General information

Different quality assurance approaches are in place for the school education system, the higher education system and the adult education sector. The school education system comprises not only early childhood and school education, but also adult education in schools for adults and specific types of educational institutions. Adult education outside the education system is provided by various entities as part of economic activity or labour-market training activities.

Early childhood and school education

External quality assurance

The arrangements in place are identical for early childhood (preschool) and school education. External quality assurance is part of the pedagogical supervision system which includes evaluation as its main quality assurance mechanism. Evaluation of nursery schools, schools and other educational institutions (hereafter jointly referred to as schools) covers the concept of work, teaching, learning and educational aspects, cooperation among teachers, with parents and the local community, and management.

External pedagogical supervision is the responsibility of the Minister of Educationand Science and other ministers overseeing specific types of schools, and of the Heads of the Regional Education Authorities (REAs) (kurator oświaty); REAs are a government administration unit at the province level. Evaluations are conducted by an evaluator or panel appointed by the Head of the REA from among inspectors working in the REA. Based on the Ministry’s guidelines, external evaluations are temporarily suspended by the Heads of the REAs during the COVID-19 pandemic.

External quality assurance does not cover periodic teacher appraisal. However, representatives of external bodies (the body administering a given school and / or the body responsible for pedagogical supervision / Head of the REA) are involved in the professional promotion process for teachers holding two higher (of all four) promotion grades. For details about promotion, see Chapter 9.2.

Quality improvement is also one of the aims of the external examination system which comprises: the eighth-grader exam at the end of the primary school, the final secondary education exam (maturity exam), and vocational exams for, among others, pupils and graduates of vocational secondary schools and post-secondary schools. External examination results are taken into account in external evaluation. For details about the external examination system, see Chapters 5.3 and 6.3.

Internal quality assurance

Internal quality assurance is part of the pedagogical supervision system which includes evaluation as the main mechanism. The related legislation on internal supervision applies to the public sector only. Internal supervision is exercised by the school head in collaboration with other management staff, and with teachers also involved in evaluation. Annual evaluations cover issues which are considered relevant to the activities of a given school; thus, their scope may vary between years. Outcomes of internal evaluation are taken into consideration in external evaluation. The national legislation or guidelines have not introduced any changes in internal pedagogical supervision during the COVID-19 pandemic. Decisions regarding the scope of internal evaluations are taken by the head of a school.

Internal quality assurance comprises two types of teacher assessment. Performance appraisal is not mandatory, applies to teachers holding one of the three higher (of all four) professional promotion grades and focuses on the performance of duties defined for teachers in the legislation. Assessment of professional achievements is an integral part of the procedure for promotion to a higher professional grade (for details about promotion, see Chapter 9.2) and covers the implementation of a professional development plan, agreed between the teacher and the school head, during a period of work preceding the process of promotion to a higher grade. Both types of assessment are conducted by the school head.

Higher education

External quality assurance

The national legislation provides for six evaluation processes. Most are mandatory where applicable to a given type of higher education institution (HEI) or programme. They can also be defined as accreditation processes (though the term is not used in the legislation) as they end with a formal decision which has legal consequences, determining whether or not a non-public HEI can be established or continue to operate, or a programme in a public or non-public HEI can be established or continue to be delivered.

Four processes are currently in place: initial institutional evaluation, institutional re-evaluation, initial programme evaluation and periodic programme evaluation (though the terms ‘initial programme evaluation’ and ‘institutional evaluation’ are not used in the legislation).

Initial institutional evaluation / accreditation and institutional re-evaluation / re-accreditation are required for the registration of new non-public HEIs and renewal of the registration, which is equivalent to a licence or permit for operation.

Initial programme evaluation / accreditation involves granting permits for the establishment of first-, second and long-cycle programmes in any field of study to new non-public HEIs and existing public and non-public HEIs which do not meet the statutory requirements to establish autonomously a programme in a given field of study. Additionally, such evaluation / accreditation is required for HEIs to establish programmes in the fields of Nursing and Midwifery. Ongoing first-, second- and long-cycle programmes in all fields of study are subject to mandatory periodic programme evaluation / accreditation; programmes in the fields of Nursing and Midwifery undergo an additional periodic evaluation / accreditation review.

Decisions on entry of non-public HEIs into the Register and renewal of registration and permits for public and non-public HEIs to establish programmes are issued by the Minister of Education and Science. Except for the cases laid down by law, the Minister issues such decisions and permits after consultation with the Polish Accreditation Committee (PAC) (Polska Komisja Akredytacyjna). PAC’s opinions on applications submitted by HEIs are based on an assessment conducted by its members and / or external experts. For programmes in the fields of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmacy, the Minister of Education and Science should also consult the Minister of Health. Accreditation awarded by the Minister of Health is additionally required for permits to establish programmes in Nursing and Midwifery (see below).

Periodic programme evaluations in all fields of study and all HEIs are conducted by PAC which also takes related accreditation decisions. Evaluation panels are composed of PAC’s members and external experts. For programmes in the fields of Nursing and Midwifery, initial and periodic programme evaluations are additionally carried out by the National Accreditation Council for Schools of Nursing and Midwifery (NACSN&M) (Krajowa Rada Akredytacyjna Szkół Pielęgniarek i Położnych), and (re-)accreditation is granted by the Minister of Health.

Pursuant to the legislation, two new processes, complex evaluation and evaluation of the quality of education at doctoral schools, will be put in place in the coming years.

Complex evaluation will be introduced based on the provisions of the law which entered into force on 1 October 2020. It will focus on the effectiveness of internal quality assurance in all areas where a given HEI provides education. PAC will be responsible for the process, and evaluations will be conducted by panels composed of its members and external experts.

Evaluation of doctoral schools / evaluation of the quality of education at doctoral schools will focus on the quality of doctoral training (which has recently replaced third-cycle programmes) at newly established doctoral schools. Doctoral schools have operated since 1 October 2019, and pursuant to the legislation, the first evaluation can be undertaken at least 5 years after the date when a given school started to provide education or earlier at the request of the Minister of Education and Science. Evaluations will be carried out by the Research Evaluation Committee (Komisja Ewaluacji Nauki) (a recently established body responsible for quality evaluation of research) and its external experts.

Detailed arrangements for complex evaluation and evaluation of the quality of education at doctoral schools have yet to be developed and put in place. Thus, the sections on the responsible bodies and quality assurance approaches provide information about the two processes which is currently available.

There are also several peer accreditation commissions, set up independently by the academic community as from the 1990s, which conduct programme evaluations on a voluntary basis, at the request of interested HEIs. They do not operate on the basis of national legislation, their accreditation decisions do not have any legal consequences, and some of them have suspended or curtailed their activity in the last decades, in view of mandatory evaluations carried out by PAC. Thus, they are only mentioned in the first section of Chapter 11.2 (together with links to their websites).

Internal quality assurance

The national legislation does not predetermine the scope or elements of internal quality assurance. It lays down only general arrangements for the quality of programmes and periodic appraisal of academic staff. HEIs adopt detailed arrangements for quality assurance in their internal regulations. Internal quality assurance is taken into account by PAC and the NACSN&M in their external evaluations.

Adult education

External and internal quality assurance arrangements for schools for adults and institutions providing adult education in non-school settings within the school education system are the same as for school education for children and young people (see above). There are no regulations on quality assurance for institutions providing adult education in non-school settings outside the school education system, as part of economic activity or labour-market training activities.

Both institutions within the school education system and entities outside the system which provide adult education in non-school settings may apply on a voluntary basis for accreditation to the Head of the Regional Education Authorities (REA) (kurator oświaty). Accreditation covers a given type of continuing education or training programme or course and confirms compliance with certain requirements and high quality of education or training. Evaluation is conducted by a panel appointed by the Head of the REA. A panel is composed of representatives of the Head of the REA, a regional or district labour office, an employers’ organisation and, at the request of the panel, an expert in a given area of knowledge. An accreditation decision is taken by the Head of the REA.

Legislation

NB.: In January 2021, the Ministry of National Education and the Ministry of Science and Higher Education were merged into the Ministry of Education and Science. Regulations issued earlier are now amended by regulations of the Minister of Education and Science.

Early Childhood and School Education

• Act of 14 December 2016, Law on School Education (as subsequently amended) (Ustawa z dnia 14 grudnia 2016 r. – Prawo oświatowe (z późn. zm.)): The Act regulates key aspects of school education, including adult education; for quality assurance, it outlines general rules for pedagogical supervision over nursery schools, schools and other educational institutions, with detailed arrangements laid down in a relevant Regulation by the minister responsible for school education.
• School Education Act of 7 September 1991 (as subsequently amended) (Ustawa z dnia 7 września 1991 r. o systemie oświaty (z późn. zm.)). The main legislative act for school education until largely repealed by the Law on School Education. The provisions indirectly related to quality assurance which are still in force cover internal pupil assessment and external examinations.
• Act of 26 January 1982, The Teachers’ Charter (as subsequently amended) (Ustawa z dnia 26 stycznia 1982 r. – Karta Nauczyciela (z późn. zm.)). The Act regulates key matters for teachers in the school education system and sets a general framework for teacher assessment; detailed arrangements are laid down in a relevant Regulation by the Minister.
• Regulation of the Minister of National Education of 25 August 2017 on pedagogical supervision (as subsequently amended) (Rozporządzenie Ministra Edukacji Narodowej z dnia 25 sierpnia 2017 r. w sprawie nadzoru pedagogicznego (z późn. zm.)). The Regulation lays down detailed arrangements for pedagogical supervision, incl. evaluation, and the responsibilities of the bodies responsible for external and internal pedagogical supervision.
• Regulation of the Council of Ministers of 20 January 2021 establishing the position of the Government Representative for general education and pedagogical supervision (Rozporządzenie Rady Ministrów z dnia 20 stycznia 2021 r. w sprawie ustanowienia Pełnomocnika Rządu do spraw kształcenia ogólnego i nadzoru pedagogicznego). The Regulation specifies the responsibilities of the Representative which include, among others, analysis of legislation and arrangements currently in force, and development of proposals in the area of pedagogical supervision.
• Regulation of the Minister of National Education of 11 August 2017 on the requirements for schools and other educational institutions (as subsequently amended) (Rozporządzenie Ministra Edukacji Narodowej z dnia 11 sierpnia 2017 r. w sprawie wymagań wobec szkół i placówek (z późn. zm.)). The Regulation lays down the criteria for external evaluation of nursery schools, schools and other educational institutions.
• Regulation of the Minister of National Education of 19 August 2019 on the performance appraisal procedure for teachers, including teachers holding management positions, information to be provided in a performance appraisal sheet, the composition and procedure for the establishment of a performance appraisal board, and the detailed appeals procedures (Rozporządzenie Ministra Edukacji Narodowej z dnia 19 sierpnia 2019 r. w sprawie trybu dokonywania oceny pracy nauczycieli, w tym nauczycieli zajmujących stanowiska kierownicze, szczegółowego zakresu informacji zawartych w karcie oceny pracy, składu i sposobu powoływania zespołu oceniającego oraz szczegółowego trybu postępowania odwoławczego). The Regulation lays down detailed rules for teacher performance assessment outlined in the Teachers’ Charter.
• Regulation of the Minister of National Education of 26 July 2018 on the professional promotion grades for teachers (as subsequently amended) (Rozporządzenie Ministra Edukacji Narodowej z dnia 26 lipca 2018 r. w sprawie uzyskiwania stopni awansu zawodowego przez nauczycieli (z późn. zm.)). The Regulation lays down detailed arrangements for the promotion of teachers, including the assessment of a teacher’s professional achievements.
• Regulation of the Minister of National Education of 1 August 2017 on the detailed arrangements for the eighth-grader examination (as subsequently amended) (Rozporządzenie Ministra Edukacji Narodowej z dnia 1 sierpnia 2017 r. w sprawie szczegółowych warunków i sposobu przeprowadzania egzaminu ósmoklasisty (z późń. zm.)); Regulation of the Minister of National Education of 21 December 2016 on the detailed arrangements for the lower-secondary school and final upper-secondary school examinations (as subsequently amended) (Rozporządzenie Ministra Edukacji Narodowej z dnia 21 grudnia 2016 r. w sprawie szczegółowych warunków i sposobu przeprowadzania egzaminu gimnazjalnego i egzaminu maturalnego (z późń. zm.)); Regulation of the Minister of National Education of 28 August 2019 on the detailed arrangements for vocational examinations and examinations confirming vocational qualifications (as subsequently amended) Rozporządzenie Ministra Edukacji Narodowej z dnia 28 sierpnia 2019 r. w sprawie szczegółowych warunków i sposobu przeprowadzania egzaminu zawodowego i egzaminu potwierdzającego kwalifikacje w zawodzie (z późn. zm.)). The Regulations lay down detailed arrangements for these external exams.
• Regulation of the Minister of National Education of 20 March 2020 on the specific measures in the period of temporary restrictions on the functioning of institutions in the school education system introduced to prevent, control and combat the COVID-19 pandemic (as subsequently amended) (Rozporządzenie Ministra Edukacji Narodowej z dnia 20 marca 2020 r. w sprawie szczególnych rozwiązań w okresie czasowego ograniczenia funkcjonowania jednostek systemu oświaty w związku z zapobieganiem, przeciwdziałaniem i zwalczaniem COVID-19 (z późn. zm.)). The Regulation lays down temporary measures to be in place in the school education system during the COVID-19 pandemic and is amended, when necessary, on an ongoing basis. During the pandemic, the Ministry also issues, on an ongoing basis, guidelines concerning various aspects of the activity of nursery schools, schools and other institutions within the school education system.

Higher Education

• Act of 20 July 2018, The Law on Higher Education and Science (as subsequently amended) (Ustawa z dnia 20 lipca 2018 r. – Prawo o szkolnictwie wyższym i nauce (z późn. zm.)). The Act regulates key aspects of the higher education system. With regard to quality assurance, it sets a general framework for the activities of the Polish Accreditation Committee (PAC) and arrangements for programme evaluation, complex evaluations and evaluation of the quality of education at doctoral schools.
• Act on the Nursing and Midwifery Professions of 15 July 2011 (as subsequently amended) (Ustawa o zawodach pielęgniarki i położnej z dnia 15 lipca 2011 r. (z późn. zm.)). The Act regulates key matters related to the training of nurses and midwives. With regard to quality assurance, it lays down general operational rules for the National Accreditation Council for Schools of Nursing and Midwifery.
• Act of 2 March 2020 on the specific measures introduced to prevent, control and combat COVID-19 and other infectious diseases and to respond to related emergencies (as subsequently amended) (Ustawa z dnia 2 marca 2020 r. o szczególnych rozwiązaniach związanych z zapobieganiem, przeciwdziałaniem i zwalczaniem COVID-19, innych chorób zakaźnych oraz wywołanych nimi sytuacji kryzysowych (z późn. zm.). The Act lays down specific accreditation arrangements for Nursing and Midwifery programmes during the pandemic.
• Regulation of the Minister of Science and Higher Education of 12 September 2018 on the criteria for programme evaluation (Rozporządzenie Ministra Nauki i Szkolnictwa Wyższego z dnia 12 września 2018 r. w sprawie kryteriów oceny programowej). The Regulation defines general criteria for evaluations conducted by PAC.
• Regulation of the Minister of Science and Higher Education of 27 September 2018 on degree programmes (as subsequently amended) (Rozporządzenie Ministra Nauki i Szkolnictwa Wyższego z dnia 27 września 2018 r. w sprawie studiów (z późn. zm.)). The Regulation specifies, among other things, general requirements for a curriculum for first-, second and long-cycle programmes and a higher education diploma, and information to be provided in an application for a permit to establish a programme.
• Regulation of the Minister of Science and Higher Education of 14 December 2018 on the fees for members of institutions, bodies and panels, and experts and disciplinary prosecutors operating within the higher education system (as subsequently amended) (Rozporządzenie Ministra Nauki i Szkolnictwa Wyższego z dnia 14 grudnia 2018 r. w sprawie wysokości wynagrodzenia przysługującego członkom instytucji, organów i zespołów oraz ekspertom i rzecznikom dyscyplinarnym działającym w systemie szkolnictwa wyższego (z późn. zm.). The Regulation sets the level of salaries for, among others, PAC members and experts.
• Regulation of the Minister of Health of 29 November 2012 on the National Accreditation Council for Schools of Nursing and Midwifery (as subsequently amended) (Rozporządzenie Ministra Zdrowia z dnia 29 listopada 2012 r. w sprawie Krajowej Rady Akredytacyjnej Szkół Pielęgniarek i Położnych (z późn. zm.)). The Regulation sets detailed accreditation and operational procedures for the Council.
• Regulation of the Minister of Education and Science of 26 February 2021 on the temporary restrictions for the functioning of some institutions in the higher education and science system introduced to prevent, control and combat the COVID-19 pandemic (Rozporządzenie Ministra Edukacji i Nauki z dnia 26 lutego 2021 r. w sprawie czasowego ograniczenia funkcjonowania niektórych podmiotów systemu szkolnictwa wyższego i nauki w związku z zapobieganiem, przeciwdziałaniem i zwalczaniem COVID-19.). The Regulation lays down temporary measures to be in place in the higher education and science system during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Adult education

• Regulation of the Minister of National Education of 29 August 2019 on the accreditation of institutions providing continuing education in non-school settings (Rozporządzenie Ministra Edukacji Narodowej z dnia 29 sierpnia 2019 r. w sprawie akredytacji kształcenia ustawicznego w formach pozaszkolnych). The Regulation lays down detailed arrangements for the accreditation of adult education programmes provided by institutions within and outside the school education system.

Schools for adults and other adult education institutions within the school education system are subject to the legislation for the school education (early childhood and school education) system; see above.