10.02.2016 change 10.02.2016

Gowin: We want to rebuild the position of Polish humanities

Photo: PAP 2016 / Marcin Obara Photo: PAP 2016 / Marcin Obara

Negotiating smart specialization in the field of humanities and changes in the National Programme for the Development of the Humanities are among the measures intended to rebuild the position of Polish humanities. They have been announced by the Minister of Science Jarosław Gowin.

"We want to rebuild the position of Polish humanities" - Minister of Science and Higher Education Jarosław Gowin said during Thursday\'s meeting with journalists. He noted that his ministry had prepared four forms of action to that effect.

"We are negotiating with the Ministry of Development to supplement the list of smart specializations with two new specializations: specialization in the field of social sciences and specialization in the humanities. If these negotiations with minister Morawiecki are successful - and it looks like they are on the right track - humanists will have access to much more EU funds" - said Gowin. Smart specializations are the areas of economy and science considered a priority. Smart specialization projects are more likely to receive support from the European Union funds.

Another of measure in support of humanists will be initiating, within the framework of the National Centre for Research and Development, of a social innovation module. Gowin noted that the details of this program will be discussed with the new director of the National Centre for Research and Development (competition for this position is open). But the Minister hopes that already this year humanists will be able to participate in join the National Centre for Research and Development competitions within the area of social innovation.

The third area of support for the humanists concerns the next year\'s budget. "In next year\'s budget we plan to move more funds to the development of the humanities" - the minister said and emphasised that this year he would not interfere much with the budget of the Ministry of Science prepared by the previous management.

Gowin also announced changes in the National Programme for the Development of Humanities of the Ministry of Science. He said that this program arouses emotions - there are allegations that the rules for awarding grants are not sufficiently transparent. There is also the question of whether this program should be the responsibility of the ministry, since agencies already exist that are specialized in the allocation of grants (the National Centre for Research and Development and the National Science Centre). According to Gowin, the program "should retain two of the current three modules".

The current formula of the programme consists of three modules: Tradition (studies relating to the national cultural heritage), Internationalisation (ensuring the international impact of Polish humanistic thought) and Development (innovation and integration research). "I will recommend abandoning the third module to the leadership of the Ministry" - said the Minister of Science. Minister wants to redirect funds earmarked for Development module (approx. 20-30 million zlotys) to a special competition run by the National Science Centre.

"We are in talks with the National Science Centre leadership on launching a special module of small grants, which will be addressed primarily to the younger generation of humanists. We realize that 90 percent of grant funds go to 10 percent of universities - speaking in simple terms. We would like to create - this is also the intention of the National Science Centre - a grant competition, which could benefit the humanists from smaller academic centres" - said Gowin.

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