Organised by


Conference of Rectors
of Vocational Higher Education Institutions in Poland (KRZaSP)


Lazarski University in Warsaw



Perspektywy Education Foundation



Introduction and invitation


Road ahead for private higher education in Europe


Experts at the UNESCO World Conference on Higher Education in 2009 all agreed, privatization and commercialization will be setting the trend in the development of higher education on a global scale. It is estimated that at present some 30% of the entire world student body, study at private institutions, and the share of private education is only going to increase. In 2006, the private higher education market was estimated to be worth 400 billion US dollars a year.

In Poland, private higher education has developed on an impressive scale. During the two decades, private institutions educating 1,574 million graduates, made an important contribution to the success of the transformation process. Currently 32% of all students in Poland are enrolled in private HEIs. Between 1991 and 2011, over 320 private institutions were established in Poland alone, and over 700 in Central and Eastern Europe.

The conference: Private Higher Education and Its Contribution to Enhancement of Innovation Potential of Europe in the Global Competitive Environment, Warsaw, 23 September 2011, will be a jubilee event organized to mark twenty years of private higher education in Poland. The main purpose of the conference will be to chart the road ahead for private higher education in Europe in the ever changing economic and demographic environment both on the country level and globally.

The conference will address, among others, the following issues:

  • innovation potential of private HE institutions in the era of economic crisis,
  • challenges facing private higher education in Europe and in the world,
  • the role of private institutions in the process of modernization
  • international branding of private higher education institutions

The conference will also discuss practical issues such as mission, ownership, investment, revenues (tuition) and finally legal and administrative regulation.

The main challenges facing private higher education particularly in Central and Eastern Europe are related to: recruitment; development of faculty and reduction of dependence on external teaching staff; lack of diversity among study programs provided by private institutions. Last but not least is the need of enhance quality assurance [accreditation] as quality culture constitutes a precondition for sustainability of institutional development.

The Warsaw conference will gather rectors and professors from numerous Polish and European private institutions as well as experts on higher education from internationally renowned research centres.

Conference participants will be invited to the gala dinner celebrating the 20’ anniversary of private higher education in Poland. They will also be invited to the academic inaugural ceremony at which, Bronislaw Komorowski, President of Poland will be a guest of honour.

The conference is organized jointly by the Conference of Rectors of Higher Vocational Schools in Poland (KRZaSP), Lazarski University and Perspektywy Education Foundation.

We look forward to welcome you in Warsaw.

The Organizing Committee