Quality assessment of HEIs in Poland: Problems and recommendations

Abstract

The main objective of this paper is to initiate a discussion on the system of quality evaluation of HEIs (Higher Education Institutions) in Poland. The author of this article points out that the current solutions applied within the field of Polish higher education concerning the assessment of the quality of HEIs are built without a reference to a strategic (long-term) vision. So it seems necessary to answer the following questions: 1) What is the profile of PKA (Polish Accreditation Committee)? Should it be the office controlling the HEIs? Or an expert unit enhancing the process of teaching at universities? 2) If PKA would became an expert unit, would it become a dangerous gap in the control system of HEIs that will increase the number of “diploma mills”? 3) Who within the Polish higher education system should take care for the control and quality assessment? The author presents the idea of creation of an unit that would deal professionally with the quality control in higher education - similar to the Financial Supervision Commission or the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection. The article uses ethnographic research conducted by the author. This article has been written with reference to the legal status of November 1st, 2016.