Why?

Almost twenty years after transformation Poland is still an exceptional place full of great challenges and opportunities. It is obvious, however, that civic and political advancement do not go hand in hand with political and economic liberties. We now know that mature citizens will not appear out of the blue. They must be educated and offered room for growth.

When we say "citizen" we mean someone who:

• can deliver on commitments and obligations taken
• is flexible and learns quickly, and is thus performing well in every job
• sees room for action around himself, and can face challenges head-on
• can work in a team, either as a leader or as a regular team member
• is tolerant, but reflexively committed to her values
• thinks critically, also of himself
• reads, understands, and is able to critically analyze the contents of newspapers
• makes conscious, prudent and measured consumer decisions
• can participate in debate: in conversation, or in public presentations, or through clearly written and concise texts
• can place current events and debates in their larger theoretical and historical context,
• is committed to modern democratic values.

The above list would sound trivial if it did not imply specific educational goals which Polish (and European) universities often overlook.

The Polish university trains erudition. This is its primary educational objective, which it often achieves: many Warsaw University or Jagiellonian University alumni are praised abroad for their knowledge. A good humanities department at a good public university teaches how to find oneself in the intellectual tradition. It is, therefore, no wonder that its alumni are excellent name-droppers.

This comes at a price, however. Intellectual culture is defined as encyclopedic knowledge, not critical thinking and intellectual open-mindedness. And when this goes hand in hand with a somewhat conservative academic culture, our erudite alumni find it difficult to be successful abroad.

First of all, its intellectual culture:

• Erudition comes at the expense of critical thinking and intellectual independence. To pass an exam with flying colors one has to know great theories and use their terminology freely, but one does not have to understand them.
• Too much emphasis on tradition hinders intellectual creativity and courage (especially in writing – one is expected to write "from a Kantian point of view" or "with a Weberian point of view", not with one’s own voice).
• Emphasis on memorization kills stylistic, critical and mathematical skills instead of fostering them.

Secondly, its organizational culture:

• Polish university gives up academic discipline in favor of a vaguely understood "academic freedom", even though clear formulation of expectations and the rules of the game is essential to a young person’s growth.
• No emphasis is placed on active participation: majority of courses can be passed without saying a single word in class and without writing a page of text
• There is no emphasis on tangible effects of work, and lack of clear evaluation principles (few written assignments, discretionary oral exams as the only method of evaluation),
• Students are not expected to work under rigorous deadlines (work can be submitted months after classes are over),
• There are no consequences for not observing even the most vaguely defined rules.

Because of these limitations even the most academically-inclined students cannot find a place for themselves in academia. Instead, they go on to develop their talents in business, or at universities abroad, where academia is a natural place for public debate, and where it is a part of the knowledge-based economy. Becoming an academic abroad is a sign of personal success, whereas in Poland it is too often an effect of negative selection. A decision to pursue a career in business or abroad should result from conscious choice and not from frustration.