On 22nd April, the Senate of the University of Warsaw adopted a resolution on new regulations for the University’s doctoral schools. The document will come into force on 1st October.

Pursuant to the resolution, new regulations have been adopted for the following doctoral schools:

• The Doctoral School of Humanities,
• The Doctoral School of Social Sciences,
• The Doctoral School of Exact and Natural Sciences,
• The Interdisciplinary Doctoral School.

The preparation of the new regulations is a response to the requests made so far by the academic community. It also stems from the amendment to the Act on Higher Education and Science. The aim of the changes is to establish coherent, transparent and practical rules for the operation of doctoral schools, which will support both doctoral candidates as well as teaching and research employees.

Key areas of change

The new regulations include:

• greater flexibility in the study process, including the option of a personalised study programme, flexible rules for extending the deadline for submitting a doctoral thesis (up to a maximum of two years), and an unlimited period for suspending studies for parental reasons as provided for by law;
• measures to strengthen the doctoral student–supervisor relationship, including clarifying the rules of cooperation, standardising procedures for changing supervisors, and introducing a formalised conflict resolution procedure;
• enhancing the quality of education, including through the approval of course syllabuses by school directors, the possibility of observing classes, and the appointment of subject coordinators;
• simplifying and standardising regulations, including aligning terminology and procedures with current statutory regulations and developing digital document circulation.
• At the same time, the new regulations retain key elements of the functioning of doctoral schools, such as the rights of doctoral candidates, the organisation of schools, rules on passing the academic year, mobility and doctoral representation.
• The resolution will come into force on 1st October 2026, and the regulations currently in force will cease to apply on 30th September 2026.