The new law on higher education  and the Excellence Initiative – Research University, opened a fresh path for the most ambitious universities in Poland. Last October, an independent international panel selected ten universities. These universities over the next six years will receive additional funding. Another tier of ten institutions will receive but lesser extra funding. The additional financing plus changes in the way they are managed, it is hoped, will help these universities transform into true research universities. Both the Ministry of Science and Higher Education and the university rectors realize that the process will not be easy.

An opportunity to take stock and share ideas how best move forward in the new situation for the rectors and management of these ambitious universities provided a conference Polish Universities in International Perspective – Rankings and Strategic Management of a University, organized by “Perspektywy” Education Foundation for the fourth in Warsaw, 2-3 December.  The two day conference led by Perspektywy president Waldemar Siwinski had a strong international context represented by international speakers, experts on higher education: Lauritz B. Holm-Nielsen, past president of Arhus University (Denmark), Alex Usher, President, Higher Education Strategy Associates (Canada), Lu Wang, Ranking Manager, ShanghaiRanking Consultancy (China) and Richard Holmes,  editor of University Ranking Watch blog.