"Without science, without research, without modern universities there is neither social nor intellectual, nor economic development. Without science, Poland has no future. Without education and research at a high level, we will be stagnant at best, we will waste our enormous potential" - noted Jarosław Gowin, who attended the annual celebration of the Nicolaus Copernicus University Day in Toruń.

The Minister emphasized the importance of the development of humanities and social sciences. "The ultimate goal here is to save humanity, save human dignity. This can not be achieved unless we inquire about the meaning of human existence, develop humanistic research and social sciences. They allow to recreate bonds. Without a community, an individual is lost" - said the Minister of Science and Higher Education.

According to Gowin, everyone in Poland should understand the seriousness, importance and scale of challenges that science faces.

"On 1 October 2018, we will begin to implement a breakthrough reform of science and higher education. I know that not everyone likes it. And what aspect is disliked most? The fact that we have created it together, in a sincere and respectful dialogue. I believe that exactly because it has been forged in this dialogue, it will enter into force. This reform will allow to unleash the potential of our students and scientists, the potential of lecturers and researchers, doctors and professors" - Gowin said.

The minister believes in the competitive potential of Polish research centres on a European scale. But he is also convinced that Poland needs research universities. "They will focus more on research. But we also need a wide range of proposals for other types of universities. The Polish academic ecosystem must be more diverse. We need to allow Polish universities to differ among themselves, define their mission in different ways. It is not a better mission, or a worse one, but a different one. The mission of a research university is different from the mission of a good vocational school, but the latter is just as necessary" - added Gowin.

The Deputy Prime Minister repeatedly emphasised that it is a task of the entire scientific community to work on making everyone aware of the need to increase spending on science - just like it was possible to build social conviction and even expectations of increases in spending on defence or health care.

"This money is not spent, it is invested. It has a high return rate" - he noted.

The Minister of Science and Higher Education announced the submission in the parliament of a bill on the establishment of the Researcher Day, which would be celebrated on the anniversary of the birth of Nicolaus Copernicus - February 19. Another omission will also be rectified, namely there will be ministerial decorations for people with particular merits for the development and promotion of science. Gowin added that they would be presented later this year as part of celebrations of the 100th anniversary of Polish independence.

The Nicolaus Copernicus University Day is always celebrated on February 19 - the anniversary of the birth of the patron of the university Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543). The celebration began with laying flowers at the monument of Nicolaus Copernicus in the Old Town Square, with the deputy prime minister attending. The celebrations continued in the hall of the Nicolaus Copernicus University. Diplomas for 46 new habilitated doctors and 117 doctors, as well as state decorations were presented.

During the meeting with journalists, the Minister of Science also referred to the critical comment of the leader of the Law and Justice (PiS) club Ryszard Terlecki concerning the Law 2.0.

There is no approval for Jarosław Gowin's higher education and science bill; there are elements in this bill that I consider unacceptable - said the leader of the PiS club in an interview with the weekly "Sieci". As he emphasised, the bill "will not pass" in its current form.

"Just as Deputy Prime Minister Gowin cites support for his project from a part of the academic community, we must cite crushing criticism of this proposal, which we hear from many people of science" - he stressed. According to the head of the PiS club, "one must seek a compromise, but not on the conditions that are proposed today". "Everything can be improved, but it can not be a bill written for money by an outside company" - said Terlecki.

Terlecki was asked if the higher education and science bill would be approved by PiS. "Firstly, the word +constitution+ in this case is legislative flashiness, and secondly, there is no approval for this law" - stressed the leader of the PiS club.

"It is a shame that Marshal Terlecki creates confusion and tension in the United Right camp with his ill-conceived statements. We have enough serious problems right now, we do not need to unnecessarily multiply them and work against each other. I would hope that Marshal Terlecki, as the leader of the club, would focus on not repeating the situations he himself talks about in today's interview, and that on the example of a very important law on the Institute of National Remembrance, when an insufficiently prepared bill is put to vote" - Gowin pointed out.

Deputy Prime Minister announced that in the coming days he would discuss the future of the Constitution for Science with the leader of Law and Justice Jarosław Kaczyński.

"I am counting on the unambiguous support of our coalition partner in this respect. There is no PiS position on this bill. There are only individual statements of individual politicians from this party. I respect their right to express their opinions, but I think it is irresponsible that they formulate it in the public forum, not in our face-to-face discussions. We have a crisis situation in international affairs and adding internal controversies in the government camp to this is really at least ill-conceived"- noted Gowin.

Gowin assures that Law 2.0 has been thoroughly discussed with the academia. It has the support of the Conference of Rectors of Academic Schools in Poland, the rectors of public higher vocational schools and the parliament of students.

"I hope that Marshal Terlecki will also support this bill" - concluded Gowin.

Tomasz Więcławski and Jerzy Rausz

twi/ rau/ zan/

tr. RL"Without science, without research, without modern universities there is neither social nor intellectual, nor economic development. Without science, Poland has no future. Without education and research at a high level, we will be stagnant at best, we will waste our enormous potential" - noted Jarosław Gowin, who attended the annual celebration of the Nicolaus Copernicus University Day in Toruń.

The Minister emphasized the importance of the development of humanities and social sciences. "The ultimate goal here is to save humanity, save human dignity. This can not be achieved unless we inquire about the meaning of human existence, develop humanistic research and social sciences. They allow to recreate bonds. Without a community, an individual is lost" - said the Minister of Science and Higher Education.

According to Gowin, everyone in Poland should understand the seriousness, importance and scale of challenges that science faces.

"On 1 October 2018, we will begin to implement a breakthrough reform of science and higher education. I know that not everyone likes it. And what aspect is disliked most? The fact that we have created it together, in a sincere and respectful dialogue. I believe that exactly because it has been forged in this dialogue, it will enter into force. This reform will allow to unleash the potential of our students and scientists, the potential of lecturers and researchers, doctors and professors" - Gowin said.

The minister believes in the competitive potential of Polish research centres on a European scale. But he is also convinced that Poland needs research universities. "They will focus more on research. But we also need a wide range of proposals for other types of universities. The Polish academic ecosystem must be more diverse. We need to allow Polish universities to differ among themselves, define their mission in different ways. It is not a better mission, or a worse one, but a different one. The mission of a research university is different from the mission of a good vocational school, but the latter is just as necessary" - added Gowin.

The Deputy Prime Minister repeatedly emphasised that it is a task of the entire scientific community to work on making everyone aware of the need to increase spending on science - just like it was possible to build social conviction and even expectations of increases in spending on defence or health care.

"This money is not spent, it is invested. It has a high return rate" - he noted.

The Minister of Science and Higher Education announced the submission in the parliament of a bill on the establishment of the Researcher Day, which would be celebrated on the anniversary of the birth of Nicolaus Copernicus - February 19. Another omission will also be rectified, namely there will be ministerial decorations for people with particular merits for the development and promotion of science. Gowin added that they would be presented later this year as part of celebrations of the 100th anniversary of Polish independence.

The Nicolaus Copernicus University Day is always celebrated on February 19 - the anniversary of the birth of the patron of the university Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543). The celebration began with laying flowers at the monument of Nicolaus Copernicus in the Old Town Square, with the deputy prime minister attending. The celebrations continued in the hall of the Nicolaus Copernicus University. Diplomas for 46 new habilitated doctors and 117 doctors, as well as state decorations were presented.

During the meeting with journalists, the Minister of Science also referred to the critical comment of the leader of the Law and Justice (PiS) club Ryszard Terlecki concerning the Law 2.0.

There is no approval for Jarosław Gowin's higher education and science bill; there are elements in this bill that I consider unacceptable - said the leader of the PiS club in an interview with the weekly "Sieci". As he emphasised, the bill "will not pass" in its current form.

"Just as Deputy Prime Minister Gowin cites support for his project from a part of the academic community, we must cite crushing criticism of this proposal, which we hear from many people of science" - he stressed. According to the head of the PiS club, "one must seek a compromise, but not on the conditions that are proposed today". "Everything can be improved, but it can not be a bill written for money by an outside company" - said Terlecki.

Terlecki was asked if the higher education and science bill would be approved by PiS. "Firstly, the word +constitution+ in this case is legislative flashiness, and secondly, there is no approval for this law" - stressed the leader of the PiS club.

"It is a shame that Marshal Terlecki creates confusion and tension in the United Right camp with his ill-conceived statements. We have enough serious problems right now, we do not need to unnecessarily multiply them and work against each other. I would hope that Marshal Terlecki, as the leader of the club, would focus on not repeating the situations he himself talks about in today's interview, and that on the example of a very important law on the Institute of National Remembrance, when an insufficiently prepared bill is put to vote" - Gowin pointed out.

Deputy Prime Minister announced that in the coming days he would discuss the future of the Constitution for Science with the leader of Law and Justice Jarosław Kaczyński.

"I am counting on the unambiguous support of our coalition partner in this respect. There is no PiS position on this bill. There are only individual statements of individual politicians from this party. I respect their right to express their opinions, but I think it is irresponsible that they formulate it in the public forum, not in our face-to-face discussions. We have a crisis situation in international affairs and adding internal controversies in the government camp to this is really at least ill-conceived"- noted Gowin.

Gowin assures that Law 2.0 has been thoroughly discussed with the academia. It has the support of the Conference of Rectors of Academic Schools in Poland, the rectors of public higher vocational schools and the parliament of students.

"I hope that Marshal Terlecki will also support this bill" - concluded Gowin.

Tomasz Więcławski and Jerzy Rausz

twi/ rau/ zan/ kap/

tr. RL