Higher
Education in Poland
The current higher education system in Poland
traces its origin to the end of communism in 1989. The history of higher
education is, however, long in the country. For instant, the first equivalent
of a university was set up in 1364 when King Casimir the Great Established the Cracow
Academy (Jagiellonian University today).
Poland is a member of the Bologna Process
which subscribes to a three levels of education (Gapinski, 2010). In addition,
Poland participates in the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS). This system
allows students from member countries to transfer their credits whenever they
have to relocate to another country.
The 1989 reforms in the education sector
created both state (public) and private (non-public) run institutions of higher
learning. These are called public Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and Non
Public Higher Education Institutions (HEIs).
There are also two routes to higher education
in Poland: the university route and non-university route. Together, there are
currently around 450 HEIs in Poland admitting approximately 500,000 students
every year.
Universities confer awards based on the path
that a student chooses. Thus, one can start at the First Cycle which is
equivalent to undergraduate studies in many other countries. Those intending to
pursue further studies can then proceed to the Second Cycle and eventually to
the Third Cycle both of which are equivalents of Masters and PhD studies
respectively. Alternatively, one can directly start the Long Cycle eventually
graduating at a level equivalent to Second Cycle.
Higher Education in the United States
The American higher education system is
modeled on the need to provide access to the highest number of people
(Gapinski, 2010). This process of democratization of higher education was
started in 1862 through the Land Grant College Act.
The system currently boasts of over 4,200
institutions offering degrees and certificates. These institutions are either
community colleges offering two year diplomas or universities offering degrees
(Gapinski, 2010). It is possible for one to transit from a community college
into a 4-year university.
The management of higher education in the U.S
is either private or public which the state governments being in charge of
public institutions of higher learning. There is no national policy on
education across the U.S as each state makes its own policy on education.
Besides public and private institutions of
higher learning, there is a new trend in the American education scene of for
profit universities and community colleges. These are purely profit making
entities with some of them even listed in the various stock exchanges.
Universities in the U.S offer courses at both
undergraduate and postgraduate levels. The Bachelors degree is most common
award at the undergraduate level. Both Masters and Doctoral awards are the two
leading postgraduate awards in the U.S. Some course such as Law and Medicine
can only be studied following undergraduate studies in some other field.
Students in U.S universities and colleges pay
their own fees. They finance such payments through various ways. Thus, a
student can get a government grant, scholarships and loans. The student can
also can scholarships from other areas.
Similarities and differences
Similarities
In both countries, one can either pursue
vocational or academic studies. This is achievable through university and non
university system in the case of Poland and the community college and the
university in the case of the U.S.
Both systems have public and private management of
institutions of higher learning.
Differences
Poland has a national policy on higher
education while such policy only exists at the state level in the United
States. I n addition, students in U.S universities have to pay their way
through college which is not very common in Poland.
Conclusion
It is evident that both U.S.A and Poland have
different higher education systems. The two systems also happen to share a
number of features. For instance, both have vocational and academic streams.
Reference
Gapinski, A.J. (2010).Higher
Education: Europe vs. USA.Eighth LACCEI Latin American and Caribbean Conference for Engineering and
Technology (LACCEI’2010) “Innovation and Development
for the Americas”, June 1-4, 2010, Arequipa, Perú
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