A plenary meeting inaugurating the 7th term of the Polish Accreditation Commission (PKA) was held in Warsaw. The meeting was attended by the Minister of Science and Higher Education, Dariusz Wieczorek, and the Deputy Minister, Maria Mrówczyńska, who presented the nomination acts to the new PKA members.

At the outset, the head of the Ministry of Science emphasised that PKA plays ‘an immensely important and responsible role in the science system, because it is an assessment of how Polish universities function, of the level of education and responsibility for it’.

“As a ministry, we want to restore mutual respect, clear rules of the game, dialogue. We are not planning a revolution, let me reassure you. In the advisory bodies there will be representatives of all universities and communities, because we are all needed for Polish science, regardless of what we think, how we think and what views we have”, said Minister Wieczorek.

The head of the ministry added that he was keen to have a dialogue with the scientific community on setting new assessment criteria. He pointed out the need to look at the situation of medical faculties first. He also stressed the independence and self-governance of PKA.