The Ministry of Science and Higher Education is responsible for the development and implementation of research policy in Poland, coordination of scientific activities at the national level, financial plan regarding science budget, funding of statutory activities of research units and large research infrastructure and construction investments, as well as promotion and financing of international co-operation in the area of research. One of the tools developed for these purposes are Ministry’s special programmes which allow to allocate funds directly to science development and additional tasks, such as supporting international mobility of researchers, encouraging Polish scientists to participate in the European Research Council’s competitions and supporting research promotion carried out by outstanding young scientists.

 

In October 2018 a new law on higher education and science was implemented in Poland. The "Constitution for Science" - as it is called - introduced significant reforms into the system aiming at improving conditions for scientific and didactic excellence, ensuring sustainable development of academic centres across the country, introducing doctoral schools and giving universities more autonomy necessary for effective management.

 

In Poland there are three national funding agencies:

 

 

The Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange (NAWA) is a research funding agency, supervised by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, operating since October 2017. The Agency was established in order to support academic exchange and international cooperation leading to increased internationalization of Polish scientific community.

NAWA finances study scholarships and research fellowships for individual students and scientists from Poland and abroad, as well as return programmes for Polish academics and Polish language courses for those who wish to study in Poland.

The Agency also offers several institutional programmes: for doctoral fellowships,  academic exchange, science promotion or establishing mechanisms to increase institutional capacity to welcome foreign students and researchers.

 

National Centre for Research and Development (NCBiR) was established in July 2007 with an aim of managing and implementing scientific and innovative state policy. NCBiR’s tasks relate most of all to financing applied research and development projects as well as to supporting research commercialization and other forms of transferring scientific research results to economy. The Centre’s initiates and executes strategic programmes in the area of scientific research and development. In addition, in order to further strengthen the cooperation between research and business sectors, NCBiR co-finances actions conducted by private sector units and other entities, thus encouraging entrepreneurs to invest in research and development activity.

 

National Science Centre (NCN) started to operate in 2011. Its mission is to further decentralise the system of financing science in Poland as well as to transfer the following competences to scientific community: decisions regarding directions of basic research development, priorities of scientific disciplines specification, announcement and arrangement of calls for proposals and decisions made as to financing particular activities. One of Centre’s flagship tasks includes initiatives focused on the development of scientific staff, with special emphasis placed on supporting persons starting their scientific careers (20% of the Centre’s budget). The structure and procedures of this executive agency are based on standards established by the European Research Council.

 

In Poland the number research and development institutions has grown from 3474 in 2014 to 5779 in 2018.

There are ca 400 higher education institutions, 79 Polish Academy of Sciences establishments and around 120 public research institutes and laboratories which focus their activities on conducting applied research and development activities.

Higher education institutions (HEIs) 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. There are about 400 HEIs - circa 100 public (state-funded) and 300 private universities. They are of different profiles, for example: universities, universities of technology, economics, agriculture, arts, medical universities, university schools of sport, military schools, as well as Higher Schools of Professional Education. Most of them are supervised by the Minister of Science and Higher Education but some of them are governed by other relevant ministries (i.e. the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Culture, Ministry of National Defence).

A representative body of higher education institutions in Poland is the Conference of Rectors of Academic Schools in Poland (CRASP) founded by institutions of higher education which have the right to award the doctoral degree (or equivalent) in at least one scientific discipline. CRASP coordinates cooperation of member institutions, represents common interests of the schools as well as undertakes activities leading to the creation of effective system of national education for the benefit of higher education, science and cultural development. The Higher Schools of Professional Education are united under the separate Conference of Rectors of Public Vocational Schools.

 

 

Polish Academy of Sciences (PAN), established in 1952. It is an independent state research institution with units across the country. The mission of the Academy is two-fold. It is a network of research centres comprising of 79 research establishments (institutes and research centres, research stations, botanical gardens and other research units) and auxiliary scientific units (archives, libraries, museums), including foreign PAN stations in Brussels, Paris, Berlin, Rome, Vienna and Moscow. On the other hand, PAN is a corporation of scholars from different institutes, also from abroad, with a president of the Academy as its chair. PAN organises and integrates research community and prepares expert opinions for public institutions. The activity of PAN has a versatile influence on the development of science and culture, while keeping the highest standards of research quality and ethical norms.

Institute of History, Polish Academy of Sciences

 

The Polish Young Academy was established in 2010 by the Polish Academy of Sciences in order to promote research and development activities by outstanding young representatives of science in Poland. Members of the Young Academy cannot exceed 38 years of age. The Academy’s’ main tasks are: providing opinions to science policy, organizing debates, conferences aimed at discussing significant problems and disseminating their results, preparing opinions and scientific assessments as well as promoting ethical standards among young scientists.

 

 

In April 2019 research institutes established Europe's 3rd largest research network called "Łukasiewicz Research Network" to strengthen Polish commercial potential. With 8,000 staff and 38 research institutes located in 11 cities across Poland the Network is an integrated market player providing attractive, comprehensive and competitive business solutions in the fields of automation, chemicals, biomedicine, ICT, materials, and advanced manufacturing.

 

According to the Polish Central Statistical Office, in 2017 there were nearly 188 000 researchers, including 35% women and only 1.5% foreigners.

In the academic year 2017/18 there were 41 300 doctoral students, of whom 54.9% were females, which was a decrease of 1900 in comparison to the previous year. Vast majority (92%) were enrolled at public institutions and 88.4% were enrolled at full-time PhD programmes. The number of foreign doctoral students amounted to 1710 (114 more than in the previous year).

The number of 1st and 2nd cycle students in Poland has been systematically decreasing, from 1.5 million in 2014 to nearly 1.3 milion in 2017, due to population decline which started in the late 80's. The percengate of women accounted for 57.8 and the percentage of foreign students amounted to 5.6% in 2017.

 

 

According to the latest data, the expenditure on research and development activities in Poland has grown systematically in recent years from 0.94% of GDP in 2014 to 1.21% of GDP in 2018.

In 2017 this number was by 1.04 percent point lower than in the European Union, which placed Poland on 19th position among the 28 EU countries, before Croatia, Lithuania, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Malta, Cyprus, Romania and Latvia.

The biggest share of the R&D spending - 66.1% - belongs to the business enterprise sector and has been gradually increasin. In the higher education sector the share amounted to 31.7% and in the government and the private non-profit sectors jointly – 2.2%.

The budgetary situation is slowly improving in R&D sector. The structural funds received for conducting modern research and development of scientific infrastructure as well as for the modernization of the higher education sector helped substantially. Additional support for innovation research through closer cooperation with the industry is provided by the Polish Agency for Enterprise Development (PARP).

 

In Poland there is a limited access to financial sources other than the state budget. Among non-governmental organisations, the following two should be mentioned:

Foundation for Polish Science (FNP) established in 1991 as an independent, self-financing, non-profit, non-governmental organization. The Foundation provides support to individual researchers and research teams and finances investment projects which foster Polish science development. FNP also undertakes activities facilitating the transfer of research results to industry. Among others, it awards grants, scholarships and prizes, including the FNP Prize which is considered the most prestigious research award in Poland. FNP also has programmes for foreign researchers who want to conduct research in Poland. In recent years, the Foundation has also been significantly involved in supporting international research co-operation, and in activities facilitating exchange of ideas between scholars and helping young scientists to become more independent in their research work.

The beneficiaries of the Foundation’s grants established an Association of the Foundation for Polish Science Scholars which enables networking among the FNP beneficiaries, promotes their scientific achievements and supports science promoting activities in Poland.

 

Polpharma Scientific Foundation was established in 2001 by a private company Polpharma SA which is currently the largest Polish manufacturer of generic drugs and pharmaceutical substances. In accordance with the founders’ intention, the Foundation supports pharmaceutical and medical science development by financing and initiating scientific research and practical solutions, providing scholarships and awards and promoting knowledge among representatives of scientific, social and business environments. From the beginning, NFP has been organising an annual competition for the Polish research society with an aim of financing original ideas which contribute to the development of medicine and pharmacy.