The Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education published a report entitled „Higher Education in Poland” which depicts whole sector in a very detailed way. The publication utilises data from two major sources – publicly available (to some extent) POL-on system and databases of the Central Statistical Office.
Data gathered by the Ministry shows a. o. a scale of demographic low (in the last academic year juxtapositioned in the report – that is 2011 / 2012 – there was ca. 10% fall in the number of students in Polish higher education institutions when compared to the record – breaking academic year 2005 / 2006) as well as prognosis concerning number of students in the future according to which the number of enrolled students will be lowest within the time – frame of 2021 – 2026.
Comparison of change of interests between 2007 and 2011 makes another very interesting point. The biggest outflow is noticeable in relation to agricultural, forestry and fishery study programmes as well as pedagogical ones and those related to so called „human services” („tourism and recreation” falls under that category for example) – ca. 44 – 46%. The biggest growth of demand on the other hand is observed in the group of programmes that are linked to security (about 10 times more students attracted) and social services (almost 3 times more students than in 2011).
Important part of the report is also dedicated to show selected factors of quality od education, including outcomes of work of the Polish Accreditation Committee (before 2011 – the State Accreditation Committee). Authors of the publications presented a. o. selection of programmes that in 2002 – 2011 were most frequently awarded outstanding and / or positive assessment (in that group „medicine” and „painting” should be highlighted which in abovementioned period were never awarded lower grade) and selection of programmes that most frequently were awarded negative assessment of PKA („informatics” and „tourism and recreation” are opening that table).