Kontrowersje wokół systemu szkolnictwa wyższego w Polsce

The article outlines the evolution of the tertiary education system in Poland since 1990. The discussion focuses on four areas: 1) determinants of educational policy and the related stereotypes, 2) ways of presenting the functions of tertiary education, 3) characteristics of the Polish tertiary education system based on the numerical data, 4) requests for limiting further growth of the tertiary education sector in Poland. The discussion starts with the stereotypes underlying Poland's policy governing the development of the tertiary education sector. Particular factors that can be used for formulating relevant strategies are named and characterised. This introductory section provides grounds for presenting data illustrating the expansion of the Polish tertiary education sector, mainly the numbers of colleges, students and academic faculty members between 1990 and 2009. The situation is additionally clarified with student-to-teacher ratios and enrolment ratios. All this information serves as a backdrop against which certain elements of the new tertiary education law of 2011 are presented to show the goals to be pursued by the Polish tertiary education policy. The last section of the article points to the basic factors that must be taken into account, if higher education is to fulfil needs other than market needs.