The year 2024 marks the upcoming Rector and Senate elections at the University of Warsaw for the 2024-2028 term. In the rectorial election, three candidates were nominated. The new Rector was named on 18th April, and will govern the University of Warsaw for the following four years.
The candidates were reviewed by the UW Senate. During the candidates’ public debate the academic community members have an opportunity to discuss various issues related to the functioning of the University whereas the candidates seize the chance to present their programmes for the term of 2024-2028. The final voting was held on 18th April.
Electoral College
Rector is elected by the Electoral College. Members of the Electoral College, called electors, represent each group of the University community, i.e. academics, administration, doctoral candidates, and students.
Rector elections
Candidates for the position of the University of Warsaw Rector are put forward by:
- the University Council
- the Electoral College
Indicative voting
On 6th March in Auditorium Maximum on the UW campus at Krakowskie Przedmieście, the first sitting of the Electoral College was held to proceed the indicative voting. The College members appointed four candidates for the position of the UW Rector in the period of 2024-2028, each of whom received obligatory 10% of the votes:
- Alojzy Z. Nowak – 279 votes
- Łukasz Niesiołowski-Spanò – 156 votes
- Sławomir Żółtek – 58 votes
- Maciej Górecki – 45 votes
On the announcement from Prof. Sławomir Żółtek, in which he declined to participate in further election processes, the University Election Committee informed about three persons, who provided formal declarations and confirmed to take part in the rectorial election.
Election processes
Candidates for the position of the University Rector are reviewed by the UW Senate. On 20th March, with the absolute majority of the votes cast, the Senate gave a positive recommendation to Prof. Alojzy Z. Nowak. Other two candidates did not receive positive opinions. The senators were voting directly after the debate with all the candidates.
On 7th March, the University Council indicated one candidate for the position of the University Rector – Prof. Alojzy Z. Nowak, the current UW Rector.
Rector candidates’ debate
The three candidates for the position of the University Rector met with the academic community members in the Auditorium Maximum on 26th March to present and discuss their programmes as rector for the following 2024-2028. The debate lasted over eight hours. The candidates could reply to forty-two questions. The main voting will be proceeded on 18th April.
Candidates’ profiles
- Prof. Maciej Górecki
University professor at the Chair of Social Psychology, Personalities and Emotional Processes, the UW’s Faculty of Psychology
Prof. Maciej Górecki graduated from Opole University of Technology, master’s degree in management (2000), and the University of Opole, master’s degree in political science and social communication (2002), and master’s degree in social research methods at London School of Economics and Political Science, UK (2005), doctoral degree in political science at Trinity College Dublin, Ireland (2011), habilitation (PL: doktor habilitowany) at the Institute of Philosophy and Sociology, the Polish Academy of Sciences (2016).
Prof. Maciej Górecki’s website >>
- Prof. Łukasz Niesiołowski-Spanò
Dean of the Faculty of History, the University of Warsaw
University professor at the Department of Ancient History, the UW’s Faculty of History
Prof. Łukasz Niesiołowski-Spanò obtained his master’s degree in history at the University of Warsaw (1997), doctoral degree in history at the University of Warsaw (2002), habilitation (PL: doktor habilitowany) also at the University of Warsaw (2013). He was a visiting scholar at the University of Notre Dame, USA (2005/2006), and Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, Germany (2016).
He is a member of the Society of Biblical Literature, the European Association of Biblical Studies, the Catholic Biblical Association of America, the European Association for Jewish Studies.
Prof. Łukasz Niesiołowski-Spano’s website >>
- Prof. Alojzy Z. Nowak
45th Rector of the University of Warsaw
Professor at the UW’s Faculty of Management
Prof. Alojzy Z. Nowak graduated from the SGH Warsaw School of Economics in 1984. He also studied economics at the University of Illinois at Urbana – Champaign, USA; banking, finance and capital markets at the University of Exeter, UK; International Economics at the Free University of Berlin, Germany, and University of Antwerp, Belgium. He is affiliated to the University of Warsaw as of 1984.
The Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Management between 1999-2006, the Dean of this unit between 2006-2012. Next four years, the Vice-Rector in charge of research and cooperation. In 2016, elected as the Dean of the Faculty of Management. Since the 1st September 2020, Prof. Nowak has been on the position of the Rector of the University of Warsaw. As of 2018, he chairs the Academic Sports Association (PL: Akademicki Związek Sportowy, AZS).
Prof. Alojzy Z. Nowak’s website >>
Senate elections
The elections for the Senate members are held simultaneously with the rectorial election. Members of the Senate are elected within the faculties and by the Electoral College.
Elections timelines
The election process is conducted in accordance with the University’s established procedures and regulations governing electoral processes.
- Election Calendar
On 6th November 2023, the University Election Committee (PL: Uczelniana Komisja Wyborcza, UKW) adopted a resolution on the Election Calendar.
- Electoral College
By 19th February, the selection of electors of the Electoral College (PL: Kolegium Elektorów).
- Senate Nominations
By 4th March, submitting nominations for candidates for representatives of the University of Warsaw Senate.
- Rector Candidates
On 6th March, the first meeting of the Electoral College, casting votes for candidates for the position of the University of Warsaw Rector.
By 11th March, the University Council (PL: Rada Uczelni) submits nominations for the position of the Rector to the Senate.
On 19th March, presenting the candidates for the Senate who are elected by the Electoral College.
On 20th March, the sitting while the Senate is deliberating on the candidates for the position of the Rector of the University of Warsaw.
By 25th March, the University Election Committee registers candidates for the position of the Rector.
- Senate members
By 18th April, University faculties determine their members of the Senate.
- Election Day
On 18th April, the Rector and representatives of the Senate are elected by the University Electoral College. If none of the candidates receives the required majority, a second round of voting will be held in which the two candidates who received the most votes in the first round take part. If more than one person with the same number of votes is in second place, all such candidates should enter the second round. The person chosen to be the Rector is the Rector-elect.
- Deans elections
By 31st May, closing of electoral procedures in deans elections.
By 10th June, closing of electoral procedures in the elections for vice-deans for students affairs.