Polish Accreditation Committee (PKA)
Contact Information
Street name: | Zurawia 32/34 str. |
Postal code and City: | 00-515 Warsaw |
Country: | Poland |
Phone/Fax: | +48 22 563 17 71 |
E-mail: | pka@pka.edu.pl; karolina.martyniak@pka.edu.pl |
Website: | http://www.pka.edu.pl |
Introductory presentation: |
Good Practice: The Path to Success and Strengthening the Position of Polish Universities |
Contact person: | Karolina Martyniak |
Function of contact person: | International Cooperation, Analysis and Training |
Founding date: | 2002 |
Legal status: | Non-profit public organization |
International links and membership: |
ENQA, EQAR, INQAAHE, ECA, CEENQA |
The Polish Accreditation Committee (PKA) was established under the name of the State Accreditation Committee on 1 January 2002 pursuant to Article 38(1) of the Law on Higher Education of 12 September 1990 (OJ No. 65, item 385) amended on 20 July 2001. The Polish Accreditation Committee is an independent institution dedicated to quality assurance and enhancing the quality of education. All Committee activities are governed by the principles of fairness, impartiality and transparency. The participation of women and men in PKA’s works is balanced. Upon its establishment, PKA covered with its scope all public and non-public HEIs.
The Polish Accreditation Committee carries out its mission by conducting obligatory programme evaluations and by giving opinions on applications for the authorisation to provide degree programmes submitted by higher education institutions. PKA considers itself a partner in the education quality assurance process in Polish system of higher education. The overriding value guiding the work of the Committee is common good, because the quality and effectiveness of education significantly contribute to the development of intellectual capital and civil society. The Polish Accreditation Committee feels accountable for the decisions it makes, as they impact on the development of higher education. PKA enhances its credibility thanks to objective evaluations and opinions, professional activities, observing the principle of openness and transparency of the procedures, presenting clear arguments, and respecting ethical principles and academic tradition.
PKA is a platform for cooperation and dialogue for all stakeholders interested in acting on behalf of ensuring top quality higher education. The Committee undertakes cooperation initiatives in this area, also in an international arena. It actively cooperates with other accreditation agencies and international organisations on the implementation of the Bologna Process and the development of European Higher Education Area. In accordance with the Law on Higher Education and Science, PKA can have up to 90 members holding at least the academic degree of at least Ph.D.
One of the main tasks of the Polish Accreditation Committee consists in the evaluation of education quality (programme evaluation) and in the accreditation of all fields of study offered by public and non-public HEIs in Poland. Moreover, the PKA is responsible for the following [Article 258.1. of the Law on Higher Education and Science]:
- providing opinion on establishment of the non-public higher education institution
- compliance with the requirements for the provision of degree programs, including their alignment with the institutional strategy of a HEI
- carrying out of a complex evaluation [The detailed criteria and procedure of this type of evaluation are to be established.]
- analytical activities, training and dissemination of good practices in quality of education
- cooperation with national and international stakeholders
- providing opinions in other matters presented by the minister for science and higher education
Decisions made by PKA are legally binding for all higher education institutions operating in the territory of Poland. State accreditation is compulsory for all units offering first-cycle, second-cycle and long-cycle programs and a positive rating given to the fulfilment of requirements for providing education and to education quality in a particular field of study is a condition for its continuation. A negative rating given to education quality by PKA may result in the suspension or loss of authorization to provide that particular field of study.