On September 22, Collegium Civitas was visited by a delegation from the University of Melbourne, including Professor Małgorzata Klatt and a group of Master’s students in their final semester, as part of an organized study tour around Europe to visit and learn about different educational systems.

The visitors participated in a seminar at Collegium Civitas, where important topics relating to Poland’s current educational system were addressed, including:

•        An introductory discussion on the value of Polish education.
•        The high position of Polish education in international rankings – true or false?
•        Why do Poles not appreciate the achievements of the Polish education system?
•        Social inequalities as a growing problem in Polish education.

The seminar began with an introductory presentation by the Vice-Rector of Academic Affairs – dr dr Roland Zarzycki. The next speaker was Mr. Dobrosław Bilski from Collegium Civitas Academic Center Of Teaching Excellence. Mr. Bilski addressed issues relating to the Polish educational system and presented interesting research data on contemporary educational priorities for Poles. One of the crucial aspects discussed was why excellent high school performance in Poland does not translate into good university rankings.

Afterward, a short Q&A session took place where participants from the audience could ask questions about experiences and opportunities for improvement. Mr. Nathaniel England, Collegium Civitas graduate, and current lecturer who had the experience of studying at both universities (at CC and Melbourne), offered his perspective on the differences between Australian and Polish education systems.

At the end of the meeting, Collegium Civitas representatives received tokens of appreciation on behalf of the University of Melbourne.