In the 2007-2008 academic year the university celebrated its sixtieth anniversary. What achievements were the most important over that period?



It’s impossible to list all the achievements straight away. The university has more than 17,000 students (just over 50% at intramural studies), as well as nearly 3,000 postgraduate students. It has produced 65,000 graduates. There are 500 doctoral students, both on an intra- and extramural basis. In March 2008 the Polish Parliament conferred the present title of the Wrocław University of Economics on what what was then the Oskar Lange College of Economics. The University has won a permanent place on the educational map of Poland, both in terms of the quality of the teaching process, the level of staff and research studies. We are also recognised on the international arena. We take part in a number of programmes supported by the European Union. Within the Erasmus programme 200 students go to study at foreign universities this year. A number of our professors take part in international research bodies. They are invited to conferences. They are also visiting professors at foreign universities. It is the result of our longstanding work.

Some of the latest attainments including the joint launch with the Universite Paris Nord 13 and in conjunction with the Wrocłąw Medical University of Polish-French studies in health care and social services management; the launching of English language Bachelor/Master Studies in Finance. In 2007 the University played host to 143 foreign students; the obtaining of successive accreditations – both with the State Accreditation Commission and the FPAKE Accreditation Commission, as well as the prestigious accreditation for our MBA studies – a diploma of the Management Education Association for having reached the quality standard in the professional class; as well as the launch of the European Doctoral Programme in Economics, Finance and Management at the Faculty of Economics and Management and of Management studies at the Faculty of Regional Economy and Tourism.



What academic achievements is the University the proudest of?



I keep saying that the quality of a university is best evidenced by its academic staff. We have 25 professors who are members of committees of the Polish Academy of Sciences, for instance its most prestigious unit – the Committee of Economics – we have the largest single representation among all Polish universities of economics: as many as 5 persons. Similarly the biggest number of our specialists sits on the Economics Section of the Central Commission for Degrees and Titles. Our professors are also members of programme councils and editorial boards of Polish and foreign scientific journals. These scholars allow us to be in the forefront of scientific achievements.

In 2007, together with foreign partners, we implemented 15 projects financed by the European Union as part of the Sixth Framework Programme, the Leonardo da Vinci Programme, the Socrates/Erasmus Programme, Integrated Operational Regional Development Programme (Priority 2: Strengthening the Development of Human Resources in Regions), Sectoral Operational Programme Human Resources Development (Priority 2: The Development of Knowledge-Based Society) and INTERREG III B CADSES Initiative.

An important priority in this respect is our participation in the Seventh Framework Programme R&D, especially since social sciences and economics became a priority for the first time in the history of operational programmes.

We attach big hopes to the development of IT studies at the EIT+ Research Centre in Wrocław, which we joined last September.



What about investments?



Each year we set aside means for new investments from our budget of over PLN 120 million. The latest projects include a teaching facility with a floorage of some 7,000 sq.m., a complex of three new auditoriums complying with international standards, and the expansion of sports facilities. After all, each university should nowadays offer students conditions for all-round development.

Thanks to EU funding we have been able to start the construction of a Centre of Scientific and Economic Information, which will double up as our main library. At the same time it will serve as an information service supporting local business and administration. This investment, worth around PLN 50 million, became a key project within the Lower Silesian Operational Programme.