The Sejm adopted the Constitution for Science, that is to say the Law 2.0

The Deputy Minister of Sciences defends the provisions of the law

Before the vote, the vice Minister of Science and Higher Education Piotr Mueller speaks. some allegations against the law 2.0, made by opposition MPs. He recalled that the law was supported by the Student Parliament of the Republic of Poland, the National Representation of Doctoral Students, many autonomous governments, higher vocational schools and universities of the Zielona Góra Agreement, which group together a network small and medium-sized regional universities. He added that in the past two years, thousands of representatives of the university community have participated in the project's consultations

– the law increases the autonomy of the university by increasing its freedom organizational in the interior. It's the university community that decides on the functioning of the university, not the law, "Mueller said, citing the accusation that the law would accept the autonomy of HEIs [19659006]. He said that it was a project discussed with the academic community. also regional "to ensure the diversity of the Polish academic community". He reminded that the law introduces, among other regional initiative of excellence, which finances the research in the "islands of excellence", that is to say in the small universities under a stream of separate funding.

With regard to the evaluation of the university, he indicates that he was inherited from the previous act. "He added that now the researcher will present 4 of his most important scientific achievements." – Through this, scientists will be able to focus on real research and pursue their ambitions and not collect points – said Deputy Director of Ministry of Science

Mueller said the law also implements union postulates.a revolutionary change "in the creation of a future scientific elite" was defined by the establishment of doctoral schools. " Until now, in the majority of cases, PhD students are living in poverty. (…) The law introduces for the first time the mechanism of the universal system of scholarships "- 19659010] – We introduce the obligation to fix all the costs before the beginning of studies.we think that it is just for the students. (…) And the students demanded that we do not have to cheat later when the fee increases – Mueller recalled and pointed out that it was an issue that concerned the Student Parliament of the Republic of Poland

The Deputy Minister of Science also recalled the increases for university teachers starting in January 2019. – Average increase in minimum wages in individual academic groups of 800 gross PLN – at he added 19659013] Amendments to the law

Among the government amendments adopted by the Diet, there is a package of amendments related to the operation of the new body – the university council. Amen These measures limit the somewhat promised functions of these councils. One of the amendments assumes that – with regard to the university council – persons outside the given institution "constitute at least 50% of its composition". Therefore, it is permissible for the members of the university council to be the same as the members of this institution. In the previous version of the project, it was expected that people outside of the university should constitute the majority. This solution in the environmental part caused controversy, so that the Ministry of Sciences agreed to change the file

According to the initial project, the university council was to adopt the strategy of the university and approve the report on its implementation. However, one of the amendments adopted assumes that the board will only decide on the strategy and report on its implementation. In addition, the university council – in accordance with the amendment passed – will not have the exclusive right to nominate candidates for the rector. The University may also indicate in the status of other entities that may submit candidates.

Another amendment passed on Tuesday concerns the question of the costs of obtaining income by university teachers. The regulation clarifies interpretative ambiguities for university teachers. "The exercise of the functions of an academic teacher is a creative activity of an individual character" – supposes an amendment. Tax departments sometimes used a different interpretation of deductible costs in the absence of explicit guidelines, which resulted in a reduction in the funds made available to researchers.

Another government amendment eliminates the quick adaptation route planned earlier in the project. As a result of this amendment, you will not be able to obtain a postdoctoral degree (ERC) (ie the European Research Council) originally provided for in the project.

In addition, 92 minority applications were submitted for both projects. One of them coincided with the government amendment and this proposal was accepted. The rest of the demands were rejected in the vote

The Senate will treat the law

Constitution for Science

A new law, also called the Constitution for Science, will replace the existing four: law on the Higher Education Law, the Law on Diplomas and Academic Title, as well as the Law on Student Loans and Loans. The law is to come into force on October 1, 2018.

The bill makes the numerous possibilities of the university (including the possibility of conducting studies with a general academic profile and university degrees) dependent on the categories academics that the university will receive in its disciplines. In addition, after the reforms, the right to study and to award university degrees will be entrusted to higher education institutions rather than to their organizational units. A new division of disciplines is planned – modeled on the division proposed by the OECD

According to the bill, the public higher education body will be, in addition to the rector and the senate, a new body – the university council chosen by the university community. The rector will gain, at the expense of collegiate bodies, for example faculty councils, a greater opportunity to shape university politics.

The entry into force of the law is to mark two paths to obtain a doctorate: doctoral schools and so-called path of a free foot. In doctoral schools, each doctoral student will receive a scholarship. These schools will not have extra-mural forms. However, PhD students will be required to set higher standards for the quality of their research and publication. Doctoral schools should be taught in at least two disciplines.

The draft Constitution for Science insists that scientists publish in scientific journals in international databases, which help scientists around the world to achieve this content. These publications should be noted above.

Although the bill does not remove the habilitation, obtaining this diploma will lose its importance. Empowerment will no longer be needed, for example, to work as a university professor. The regulation will also eliminate the current deadline for the post-doctoral thesis, which is 8 years.

The funding model for higher education and science will also change. Universities will be able to decide more freely on the distribution of their funds. The money will be directed to the university and not – until here – in its organizational units (faculties for example)

The act also involves opening universities to create federations.

In addition, the Ministry of Science and Higher Education (MNiSW) offers three major programs – the initiative of excellence. One of the programs is for the best university universities – research, the second – in the academic academies of the regions, and the third – in the public professional universities. As part of these programs, the best universities in each of these three groups will be able to obtain additional funds

When the law 2.0 comes into force, the rules of assessment of the school will be in place. university will change. The project anticipated that the new rules would already apply to the 2017-2020 evaluation. One of the amendments adopted by the Sejm to the transitional provisions, however, assumes that the publications of the scientific journals of 2017 and 2018 will be noted according to the previous ministerial scores. The notation will only change in the works published in the following years.

The way of working on the draft Constitution for Science was atypical. The Ministry of Science and Higher Education organized a competition at the end of May 2016. The three winning research teams prepared the project for reform hypotheses. These documents later became the starting point for discussion in academia [1965-9032] Meanwhile, the Ministry of Science and Higher Education appointed a board of the National Science Congress, in which the experts examined the form reforms. The NKN Council has organized a series of conferences throughout Poland. Representatives of science and universities had the opportunity to discuss how their sector should change. In September 2017, at the National Science Congress in Krakow, the first version of the project was presented. Following consultations that lasted several months, many changes were made to the project

. The bill also sparked discussions in the ruling camp. Objections to the reform of Deputy Prime Minister Gowin were reported by leading PiS politicians, including Sejm vice-president and PiS parliamentary club leader Ryszard Terlecki. In connection with the remarks of the coalition and the university community, the Ministry of Science recommended, during the parliamentary proceedings, the adoption of many amendments. After the first reading, the Parliamentary Committee on Education, Science and Youth adopted 160 amendments. Then, among other things, the skills of the university council have been reduced (he does not elect rector). Therefore, the rector will choose the college of voters and not – as the project supposed – the university council. At that time, universities received a B + assessment in a given field, the possibility of opening a field of study without the consent of the minister

In June, demonstrations were held in Poland against the provisions of the law 2.0. Professional strikes or protest actions have been organized, among others at the Warsaw University, Jagiellonian University, Gdańsk University, Wrocław University or at the University of l & # 39; AGH. Opposition to the law was also expressed by some circles of the University of Lodz, Opole, Rzeszów or Białystok, as well as by NSZZ Solidarność in several universities. These were organized grassroots protests by the Academic Protest Committee.

The autonomous governments of the students of these universities and the authorities of the institutions separated from the protests. The law was supported by legal institutions representing the university community: the Parliament of Students of the Republic of Poland, the National Representation of PhD Students, the Conference of Rectors of Public Vocational Schools (KRePSZ). Support for the law was also supported by the network of small and medium-sized academic institutions including 25 universities.

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