R&D Framework

The Minister of Science and Higher Education is responsible for the development and implementation of the research policy, the funding of the research (except for military R&D project) and the promotion of international co-operation in the area of research. A new consultative and advisory body for the Minister is the Council for Science was established in 2005. Its responsibilities include: giving opinions on draft documents and legislation and proposed economic as well as financial arrangements concerning the development of the research and technology. The Council is also in charge of the assessment of research institutions and applications for research projects submitted by them.

In 2007 the employment in the research and development activity was 121,623 persons, including over 97,000 research staff (full-time equivalents) Women accounted for 39,9% of the total research staff number. In 2007 Poland had 31,814 doctoral students and 51% of them were women. Over 92 of doctoral students are enrolled in higher education institutions and the others in the institutes of the Polish Academy of Sciences and R&D institutes. In the same year, 1,937,400 students (56,4 % women) were following Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes at public and non-public higher education institutions.