The 12th edition of the Forum of Quality seminar, a flagship event of the Polish Accreditation Committee (PKA), was held on November 20-21, 2024, at the Didactic Center of the AGH University of Science and Technology, located at Reymonta Street 7 in Kraków. The co-organizer of this year’s Forum was the AGH University in Kraków.
This year’s Quality Forum, organized under the theme Ensuring the Quality of Education Amid Environmental Challenges: Internationalization, attracted a wide group of representatives from the academic community who, in their universities and institutions, are dedicated to ensuring the comprehensive quality of education.
The seminar program included four main modules and discussion panels focused on the most current issues in the field of internationalization. The PKA leadership invited specialists in internationalization and education quality assurance as speakers for the 12th Forum of Quality.
We encourage you to explore the profiles of all speakers – HERE (only in Polish).
The proceedings were officially opened by Dr. hab. inż. Janusz Uriasz, President of the Committee. Prof. dr hab. inż. Krzysztof Mendrok, Vice-Rector for Education at the AGH University, welcomed all attendees to the university.
Next, Deputy Secretary of State in the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, Maciej Gdula, took the floor, emphasizing the importance of inter-university dialogue and the role of internationalization in improving education standards in Poland.
“We should seek ways to integrate teaching into the process of scientific evaluation—working with students is also an element of scientific work and building the social impact of science,” stated Deputy Minister Maciej Gdula.
Internationalization as a Key to Education Quality
The first module of the Forum of Quality featured individual lectures by invited guests.
The opening presentation, titled “Quality Assurance Fit for the Changing World of Higher Education”, was delivered by Douglas Blackstock, Presideny of ENQA. He outlined the core principles guiding ENQA’s activities and highlighted the most pressing challenges facing accreditation agencies in Europe. These included digital development, the use of AI in learning, teaching, and quality assessment, micro-credentials, and issues related to unethical practices at universities. Blackstock emphasized the importance of collaboration between national institutions responsible for the science and higher education sector and quality assurance agencies. He discussed the need for agencies to fully operate in line with the ESG guidelines, the necessity to reduce national-level barriers to quality assurance in higher education, and the importance of increasing the independence of these agencies.
Next, via remote connection, Deputy Secretary of State in the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, Andrzej Szeptycki, joined the Forum. He presented the strategy for the internationalization of higher education in Poland, based on the ongoing activities undertaken by the Ministry of Science.
According to the planned seminar schedule, Dr. hab. Jakub Brdulak, Secretary of PKA, discussed the role of the Polish Accreditation Committee within the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). He emphasized the importance of creating the EHEA and the significance of European quality standards (ESG), which promote mutual trust, facilitate recognition and mobility within and between countries, and introduced the DEQAR database. This database provides access to external quality assurance results for all students in Poland, underscoring its importance and utility.
The next speaker in Module I was Waldemar Siwiński, President of the “Perspektywy” Educational Foundation. He presented the key principles of the Study in Poland program, launched in May 2005 by the General Assembly of KRASP in collaboration with the “Perspektywy” Educational Foundation. The program aims to promote Polish universities abroad and encourage foreign students to study in Poland. President Siwiński highlighted that maintaining and enhancing high levels of internationalization, particularly in the face of challenges such as the war on Poland’s eastern border and upcoming changes in migration policy, requires accurately identifying the main recruitment interests of Polish universities. It also demands deepened collaboration skills, including persuading state institutions of the value of internationalizing higher education.
The final presentation in this segment of the Forum was delivered by Dr. Piotr Kępski, Director of the Institutional Programs Office of NAWA (National Agency for Academic Exchange). His talk, titled “Internationalization of Polish Science and Higher Education in the Context of NAWA Programs”, outlined the strategic goals adopted by NAWA for 2024–2030. These goals include supporting the internationalization of science and higher education, promoting the Polish language and culture abroad, strengthening Poland’s presence in the international scientific community, and facilitating the global transfer of knowledge and skills to science and the economy (recognition and authentication).
Dr. Kępski also presented the programs offered by NAWA for institutions, researchers, and students. He emphasized that the beneficiaries of NAWA programs include both individuals (Polish and foreign students, PhD candidates, researchers, and Polish language lecturers) and institutions such as Polish universities, research institutes, and Polish Academy of Sciences (PAS) scientific institutes, along with their international partners.
The Role of Comprehensive Assessment in the Internationalization of Study Programs
The discussion in the second module of the 12th Quality Forum focused on the following topics: international declarations in comprehensive assessment, the significance of comprehensive assessment for the development of internationalization, and the internationalization of study programs. The Polish Accreditation Committee (PKA), which will soon face the challenge of implementing comprehensive assessment in the Polish quality assurance system, took the initiative to learn from the experiences of its international partners.
The panel participants included Beata Benčová (Coordinator of SAAVŠ, Slovakia), Tomáš Fliegl (Vice-Chair of NAU, Czech Republic), Prof. Dr. Hab. Grzegorz Mazurek (Rector of Kozminski University, Poland), Marius Petrescu (Secretary General of ARACIS, Romania), Jolanta Silka (Chair of AIKA, Latvia), and Olena Yeremenko (Vice-Head of NAQA, Ukraine). The discussion was moderated by Dr. Hab. Inż. Janusz Uriasz, President of PKA, who aimed to present the experiences of representatives from European accreditation agencies and translate these into the context of the Polish higher education system.
The conversation highlighted the upcoming implementation of comprehensive assessment and its significance for Polish universities, emphasizing how lessons from international practices can inform and enhance the process in Poland.
Dimensions of Internationalizing the Education Process
The second day of the proceedings began with a debate focused on the following topics: Double Degree/Joint Degree programs, micro-credentials, academic mobility (including Erasmus+ and NAWA projects), the World Federation for Medical Education (WFME), international partnerships, and European University Alliances.
The discussion featured representatives from institutions specializing in these areas, including Joanna Cięciwa, Head of the International Students Office at the AGH University in Kraków; Jakub Grodecki, Policy and Projects Manager at EURASHE; Dr. Hab. Anna Jurkowska-Zeidler, Professor at the University of Gdańsk and Vice-Rector for Cooperation and Internationalization; Prof. Dr. Hab. Med. Kamil Torres, MBA, MSc Clin. Edu., Vice-Presideny of PKA and representative of the Medical University of Lublin; Jolanta Urbanikowa, Plenipotentiaries of the PKA President responible for Micro-Credentials and representative of the University of Warsaw; and Dr. Hab. Krzysztof Wasilewski, Professor at Koszalin University of Technology and Vice-Rector for Education. The session was chaired by Dr. Hab. Jakub Brdulak, Secretary of PKA.
The panelists began by outlining the key challenges and actions related to internationalization, as seen from the perspective of their roles and the institutions they represent. They then addressed the question: What should be the strategy for internationalizing Polish higher education? The debate concluded with a Q&A session from the audience.
Language Education in Higher Education
The final module of the Quality Forum was moderated by Dr. Hab. Ariadna Strugielska, a member of PKA and Plenipotentiary of the PKA President responsible for the European Degree, who invited representatives from various stakeholder groups of the committee to her discussion. The panel participants included Dominik Czapczyk, PKA Coordinator for Cooperation with Experts Representing Employers; Anna Krukiewicz-Gacek, Director of the Foreign Language Center at the AGH University in Kraków; Joanna Lewicka, PKA Student Affairs Expert; Prof. Dr. Hab. Agnieszka Piwowar, Vice-Rector for Students and Teaching at the Wroclaw Medical University; Dr. Paweł Strózik, Professor and Rector of the Academy of Applied Sciences in Racibórz; and Dr. Katarzyna Turska, Director of the Language Center at Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań.
The two-hour discussion revolved around topics agreed upon by the panel participants, including initial language competencies of students, ensuring language proficiency levels, classes focused on developing language skills, faculty involved in language education, the relationship between language education and internationalization, and ensuring the quality of language education. The contributions from the panelists showcased a variety of approaches to language education in higher education, offering a wealth of valuable insights that could be adapted and implemented at other academic institutions across Poland.
The presentations and debates during the 12th PKA Forum of Quality were attended by 250 participants representing various levels of the higher education sector. We extend our heartfelt thanks to all participants for joining this event!
See you at the next edition of the PKA Quality Forum.
More information coming soon.