Higher education reforms are to push Polish universities to become the best in Europe within five years, Education Minister Barbara Kudrycka has assessed optimistically.
Speaking to Polish Radio, Wednesday, Kudrycka announced that the reforms are to enable modular learning at tertiary level, allowing students to cater for their academic needs on an individual basis.
“We are giving a greater freedom for universities to choose their programmes of study,” Barbara Kudrycka told Polish Radio, adding that “they will have the chance to create interdisciplinary studies […] and students will, for example, be able to study journalism and politics, or journalism and international relations.”
Students will also be able to take advantage of a 49 or 51 percent concession for public transport across Poland from January 1, 2011. The move is a reflection of the election promise made by Civic Platform’s Bronislaw Komorowski during the presidential race earlier this year.
From the beginning of the academic year in October 2011, a number of administrative costs are expected to be lifted if the reforms are passed through parliament, including the issuing of diplomas and retaking of exams.
The proposed education reforms are billed to give the top 10 percent of students free tertiary education for two degree courses, a measure to stop students achieving mediocre grades from attending two or more courses free of charge.
Minister Kudrycka also announced that the demographic low will mean a number of higher education establishments, especially in the private sector, will be forced to find other means of financing, such as courses for mature students or grant-funded academic research. (jb)
Source: IAR
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