Scientific and research institutions

In 2008 employment rate within the research and development activity was 119,682 persons, including over 97,000 research staff. Women accounted for about 32% of the total research staff number. In 2007/2008 Poland had 32,900 doctoral students and 51% of them were women. Over 92 of doctoral students are enrolled in higher education institutions and 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) attended Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes at public and non-public higher education institutions.

Higher education institutions are one of the most dynamically developing centres of social life in Poland, which plays a major role in the development of national research potential. Within the last twenty years, this sector experienced quantitative transformations, including development of non-state higher education and a five-fold increase in the number of admitted students. Research is carried out by 195 higher education institutions (out of 462 entities 129 of which are state universities). They are located in all major Polish cities. Some of those cities boast about long-term academic traditions, having developed strong academic communities. Most of the institutions are supervised by the Minister of Science and Higher Education, others – by relevant Ministries (i.e. the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Culture, Ministry of National Defence). More...

List of higher education institutions in Poland 

Polish Academy of Sciences (PAN), established in 1951, is an independent research institution with units across the country. PAN as a research centre currently comprises of 79 research establishments (institutes and research centres, research stations, botanical gardens and other research units) and auxiliary scientific units (archives, libraries, museums, and foreign PAN stations). It organises and integrates research community and prepares expert opinions for public institutions. The Academy has a number of actively working external research stations: in Brussels, Paris, Berlin, Rome, Vienna and Moscow. More...

Development units include about 700 business entities active in the area of R&D. Beside their principal activity, they also conduct experimental development aimed at application of already existing knowledge gained through conducting basic or applied research or through practical experience. The knowledge is applied to produce or significantly improve new materials, devices, products, processes, systems or services. The companies cooperate with national research units, such as universities and research institutes. However, their investments in research activities are rather low.