The University of Warsaw, together with the nine other universities that are winners of the “Initiative for Excellence –  Research University” programme, was evaluated positively during the IDUB mid-term evaluation. It was conducted in 2023 by an international team of experts.

The first competition in “Initiative for Excellence – Research University” programme (IDUB) was decided by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education in 2019. At that time, ten Polish higher education institutions were awarded, including the University of Warsaw, which was rated the highest of all the applicants. The winners receive an increased subsidy amount of 10 per cent between 2020 and 2026.

 

International relevance

The evaluation included, for instance, the universities’ preparation of a self-assessment report in the OSF (Funding Stream Support System, PL: Obsługa Strumieni Finansowania), and ten expert visits to the universities’ facilities were carried out. The assessment was given on the basis of the progress made in leading the transformation, the stimulation of which is one of the main objectives of the IDUB programme.

 

All ten universities, including the University of Warsaw, received a positive evaluation. No ranking list is produced as part of the mid-term evaluation.

 

Detailed information on the mid-term evaluation in the IDUB Programme is available on the website of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education and in the letter of the international team of experts to the Minister of Science and Higher Education.

 

“The centres of excellence as well as much higher than usual availability of research funding are among the visible manifestations of IDUB. What I personally consider to be the greatest success is the inclusive delivery model of this programme at the UW. The widespread system of internal competitions has opened IDUB to all members of our academic community who have a connection to research.

 

Such a model not only improves the quality of research, but also develops project management skills, encourages us to become competitive, and allows us to change the approach to participating in competitions. These competences are of great importance for the development of researchers’ careers and they will also, perhaps especially, be useful when IDUB comes to an end at some point. With a one-day training about the necessity to participate in grant competitions we would not have achieved this.”

 

Prof. Zygmunt Lalak, UW Vice-Rector for Research

 

Priority Research Areas

Within the IDUB Programme, the University of Warsaw implements seventy activities related to five Priority Research Areas:

  • Science for the Planet;
  • Beyond Micro and Macro Worlds;
  • The Challenge of Petabytes;
  • The Humanities: Crossing Borders, Extending Capabilities;
  • Responding to Global Challenges.

One of the most important initiatives from the perspective of the scientific development of the academic community is the system of internal grants (mainly micro-grants for increasing the research potential of employees and supporting publication activity in the Open Access model). Programmes for individual organisation of studies, comprehensive support for doctoral candidates, international summer schools or programmes for visiting scientists are also implemented.

 

Important elements of the implementation of IDUB at the UW include:

  • the formation of international and national research teams;
  • the activities of the research career path advisor;
  • support for the mobility of employees and doctoral candidates;
  • introduction of good practices in the recruitment of employees;
  • support for women in research career development;
  • support for work-life balance.