The strong position of the SGH is accounted for by its exceptionally large resources of top-class scientific staff. Although in terms of the number of students, the SGH is the smallest among the five state academic schools of economics in the country, it has almost as many independent scientific workers as two schools in that group combined. Most of its staff of scientists making-up the country’s top league of economists associated with pioneer scientific undertakings, economic publications and university handbooks. Many are prominent for their public activities.
During the last two years, the Warsaw School of Economics has been changing its didactic schemes. It has been among the first schools of higher learning in the country to adopt a three-level higher education system embracing Bachelor’s, Master's and Doctor's studies. The system is to ensure greater flexibility in studying, allow students to choose their own path of studies and lecturers as well as to make it easy to move from one faculty – and one school – to another, and that both in Poland and in Europe. Admittedly, as such a studying system was adopted students have now to decide a bit earlier during their Bachelor’s studies what they want to major in but they do not have to continue that particular same subject during the Master’s studies. They may as well as go to another school and even choose a different major.
SGH’s exceptional didactic offer drawn up by highly expert staff and the very flexible studying system are the main factors that attract the best secondary school leavers from throughout the country. It is also noteworthy that the Warsaw School of Economics stands out among most other schools of higher learning in terms of winning over the best scientific workers-- other than just SGH graduates – from all parts of the country. In that respect the SGH is probably more similar to US universities than most Polish schools of learning.
To fulfil its educational mission effectively, the Warsaw School of Economics has been consistently expanding its collaboration with counterparts abroad. It benefits enormously nowadays from staying in the main stream of European integration. We were therefore most gratified that it was the President of the European Commission José Manuel Barrosso, doctor honoris causa of the SGH as of recently, who delivered the inaugural lecture during the opening of the school’s jubilee 2006/2007 academic year.
Nowadays, with the development of a world education and scientific research market co-operation with abroad has assumed a different character than a dozen years ago. First of all, because conditions have developed making it possible for ever more young Poles to take up studies abroad and the school encourages them to do so. And secondly, because steps have been taken by schools of higher learning in many countries to attract talented young people from abroad. What counts is first of all the place of the respective school on the European and world educational map – and in that respect the SGH holds a prominent place: in the annual ranking of universities of economics and management drawn up by the Financial Times the Warsaw School of Economics advanced by five positions outdistancing all such schools on this Continent.
Having an interesting didactic offer addressed to foreign students is another factor to attract them. To this end, the Warsaw Schools of Economics has “internationalized” its teaching processes by employing foreign lecturers, and launching this month of an English-language international management course of studies. Another MBA English-language course is in the offing. Also international agreements have been drawn up providing for double diplomas for SGH school’s graduates.
Throughout, the Warsaw School of Economics as been expanding its international scientific co-operation. It collaborates with more than 150 foreign universities, and with leading research centres throughout the world. SGH scientists partake in international research projects, seminars and conferences. Ever more scientific papers by SGH staff members are published in foreign periodicals.
All these factors combined contribute to consolidating the SGH’s position on the world’s education scene.