Poland proposes higher education law amendments

The Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education has prepared a draft amendment to the Law on Higher Education and Science, which is set to be discussed during a government session.

One key provision aims to allow employers to verify the authenticity of paper diplomas. Currently, employers face difficulties confirming educational credentials due to data protection regulations. Under the proposed law, universities would be permitted to provide information regarding the data contained in a paper diploma to employers with a legal interest, upon request and for a fee.

Additionally, the amendment seeks to expand the number of entities authorized to commission tasks to universities and research institutes. Currently, only a limited number of government administration bodies can directly assign research or expertise tasks. The proposal would allow other budget holders, such as the Ministry of National Defense, the Ministry of Interior and Administration, and the Ministry of Sport and Tourism, to independently commission work to specialized academic and research units.