Implementation of the new higher education law at the University of Warsaw – a reform or a new division of power?

Abstract

The subject of the article is the case study of a process of accomodating the system of the University of Warsaw to the provisions of new law on Higher Education. The process of establishing and adopting a new university statute was analysed. This higher educations reform provided the ector with the opportunity to change the entire power structure at the University. Analysis of the UW case study leads to three main conclusions: (1) Groups that played a key role in the decision-making process: (e.g., the Rector, deans, and students), had specific resources and tools: strong representation in the Senate, the ability to negotiate with other groups and persuade undecided senators, in-depth knowledge of the Act and of how to use the law as a decisive tool for the rightness of given solutions; (2) In the Senate, one axis of conflict emerged over the vision of the University’s future: on one side, the Rector viewed centralization as necessary to achieve the goals set by the University; on the second, the majority of faculty environments favored retaining the status quo; (3) Alternative proposals for reforming the University of Warsaw were not presented due to limited time, the existing balance of power in the Senate and dominant visions of the direction of changes at the University of Warsaw.