The Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange (NAWA, Polish: Narodowa Agencja Wymiany Akademickiej) is a governmental agency in Poland established to carry out tasks related to the academic mobility between Poland and other countries. Since November 2018 the agency is part of Academic Cooperation Association.[1] It primarily provides grants to individuals and organizations rather than through its own staff.[2]
NAWA was founded partially out of concerns about brain drain from Poland.[2] The legislation to create NAWA was prepared by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education.[2] NAWA was created by an legislation from 7 July 2017[3][4] and began operating on 1 October 2017.[5] Changes to the authorizing legislation were made in 2018 and 2019.[6]
Grażyna Żebrowska, a physicist, was appointed director of NAWA on May 8, 2020.[7][8]
On October 1, 2024, Prime Minister Donald Tusk appointed Dr. Wojciech Karczewski as the director of the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange[9]
Activities
NAWA improves Polish education by facilitating the integration of Polish universities with academics worldwide by arranging conferences, facilitating cooperation on international research projects, and assisting foreign students.[10][5] NAWA provides scholarships to people of Polish ancestry to study in Poland.[11] NAWA funds research performed by Polish Universities in partnership with foreign collaborators.[12][13] NAWA encourages Polish scientists living abroad to return to the country. NAWA supports foreign scientists to do post-doctoral work in Poland. Alternately, NAWA provides funding for Polish scientists to do internships abroad.[5] NAWA funds student support services for foreign students in Poland.[12]
NAWA provides both Polish and foreign students, researchers and higher education institutions with scholarships and grants in four different fields, with the main focus on mobility:
programs for students
programs for scientists
programs for institutions
Polish language programs
Additionally, the agency disseminates information about the Polish system of tertiary education and science.[14]
NAWA also serves to improve the international public relations of Poland.[8]
Promotional campaigns
NAWA runs two campaigns promoting Poland abroad at the moment.
The Ready, Study, Go! Poland (RSGP) campaign[15] is aiming at delivering the information about Poland as a prospective study and research destination to all candidates in the world.
Research in Poland campaign promotes Poland as a perfect destination for researchers and university graduates willing to start or continue their research career abroad.
Structure
NAWA is overseen by the Minister of Science and Higher Education.[5][2] The director is appointed by the Prime Minister. NAWA's Council is an advisory body which makes proposals for the organization's direction and development.[2]
Krasowski, D. (2017). "Reforma szkolnictwa wyższego łącząca naukę z gospodarką" [Higher education reform: Combining science with the economy]. Przegląd Geologiczny[Geological Review]. 65 (3): 145–146.
Pietraś, M. (2017). "Umiędzynarodowienie szkolnictwa wyższego w Polsce" [Internationalization of higher education in Poland]. In Domański, T.; Stępień-Kuczyńska, A.; Włodarska-Frykowska, A. (eds.). Internacjonalizacja polskich ośrodków politologicznych[Internationalization of Polish political science centers]. Łódź: University of Lodz Publishing House. hdl:11089/22807.
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