Zmiany w szkolnictwie wyższym w Polsce po 1989 roku

The author presents changes that have occurred in the Polish higher education system in the last 20 years. The starting point for the formation of the present state of Polish higher education institutions was the education system that emerged after World War 2, covering 112 higher education schools in 1990 (mostly state financed). Today we have 130 public and over 320 non-public higher education institutions. The author analyses changes in the number of students of Polish universities in the last two decades. A significant increase in the number of students of economics and social studies in pointed out, along with a small increase in the number of engineering and exact sciences students. The education structure (encompassing all students, both intra- and extra-mural) of particular fields of study and their groups is analysed with reference to the last few years. Also, a fragment of a public debate over assumed in 2008 by the Polish government ideas regarding changes in the field of scientific research and higher education is discussed. Among others, the attitude and expectations concerning the means and extent of financing higher education, expressed by representatives of the academic community from public and non-public schools, is analysed. The author also signals the problem of the proposal regarding the introduction of universal studies fees, postulated in both strategies of the development of higher education, prepared and published at the turn of 2009 and 2010. The article is concluded by presenting future university models, discussed in the literature.