishment of the National Team for the Development of the Internationalisation Strategy for Polish Higher Education and Science, which is to be responsible for the actual creation of the document. The appointment ceremony and the first meeting of the Team took place on 8 April.

‘The internationalisation of science and higher education is a strategic topic today,’ emphasises prof. Anna Jurkowska-Zeidler. ‘Global political, environmental, technological and social changes require a new approach to internationalisation. Above all, it is important to synergise the changes and development of the European Higher Education Area with national activities in the area of science policy and migration strategy, as well as the needs of the labour market. In this newly established small team, we have the opportunity to work on a bold and realistic concept for the internationalisation of higher education as a tool for improving the quality of research and education, increasing the availability of international experiences during university studies, and building multicultural, multilingual university campuses.’

During a ceremony attended by the Minister of Science and Higher Education, dr inż. Marcin Kulaska, and the Director of NAWA, dr Wojciech Karczewski, the following persons were appointed to the National Team for the Development of a Strategy for the Internationalisation of Polish Higher Education and Science:

• Representative of the Conference of Rectors of Academic Non-Public Universities, dr Katarzyna Maniszewska, Vice-Rector for International Cooperation at Collegium Civitas;
• Representative of the Conference of Rectors of Academic Schools in Poland, dr hab. Anna Jurkowska-Zeidler, prof. UG, Vice-Rector for Cooperation and International Relations at the University of Gdańsk
• Representative of the Polish Academy of Sciences, dr Anna Plater-Zyberk, Director of the Office for International Cooperation at the Polish Academy of Sciences
• Representative of the Main Council of Science and Higher Education, dr hab. Dominik Antonowicz, prof. UMK, Head of the Department of Research on Science and Higher Education at the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń

The chairman of the team is dr Wojciech Karczewski, Director of the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange, and dr Łukasz Gołota, Deputy Director of NAWA, took over the role of secretary.

During the first meeting, the current status of the expert team's work was discussed and the schedule of further activities was presented.

The Strategy for the Internationalisation of Polish Higher Education and Science is a long-term project that is intended to have a real impact on the internationalisation of Polish science and higher education, including legislative changes and the programme offerings of Polish institutions and grant and scholarship agencies. Key aspects of the document (which is to be presented to the Minister of Science and Higher Education by the end of 2025) include increasing academic mobility and strengthening the international position of Polish science.

The existing team of experts for the National Internationalisation Strategy will continue to act in an advisory capacity.

More about the establishment of the National Team for the Development of the Internationalisation Strategy for Polish Higher Education and Science

All current information on the Strategy can be found on the NAWA website in its dedicated tab.