Ministry of Science
and Higher Education

EEC Opening

Minister of Science and Higher Education Dariusz Wieczorek participated in the opening of the European Economic Congress. At the inauguration, Prime Minister Donald Tusk presented the "Plan for Europe". The head of government spoke in Katowice about security, support for entrepreneurs and the protection of European values.

“Today, Poland is the European leader in matters which directly relate to the future of Europe, to the future of all Europeans - starting from security, ending with a common sense approach to what European institutions and procedures are for and how to apply European funding,” emphasised Donald Tusk during his speech inaugurating the European Economic Congress in Katowice.

The event was attended by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, as well as by prof. Jerzy Buzek, to whom the head of government expressed his gratitude for his contribution to European integration.

Talks on Polish education

EEC is taking place for the 16th time, this year from 7th to 9th May 2024 at the International Congress Centre in Katowice. The Ministry of Science and Higher Education is represented in debates and discussions by the Minister, Dariusz Wieczorek, and deputy ministers Maria Mrówczyńska and Marek Gzik.

Minister Dariusz Wieczorek took part in a session "Education for the future". The discussion concerned education in a world of instability and increasingly rapid changes. The speakers talked about the global perspective of teaching, as well as the professions of the future. Minister Dariusz Wieczorek emphasised that his priority was to strengthen cooperation between Polish scientific institutes and industry.

“As the Ministry, we are a kind of catalyst which speeds up cooperation between industry and science. In this respect, we need statutory changes, wise state policy, an effective use of financial resources, as well as measures to internationalise Polish science,” said Minister Dariusz Wieczorek during the debate.

According to the minister, the National Centre for Research and Development is an institution with a strategic role in supporting projects implemented jointly by research entities, universities and industry.

“We have many achievements in many different fields and it is worth implementing and commercialising what our Polish scientists come up with, invent and patent,” emphasised Dariusz Wieczorek.

What is the dream graduate like from the perspective of business?

One of the questions at the discussion was "what is the dream graduate like from the perspective of business?" Minister of Science and Higher Education Dariusz Wieczorek pointed out that entrepreneurs should value staff training and should participate in it.

“We will improve cooperation between industry and science, but let's not forget that students are most important. We will encourage Polish and foreign companies to cooperate with Polish universities in the field of staff training,” said the minister.

“There are some vocational universities which accomplish these tasks. We strive to ensure that more universities have the opportunity to cooperate with industry and that industry representatives tell us, e.g. we need 1,000 IT specialists. We then know that it is worth launching specific fields of study, it is worth training young people, so that students have a 100% guarantee that after graduation they will find employment in a good place.” summed up the head of the Ministry.

The panel also included: Joanna Mucha, Secretary of State, Ministry of National Education, prof. Jerzy Lis Ph.D. engineer, rector of the AGH University of Science and Technology in Krakow and prof. Teofil Jesionowski Ph.D. engineer, rector of Poznań University of Technology.

European Economic Congress

The European Economic Congress is the largest economic event in Central Europe.

The Congress is a three-day series of debates and meetings attended by over 12,500 guests from Poland and abroad. Every year, several hundred panellists take part in over a hundred sessions and discussions. All Congress events are covered by opinion-forming media from Poland and Europe.

Meeting of the Council of Ministers

On 7th May, an away meeting of the Council of Ministers was held in Katowice. The ministers arrived in the capital of Silesia by train. They held their meeting at the Silesian Voivodeship Office in Katowice.