The end of the Women's Council. The Ministry of Science and Higher Education merges the bodies and announces a new team

A new team for equality is planned to be established in the first quarter of 2026, the Ministry of Science told PAP. It is to replace the work of two other ministerial teams, including the Council for Women.

On March 7, 2025, just before Women's Day, the Council for Women in Higher Education and Science was formally established at the Ministry of Science. It included over 20 scientists. Team led by prof. Anna Pacześniak dealt with, among others, the issue of implementing equality plans at universities and good practices. The team was dissolved after several months of work – by order of July 30 this year.

PAP asked the ministry why the body was liquidated and what the results of the council's work were.

“As part of the Council's work, key barriers and challenges faced by women in their academic careers were identified. On this basis, a package of recommendations was developed and forwarded to the management of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education,” the press office of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education summarized at the end of December.

“Currently, the ministry is conducting analytical work on these recommendations, in particular with regard to the possibility of their implementation. In the first quarter of 2026, the Ministry will inform which of the recommendations will be implemented,” we read in the sent statement.

The Ministry of Science and Higher Education also announced that a new equality team is planned to be established in the first quarter of 2026. Its aim is to support activities for equality in science and higher education as well as well-being in the academic environment.

The new body will also take over the tasks carried out by the “Team for identifying good practices and developing mechanisms to counteract mobbing, supporting the well-being of people working and studying in the higher education and science system, as well as mental health prevention in the academic environment.” The ministry announced the commencement of the work of this team in June this year.

According to the POL-on system data, only 28 percent people with the title of professor are women, and in the STEM area (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) only 33 percent academic teachers are women. At the European level, the situation is similar – in the STEM research sector, women constitute only 29%. staff. (PAP)

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