The youth about the reform of universities: good, but needs refinement

Piech criticized maintaining the degree of habilitated doctor in the system of scientific advancement. "This is justified only until the implementation of reforms that will improve the quality of doctoral dissertations, and introduce a clear, transparent system of evaluation of scientific progress" - he said.

A good idea - according to the young scientist - is reducing the number of positions a single person can hold at universities. "Major barrier of scientific development are limited opportunities for employment of young researchers. We share the view of the need to reduce multiemployment in education" - he stressed. According to the draft, a scientist who wants to take the second job (the third one will not be allowed), or start a business, will need to obtain the consent of the rector or head of research institution.

The National Representation of Ph.D. Students advocated greater clarification of regulations. The Ministry of Science wants to establish a pro-quality fund, from which 30 percent best doctoral students will receive extra money. However, according to the organization, the Ministry should "specify exactly what percentage of pro-quality grant will be used for doctoral students".

Doctoral students also emphasised that such doctoral scholarship should not be included in the income based on which the entitlement to financial assistance is determined. "At the moment the recipient of a PhD scholarship is often denied the opportunity to apply for financial assistance. PhD scholarship, usually allocated at the lowest possible rate, ceases to be an incentive grant of a scientific nature, and becomes a social welfare payment, or even quasi-remuneration for teaching"- explained the President of the National Representation of Ph.D. Students Kinga Kurowska.

The student ombudsman Robert Pawłowski pointed to the assistance fund for students, the amount of which reaches PLN 1.5 billion per year. "It is extremely badly secured public funding. Scholarships long ago deviated from its original goal - motivating to study and achieve highest results" - Pawłowski said, stressing that "universities, burdened with a duty of distributing non-repayable financial aid, are doomed to the role of a highly incompetent social assistance centre."

Public hearing, which is a public debate in which all interested parties could participate, concerned projects involving, among others, freedom of universities in developing courses and study programs. Rector of the university will be chosen in a competition. More money will go to the best faculties and institutes, National Scientific Leadership Centres will be selected and will be receiving more than PLN 10 million per year for five years. The government wants the amended provisions to enter into force on 1 October 2011.

From: PAP