The article deals with the important issue of defining the role and place of the university in the contemporary world. Globalization processes force far-reaching changes in social institutions, universities are also not free of them, so it is necessary to re-read the university’s mission in the context of current cultural changes. The inspiration for the conducted analyzes are the assumptions of the social theory developed by one of the most versatile thinkers of the twentieth century – José Ortega y Gasset.
Using the analytical-synthetic method as well as the historical-comparative method, the topicality of the main assumptions formulated by Ortega y Gasset was demonstrated. Among them, the most important place is occupied by the postulates regarding the proper definition of the university mission. The basic thesis is the distinction between science and culture. While modern culture draws heavily on science – mainly technical and natural sciences – it is important to distinguish these two areas, giving decisive priority to culture. From this main assumption comes a number of logical consequences related to the necessary amendments to the university education profile. The general preparation of a humanistic profile, which is not only an introduction to the social reality but a sensitization to higher values, should definitely have greater significance. The education of professionals – specialists in narrow fields – can not be deprived of a broader reference to the cultural context. The University will properly implement its mission if, in addition to professional preparation, it will be able to prepare its graduates to live with others in the society.

Polish-Czechoslovakian cultural and scholarly relations between 1945 and 1956

Polish-Czechoslovak relations after World War II were marked by territorial and national disputes. Notwithstanding several contentious issues, the cooperation in the field of education, research and education was initiated as early as in 1945. The paper seeks to analyse official contacts of the scholarly and cultural milieus of Poland and Czechoslovakia between 1945 and 1956.

The reform of higher education in the Republic of Poland, which was introduced by the Act of 20 July 2018 Law on higher education and science (Dz.U. 2018, item 1668, as amended; hereinafter: Law on higher education and science), revitalized interests in the freedom of scientific research, optimal ways of its implementation and the role of the state in the support of scientific and research activities. For this reason providing an answer to questions concerning the genesis of regulation of the freedom of scientific research in the Constitution of the Republic of Poland of 2nd April, 1997 (Dz.U. 1997, No. 78, item 483, as amended; hereinafter: the Constitution of the Republic of Poland), specifically in relation to its recognition and position in the Polish constitution, the normative content of the freedom, the beneficiaries and entities obliged to comply with it, appears appropriate. These issues seem to be of particular importance. First of all, the freedom of scientific research shall be one of the crucial elements of a knowledge-based economy, with a significant role of higher educational institutions. Secondly, the proper functioning of universities indicates a broader establishment of human rights. What is more, the hitherto undertaken attempts to define the freedom of scientific research seem not to be incisive enough. The aim of this article, therefore, is to draw attention to the issues and difficulties associated with the freedom of scientific research. The answers given to the aforementioned questions, however, having regard to the limited scope of the publication, cannot be deemed definitive.

Aktualnie antropologia pedagogiczna staje się integralną dyscypliną w procesie edukacyjnym. Człowiek jest badany z punktu widzenia historii i kultury, w okresie przemian politycznych i ekonomicznych oraz na każdym poziomie rozwoju społecznego. Współczesny świat jest niezwykle różnorodny i niejednoznaczny. Narastają nierówności społeczne na wszystkich poziomach, rośnie liczba ubogich, pojawiły się nowe światowe problemy migracji i uchodźców. Zobowiązuje to również antropologię pedagogiczną, aby pomagała pedagogom w szybkim i skutecznym rozwiązywaniu palących problemów związanych z edukacją i wychowaniem. Artykuł pokazuje, jak prace naukowe rosyjskiego filozofa Jerzego Szczedrowickiego mogą pomóc współczesnej antropologii pedagogicznej. Podano ogólną ocenę wkładu J. Szczedrowickiego w rozwój antropologii pedagogicznej i zwrócono uwagę na aktualność praktyk naukowych naukowca, które nie straciły aktualnie na znaczeniu i mogą być wykorzystywane zarówno w pedagogice, antropologii pedagogicznej, jak i edukacji międzykulturowej.

Ombudsman Institutions in Universities and the Principle of Their Autonomy

The constitutionally guaranteed principle of autonomy of universities, necessary for the implementation of the mission of the system of higher education and science means, among other things, that the authorities of higher education institutions must be left with the sphere of free decision on matters of internal organization. In view of the problems that occur in the life of academic communities, related, among others, to the implementation of the principle of equality and non-discrimination, the need to provide special protection for persons with disabilities, the authors reflect on the need to create ombudsman institutions in universities, indicating the principles on the basis of which such bodies could be created and operate in such a way that it could be reconciled with the principle of autonomy of universities.

Science in presence of the modern social and political reality challenges. Inaugural lecture delivered on 7th October 2015 at the Gdańsk Academy for Seniors

It is indicated in the lecture that science, as human activity that aims at the objective recognition of a person and his universe, is nowadays perceived as a fundamental power that generates the cultural and civilizational nature of mankind and the world around it. The widening horizon of cultural life has been changing and still changes the scientific and research challenges, including the way, in which science is defined. At present, scientific and technological progress, legal solutions, educational requirements, constantly generate new challenges for science and make it a productive force. The role of social and political sciences that until recently strived to make their ways to achieve the title of science that is a methodologically structured knowledge about human, society and the world, has been changing.At present, the place of social and political reality in the sphere of scientific cognition is perceived as dichotomous – on the one hand, due to the methodology of researches, including attempts to compare them with exact sciences, their scientific separateness is assessed critically; however, on the other hand, taking into account the worked out methods and ways of defining cultural and civilizational reality, explantation of occurrences, processes, humanistic and social values, they are set in the classical science studies, as a whole.

Specificity of political science research in Poland

The aim of the article is to examine whether and what are the characteristics of political science research and reflection conducted in Poland. To achieve this, two dimensions of specificity were distinguished, namely disciplinary specificity (features that distinguish political science from other disciplines, especially those within the social sciences) and local specificity (characteristic features of Polish political science compared to the discipline practiced in other countries, particularly Anglo-Saxon). The specificity of Polish political science was then analysed in four fundamental areas that determine the discipline’s identity: 1) the subject of research, 2) research methods, 3) subdisciplinary structure, and 4) structure of theories functioning within the discipline.