The influence of student self-government on the development of university autonomy in Poland

О. Деркач, асп. Київський національний університет імені Тараса Шевченка

Стаття присвячена проблемі вивчення впливу органів студентського самоврядування в університетах Польщі на розвиток університетської автономії. Студентське самоврядування на європейських теренах не є новим феноменом, сягаючи своїм корінням ще часів виникнення перших середньовічних університетів. Вже тоді найбільш здібні студенти залучалися до виконання окремих адміністративних функцій, а також до викладання у якості помічників професорів. Недаремно університети вважаються своєрідною моделлю громадянського суспільства і в цьому плані передували сучасному типу європейської цивілізації.

У статті розглянуто основні компетенції студентського самоврядування в Польщі. Проаналізовано польський досвід провідних закладів вищої освіти в галузі діяльності та функціонування студентського самоврядування як одного з соціальних інститутів суспільства, що є надзвичайно цікавим та корисним для України. Проаналізовано організаційно-правові засади функціонування громадських студентських об'єднань в академічному середовищі Польщі. Показано роль і місце Парламенту студентів Польщі в системі державно-громадського управління вищою освітою. Зазначено, що головним органом студентського самоврядування у Польщі є Рада студентського уряду. Рада студентського уряду - це орган резолюції, який складається з дев'яти студентів, відібраних на загальновиробничих виборах. Для студентської діяльності це орієнтовно те, що Сейм для органів державної влади.

Найяскравішими та визначними є основні напрямки та завдання діяльності органів студентського самоврядування, системи діяльності студентського самоврядування у закладах вищої освіти Польщі. Особливістю органів студентського самоврядування в Польщі є їх потужна матеріальна база і фінансово-правова незалежність від адміністрації навчального закладу. Визначено, що польська система студентського самоврядування розпочинаючи із законодавчого рівня і завершуючи матеріально стороною має значні відмінності від української, які детально розглянуті в статті.

Ключові слова: ЗВО, Польща, органи студентського самоврядування, студентський парламент, університетська автономія, якість освіти.

Formulation of the problem

Ukraine's independence and the formation of a national education system are characterized by a significant revival in Ukraine's education system. As a result of significant changes in the work of higher education institutions, student self-government is entering a qualitatively new stage of its development. This is due to the entry of Ukrainian education into the Bologna Process and other EU structures. In this context, acquaintance with world achievements in the field of student self-government is on time, because modern reality has a number of common problems and is characterized by a number of general trends that are important for the optimization of educational practice in Ukraine. Today, Ukrainian students raise the issue of creating selfgovernment bodies not as an idea, but as a practical tool for action and implementation of student ideas.

To date, Ukraine has clearly defined the European vector of socio-economic development. However, immediately becoming a leading European country is not a real task and achieving this goal requires time and building effective mechanisms for various areas and industries. That is why it is important and necessary for our country, in the process of European integration, to study the experience of Poland in various spheres of society, including in the development of student government. Because it unites Ukrainian youth, which is the engine of change that is happening today. Comparing the state of development of student self-government in Ukraine and Poland, we note with sadness that in Poland there is a much higher level of awareness of society, public authorities, in particular the role and importance of education as a factor of national security. There is an extremely deep understanding of the need to support and develop various forms of student democracy.

The purpose of the article is to identify the features of the influence of student government on the development of university autonomy in Poland and their importance for the autonomy of Ukrainian universities.

Analysis of recent research and publications

Among Ukrainian scholars, student self-government of Poland was studied by such authors as: E. Adamchuk, A. Vasyliuk, B. Zhechovska, S. Kasyanova, A. Karwacki, I. Kovchyna, K. Korsak, S. Kretsik, Z. Novachyk, K. Pavlovsky, R. Pakhotsinsky, A. Pelchar, V. Shcherbachenko, and others. In their works, researchers study the development trends, the essence of student government in Poland, focusing on changes in educational legislation and their impact on the functioning of student government.

An unresolved part of the overall problem is Poland's experience in student self-government as an experience that will help improve the state of student self-government and accelerate the development of autonomy in higher education institutions in Ukraine.

Study presentation. Student government is a powerful factor in the democratization and autonomy of modern higher education institutions, including universities. It contributes to the education of students' leadership qualities, the formation of civic consciousness, an active life position. In the field of higher education, student self-government is considered an integral part of the educational environment of higher education [1].

The development of student self-government bodies in the Polish Free Economic Zone has contributed to many positive changes in its socio-political life that have taken place over the last decade. Activists of Polish student self-government bodies believe that the development of their organizations began with the activities of illegal student groups, which fought mainly for the country's independence in the nineteenth century. For current graduates, it may be interesting to note that the first student strikes in Poland took place in 1819, after the opening of the University of Warsaw in 1816, and the activities of independent student organizations in the 1980s preceded the emergence of student self-government bodies in that form, in which they exist now. [2].

The National Alliance of Student Governments (OPSS) (under the Higher Education Act 1990) was the first attempt to consolidate the student environment. By mutual agreement, the leaders were students from Krakow, Warsaw and Silesia. On May 8, 1995, at the XXII Congress of OPSS, delegates adopted a new statute and elected a leadership headed by Robert Pavlowski (University of Warsaw). In this way, the XXII Congress of OPSS became the 1st Congress of PSRP students of the Republic of Poland. Some representatives of the former bodies of the National Alliance of Student Governments did not recognize this change, as a result of which two entities representing the interests of students functioned in parallel.

A unifying congress was held in Krakow on 11 November 1995, and since then the Student Parliament of the Republic of Poland has been the only official representative of the student governments in the country. The period of renewal of the PSRP ended in April 1996 and, accordingly, the 4th Congress of the PSRP was held in Rinia, which adopted changes to the organization's charter, giving it the form known today.

Today, the Student Parliament of the Republic of Poland is an independent organization that officially represents the student community.

The legal basis for the functioning of the Polish Student Parliament is the Higher Education Act and the Statute adopted by the Congress of Delegates. The Student Parliament of the Republic of Poland represents the interests of students in the national and international arena. It unites local governments of all universities in the country, being at the top of the local government structure and plays an important role in addressing issues of state policy towards youth and students. There is a fact of autonomy in this.

The organization provides opinions on draft regulations concerning higher education seekers and on their behalf submits its proposals to public authorities. In addition, the tasks of the parliament include the organization of training sessions and seminars to improve skills, support youth projects and active participation of students in international exchange, and so on.

According to the legislation, student self-government applies to all students of the university. Its main body in Poland is the Student Government Council. SGC - Student Government Council - is a body of resolution, which consists of nine students selected in the general election (all students vote). For student activities, this is approximately what the Seimas is for public authorities.

As the administrative representative of the students of the educational institution, the students who are members of such a council, being full members of it, practice developing communication skills with higher university bodies in order to defend their rights. This is not the only mission they are pursuing. In matters relating to the arrangement of student life, as well as the holding of events, the opinion of the council is not only taken into account, but most often its members are the organizers. The main powers of the SGC are as follows: actively participates in resolving issues between students and teachers (professors); defends and defends the position of students in higher education; has the opportunity to take part in the voting on the distribution of budget funds of the Free Economic Zone received from the state; participates, and also expresses its position on issues related to the distribution and award of scholarships and payments under grant programs.

In addition to these issues, the Student Government Council is often the developer and organizer of cultural, sports, tourism and other public events. It also takes an active part in the scientific life of the institution of higher education.

The term of office of the SGC lasts two years and ends on November 30 of each two-year period. Elections are organized to replenish the membership (for example, after the term of office of a member of the Council expires).

The list of competencies of the SGC is quite long and, although in theory it is a decision-making body, in practice all its members work together to perform tasks and implement their own ideas. SGC is considered the most important student body. The Presidium of this structure consists of: chairman and deputy chairman, secretary and spokesman. The term of office of the Presidium is one year and ends on November 30 of each subsequent calendar year. The Presidium is the most representative student body, the head of which is first convened when the authorities need to contact a student representative.

The executive body for the activities of students is elected from among its members. The committee consists of: chairman, deputy chairman, secretary and two members. The commission is valid for two years and ends on December 31 of each two-year calendar period.

The Student Government Council has a project organization committee. It is elected, first of all, from among those who ran for the Council of Local Self-Government, but did not get a seat. The committee consists of: chairman, deputy chairman and members (the number of which is unlimited). The term of the commission lasts two years and ends on November 30 of each biennial calendar year. The Commission implements projects initiated by the Student Government Council. In practice, the authors of new ideas implemented jointly are all their representatives.

The competences of the Student Government Council include the appointment of the headmen.

The candidate for the position of the headman is chosen by students, and this choice is made after approval by the director of the institute or a person authorized by him. The term of office of the headmen lasts three to four years, depending on the type of education. The tasks of the headmen include, first of all, mediation between student selfgovernment bodies or university bodies and students.

Students also have representatives in the most important university bodies, who make decisions about the functioning of the university (for example, the construction of a new building, the opening of a new specialty, changes in regulations, etc.). The rector and vice-rectors manage the university on the basis of these decisions.

An interesting fact is that there is a Convention in Polish universities that supports the university in attracting funding for its activities and cooperates with the career office. It helps to promote graduates in the labor market and supports the university in establishing cooperation with social and economic actors, in organizing scientific, cultural and sporting events. For example, the Higher School of Banking (WSB) in Wroclaw has a human resources department. It is for students who want to study and work part-time. The human resources department cooperates with employers and employs students. In addition, it contributes to ensuring the quality of education in Poland at a high level.

We believe that the experience of implementing such employment departments can be useful for Ukrainian free economic zones, including for economic stability in the country.

In Poland, there is a delegate of local self-government at the Congress of Delegates of the Student Parliament of the Republic, who influences the solution of important issues of the entire student community of the country.

The experience of the Polish student government is interesting because it has a statutory right to participate in the implementation of university affairs. To do this, the student community elects its representatives to the collegial bodies that operate at the university. These are the senate of the university and its commissions: the scientific council, the control and revision commission, the library council, etc. According to the law, the maximum number of students that can be elected to the collegial bodies of a "state" university is 25% of the total membership of the collegial body. The elections to the senate of the Polish university are completely open and transparent, take place with participation of students both full-time, and correspondence departments, and also doctoral students, but in the presence of various quotas. In addition, candidates or groups of candidates form teams and conduct election campaigns, giving public speeches, handing out small gifts in the form of free cakes or something similar [3].

An essential feature of student self-government bodies in Poland is their strong material base and financial and legal independence from the administration of the Free Economic Zone. The annual budget of student governments, such as the University of Warsaw, is about $ 200,000 a year. According to the Law on Higher Education [4], these funds are allocated annually from the university budget for the activities of self-governing structures. Voluntary donations and patrons' contributions are added to this amount. The funds allocated to the student self-government bodies are spent on the activities of the central self-government bodies of the university, in particular on: maintenance of the premises and staff; self-government activities at departments and faculties that independently manage part of the allocated funds; grants for student societies and associations operating under the Free Economic Zone.

An important lever of influence of student selfgovernment bodies on the administration of higher education institutions in Poland is the right to determine the amount of tuition fees at the university. In the event of pressure from the administration on student activists, the latter can, relatively speaking, bring the university to a difficult financial situation. Another, no longer financial, but still significant means of influence is the decisive right of student self-government bodies to approve the vice-rector for student affairs.

Cooperation of the student parliament with other bodies, in particular human rights, is successful. Thanks to the cooperation with the Ombudsman of the country, it was possible to cancel illegal decisions of local self-government bodies on non-application of travel benefits for students of correspondence and evening forms of education [2].

Article 202 of the Law on Higher Education of Poland states:

• students of the first and second cycles, as well as the only master's studies conducted by the university, form a student government;

• student government is the only representative of all university students;

• student self-government operates on the basis of acts and resolutions adopted by the university resolution body, which determine the principles of organization and mode of work of local self-government, including the types of collective and individual bodies, their choice and competence. Student government operates in accordance with the charter of the university [4].

Self-government in Polish higher education institutions is divided into several departments, to which anyone can become a member. The selection is made in the form of a secret ballot of all students of the educational structure. All candidates, as well as heads of departments, are appointed by the rector of the higher education institution. Being a member of a student council is a pretty decent position because it has many benefits. For example, there is an opportunity to make new useful acquaintances, to be aware of all important events and to participate in voting on issues that affect all students at the university. An undoubted advantage is that members of the self-government have the opportunity to participate in scientific, cultural, sports, tourism events both in Poland and far beyond its borders. Social activity is very important for future careers, but it is better not to show it than in the student council.

Thus, self-government bodies in Polish free economic zones are a structure that represents various aspects of students' interests before the management of a higher education institution. In addition to the main functions, members of the department are engaged in organizing events of various kinds. As bonuses for the work done, they have the opportunity to attend events not only in Poland but also in other countries.

Autonomy in universities is observed in the fact that the student government decides on the distribution of funds allocated by the university for the purposes of students. But autonomy in universities must be justified, and therefore by law, student self-government bodies submit to the university bodies a report on the allocation of financial resources and on the payment of these funds at least once an academic year. The university also provides the necessary material resources for the functioning of student government.

Hrynevych spoke about the diversity of the Polish experience, which makes it especially important for Ukraine in her work "Trends in the decentralization of basic education management in modern Poland" [5]. She stressed that Poland can boast of a really great and very promising experience in Ukraine for the development of administrative and educational self-government of local units, which are in different conditions and must constantly seek their own ways to develop basic education, based on their own intelligence and resources. [5].

Conclusions

Thus, student government plays an important role in the development of higher education. It has an impact on addressing issues of quality assurance, determining the amount of tuition fees at the university. An essential feature of student self-government bodies in Poland is their strong material base and financial and legal independence from the administration of the Free Economic Zone, which can be an important experience for ensuring the quality functioning of such bodies in the Free Economic Zone of Ukraine.

In our opinion, for the effective functioning of student selfgovernment in Ukrainian free economic zones it is necessary to use the best experience of the work of Polish selfgovernment bodies. In particular, proper legislative consolidation of the legal framework of student self-government bodies, material base and financial independence of student self-government bodies, clear mechanism of interaction between student self-government bodies and administration, implementation of social and industrial projects by student selfgovernment bodies municipality.

Prospects for further research are aimed at identifying and disclosing the role of student government in expanding university autonomy and ensuring the quality of education in the Polish Free Economic Zone, which will serve as a guide for representatives of student self-government of Ukraine.

student government poland education

References

1. Krashchenko Yu. Students'ke samoupravleniya v obrazovatel'no-vospitatel'- nom srede vysshey shkoly Ukrainy i zarubezh'ya

2. Karpulenko N.A. (2010). Studencheskoye samoupravleniye v vuzakh Pol'shi kak faktor demokratizatsii vysshego obrazovaniya. Gosudarstvennoye upravleniye: teoriya i praktika, 2,1-7. Karpulenko M.O. (2010). Student self-government in higher education institutions in Poland as a factor in the democratization of higher education. Public Administration: Theory and Practice, 2, 1-7.

3. Studencheskoye samoupravleniye v Yevrope.

4. Ustawa Prawo o szkolnictwie w szym z dnia 27 lipca 2005 r.

5. Grinevich L.N. Tendentsii detsentralizatsii upravleniya bazovym obrazovaniyem v sovremennoy Pol'she: Dis. kand.ped.nauk: 13.00.01 l Grinevich. - M., 2005. - 180 s.

Список використаних джерел

1. Кращенко Ю. Студентське самоврядування в освітньо-виховному середовищі вищої школи України та зарубіжжя [Електронний ресурс] І Ю. Кращенко.

2. Карпуленко М.О. (2010). Студентське самоврядування у вищих навчальних закладах Польщі як фактор демократизації вищої освіти. Державне управління: теорія і практика, 2,1-7. Karpulenko M.O. (2010). Student self-government in higher education institutions in Poland as a factor in the democratization of higher education. Public Administration: Theory and Practice, 2, 1-7.

3. Студентське самоврядування в Європі.

4. Ustawa Prawo o szkolnictwie waszym z dnia 27 lipca 2005 r.

5. Гриневич Л.М. Тенденції децентралізації управління базовою освітою в сучасній Польщі: дис. канд.пед.наук: 13.00.01 l Гриневич Лілія Михайлівна. - К., 2005. - 180 с.

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