The MUG's representatives in the team for internationalization

2.02.2024

The first meeting of the Team of Experts for the National Internationalization Strategy was held on 31st of January 2024 in Warsaw. The specialists being part of it, will constitute the main advisory body in the creation of this strategic document. Among them are Prof. Marcin Gruchała, Rector of MUG, Chairman of the Conference of Rectors of Academic Medical Universities and Ewa Kiszka, Head of the Internationaliziation Office of the MUG, Chairwoman of the International Relations Offices Forum.

The proceedings were opened by Andrzej Szeptycki, Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, and Dawid Kostecki, Ph.D., Director of the National Agency for Academic Exchange (NAWA). The event participants emphasized that internationalization cannot be an end in itself. The planned strategy must be based on the state’s scientific policy and legislative authorization. Like Germany, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Austria, Poland should also have a document defining the strategic goals of the internationalization of science and higher education.

– International cooperation in science is essential and phenomena such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the Russian-Ukrainian war, global warming or artificial intelligence are of an extremely transnational nature and require international cooperation, which is why we need a good strategy for the internationalization of science – emphasized Minister Andrzej Szeptycki. – This document will tell us how to internationalize Polish science well and effectively. I am glad that representatives of universities, scientific institutes and other entities operating in the field of science and higher education were also involved in the work on the national strategy, which is to be developed by NAWA in close cooperation with the Ministry of Science and Higher Education.

The minister indicated various entities that should be served by the internationalization strategy. He emphasized that when thinking about the needs of these groups, attention should be paid to aspects such as improving the quality of research, internationalization of education and treating science also outside of academia and recognizing the role it plays in the broadly understood state policy.

After the official opening of the meeting, Andrzej Szeptycki and Dawid Kostecki, Ph.D. presented appointments to the Team of Experts for the National Internationalization Strategy to 24 specialists, including Prof. Marcin Gruchała and Ewa Kiszka.

During the meeting, Dawid Kostecki, Ph.D., Director, and Zofia Sawicka, Ph.D., Deputy Director of NAWA, presented the work plan on the internationalization strategy. They also discussed this year’s planned events. They indicated the most important goals of the project: creating and implementing strategies for the internationalization of higher education and science, developing mechanisms for ensuring academic freedom and security, as well as improving competences in the topics covered by the project.

During the meeting, the most important trends in the internationalization of science and higher education in the EU and around the world, as well as factors increasing the level of internationalization, were also discussed. These include: international study programs, joint research projects and the issue of obtaining financial resources from the European Union and abroad. It was also emphasized that the National Science Policy adopted in 2022 will constitute an important point of reference in the process of working on the national internationalization strategy.

Three sub-teams were established as part of the project. The first one will deal with student mobility and the internationalization of education. The second one is the mobility of scientists (doctoral students and staff) and the internationalization of science. The third sub-team will focus on science diplomacy issues.

A full summary of the meeting along with a complete list of persons appointed to the Team of Experts for the National Internationalization Strategy is available on the Polish-language NAWA website.

photo: NAWA