An environment about the help for doctoral students: yes, but not from the budget of doctoral schools

The possibility of obtaining allowances by doctoral students in a difficult life situation is very much needed. However, this should not be financed from the own doctoral schools, the subsidy of which is not enough for basic tasks – this is how the environment is assessed by the project of the Ministry of Science in this matter.

At the end of July, the list of legislative works of the Council of Ministers published a description of the draft amendment to the Law on Higher Education and Science – as part of the deregulation package. The Ministry of Science wants entities that run doctoral schools to be paid – from their own funds – to help PhD students in a difficult life situation.

The proposal enjoys the environment of doctoral students, which has been postulated for years to introduce such a possibility. – Our group is really the only one in the academic community is excluded from this opportunity. Students and employees can be used, and doctoral students – no. That is why we hope that this project can be implemented as soon as possible – said MSc. Anna Nieczaj, chairwoman of the National Team of PhD students (KRD).

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She argued this, indicating primarily the insufficient height of doctoral scholarships, “which are not at the highest level – all the more before the intraocrament assessment.” Before the mid -term assessment (i.e. the key verification of progress in the middle of the education period), it is 37 percent. Professor's salaries, i.e. almost 3,500 gross; After the mid -term assessment, it is 57 percent, i.e. over 5.3 thousand. gross.

– For doctoral students and doctoral students, who, especially in time before the mid -term assessment, will be in a serious life situation, e.g. associated with a sudden illness or death of a loved one, such a allowance would often be a huge support – emphasized Anna Nieczaj.

She added that currently universities and academic centers “are trying to take care of doctoral students”, e.g. by allocating financial assistance to doctoral students, their internal funds.

In the draft amendment to the Act, it is the entities running doctoral schools. The Ministry of Science and Higher Education proposed to grant the possibility of paying for doctoral students. Would be financed from the own funds of these entities. It was emphasized that the adoption of another solution, i.e. the inclusion of aid for doctoral students in the material assistance system, would mean an increase in the regulatory and organizational loads of entities running doctoral schools, and at the same time would additionally burden the state budget.

When asked about this issue, Anna Nieczaj answered that it was a record of the Ministry of Science. “We are happy with the possibility, but we wonder how much it will be in the long term,” she said.

The National Physician Agreement also has the same position.

– We assess the concept and inclusion of the possibilities of allowances for doctoral students clearly positively. However, their source of financing raises doubts – dr hab. Ilona Świątek-Barylska, prof. University of Lodz, chairwoman of the National Agreement of Doctoral Schools and headmaster of the Social Sciences of the University of Lodz.

She added that the provisions of the project and statements of representatives of the Ministry of Sciences show that the benefits are to come from the subsidy. – On the one hand, one would expect that due to an additional task, this subsidy will increase. But on the other hand, the ministry wants it to be free from the point of view of the state budget. So it must be assumed that the increase in subsidies will not and we will have to move as part of the funds we receive so far – she said.

And these means – she continued – they are already insufficient.

– The subsidy does not even allow full financing of doctoral dissertations that doctoral students receive. This is co -financed by universities or entities that run doctoral schools. In addition, universities and these entities also bear the costs associated with the entire education of the doctoral student: with conferences, publications, and internships. Adding one more element means that we will have to reduce expenses in some different place-explained Ilona Świątek-Barylska.

The number of applications for assistance that may influence is unknown. – We do not even know what amounts we are talking about, and we would accept such a financial commitment – she emphasized.

– Therefore, in our opinion, a better solution would be to finance the so -called subjective subsidies from the Fund of Material Aid-this is how students are now awarded and as doctoral students had before the reform in 2019-emphasized Ilona Świątek-Barylska.

The second limitation that the scientist indicated is that the administration of doctoral schools is not extensive. – Therefore, instead of creating additional loads for administrative employees and preparing the entire process (from regulations to service) you could use the path already existing for students. Perhaps for doctoral schools that are not run by universities, a new mechanism would have to be worked out, but there are not many of these entities on a national scale – she said.

By providing Eurostat data from 2024, Ilona Świątek-Barylska pointed out that Poland is in the last place among European Union countries in terms of the number of doctoral students per thousand inhabitants (0.54 at the EU average 1.68).

– On the one hand, there is so much talk about building a Polish knowledge -based economy, about the weight of doctoral students, and then plans to impose subsequent loads on a doctoral dissertation. This is just a small element, but it can in a long time reduce expenditure on the quality of doctoral education-emphasized Świątek-Barylska.

As she said, there are currently over 160 doctoral schools in Poland.

The National Agreement of Doctoral Schools is a bottom-up initiative initiated in a less formalized form by Ilona Świątek-Barylska after the so-called Gowina reform in 2019. Today, it brings together directors and deans managing doctoral schools. Currently, the agreement is created by 40 percent. all doctoral schools educating nearly half of doctoral students. Directors and deans meet online every month discussing current matters, and a nationwide conference is organized once a year.

The project is to be adopted by the government in the third quarter of this year.

Agnieszka Klics-Pudlik (PAP)

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