From Doctorate to Professorship. A Conference of the Council of Scientific Excellence and WSB University on Academic Promotion Proceedings

How can academic promotion proceedings be conducted rigorously, transparently and efficiently? How should interdisciplinary scientific achievements be assessed and regulations applied in academic practice? These were the issues at the heart of the conference “Academic Promotion Proceedings in the Light of Experience to Date. The Practice of First- and Second-Instance Bodies”, jointly organised by the Council of Scientific Excellence and WSB University. It was the first meeting of this kind involving the leadership of the Council of Scientific Excellence to be held at a non-public university.

Participants were welcomed by Prof. Zdzisława Dacko-Pikiewicz, Rector of WSB University, and Prof. Bronisław Sitek, Chair of the Council of Scientific Excellence.

The substantive part of the conference opened with a presentation by Prof. Katarzyna Szczepańska-Woszczyna, Vice-Rector for Science and Education at WSB University, devoted to the authority granted to the University to award the degrees of doktor habilitowany and doktor. This topic provided a starting point for a broader discussion on the powers and responsibilities of institutions conducting academic promotion proceedings.

Prof. Bronisław Sitek, Chair of the Council of Scientific Excellence, discussed the decentralisation of rule-making powers in matters concerning academic promotion. Next, Prof. Marian Gorynia, Deputy Chair of the Council, presented issues relating to proceedings for the award of the title of professor, paying particular attention to the interdisciplinary nature of scientific achievements. This is an important area in assessing the research output of scholars whose work extends beyond the boundaries of a single discipline.

The subsequent presentations addressed proceedings leading to the award of academic degrees. Prof. Grzegorz Węgrzyn, Deputy Chair of the Council of Scientific Excellence, outlined the procedure for awarding the degree of doktor habilitowany, while Prof. Mansur Rahnama-Hezavah, Secretary of the Council, discussed the conditions governing the award of the doctoral degree. These topics provided an opportunity to consider the successive stages of academic development in terms of formal requirements and their practical application.

Reviews, which constitute one of the key elements in assessing scientific achievements, featured prominently in the programme. Dr Jerzy Deneka, Director of the Office of the Council of Scientific Excellence, presented good practices for commissioning reviews in academic promotion proceedings. The programme also included a presentation by Artur Woźniak, Head of the Legal Department of the Council’s Office, devoted to anticipated amendments to the provisions of the Law on Higher Education and Science concerning academic promotion.

The conference concluded with a debate involving the participants. It addressed issues relating to the practice of first- and second-instance bodies, the interpretation of the regulations in force and opportunities to improve procedures. It provided an opportunity to examine the issues discussed during the presentations in the light of the academic community’s experiences.

The joint initiative of the Council of Scientific Excellence and WSB University created a space for dialogue on the quality of academic promotion proceedings and responsibility for assessing research output. The exchange of knowledge and experience supported the search for solutions conducive to the transparency, rigour and efficiency of the procedures that mark successive stages of an academic career.

The meeting provided an opportunity to deepen the dialogue between representatives of the Council of Scientific Excellence and the academic community, as well as to exchange knowledge and experience aimed at increasing the transparency, rigour and efficiency of proceedings concerning the award of academic degrees and titles.

We thank all speakers and participants for their active involvement, substantive presentations and valuable discussion.