The paper presents historical concepts and paradigms of the institution of university as well as its present and future models.

As a starting point, the origin, structure and function of the medieval university are discussed; then, four basic concepts of university formed in the 19th century are given, namely the German model of Wilhelm Humboldt and Johann Fichte, the English model of Cardinal Newman, the American model formed aft er foundation of the John Hopkins University and the French model – the Napoleonic model ofuniversity.

What follows is an analysis of the changes and evolution of universities in the 20th century. It is indicated that the essence of today’s university is composed of the following activities: didactics, research and professional training. A great significance of general and formal education is also emphasized. Th e priority is given to practising basic disciplines at universities and the significance of the humanities for general education of students, including philosophy, theology and ethics is stressed.

The author is warning us against single-discipline education in a situation when all contemporary problems, whether economic, political, social, ethical or technical, can only be solved on the interdisciplinary basis via cooperation of experts in different fields. The gap between visions of the world shaped by natural sciences and the humanities should be gradually bridged. To this end, a paradigm of the future university is put forward. The paradigm should provide for cultivation of the values derived from the Classical University rooted in the Greco-Roman and Christian tradition, mathematical exactness of scientific research and quality professional training of the Positivist University, as well as the ecological and holistic vision and education of the youth, in a spirit of tolerance of the Postmodern University.

The paradigm of the university of the future should encompass three significant elements, i.e. the mission of a contemporary academic school, the conditions in which it is functioning and the rules it should follow. The paper indicates that, though destined to an ongoing change, the mission of universities for centuries has featured the same components, namely intellectual and ethical education of the youth and scientific research. The contemporary university should act as “the eyes of the world” that perceive its main problems and provide guidance in solving them.

The contemporary university must duly take into account the external conditions, namely globalisation, multiculturalism, ecological threats, rapid communications and technological progress, a growth of negative social phenomena such crime, moral degradation and terrorism; a growing infl uence of the media on life of societies, anti-intellectualism, relativism and radical individualism triggered by the Post-modem era. The rules that a contemporary academic school should act in accordance with are given as follows: a quest for the highest standards in didactics, research and other activities; full freedom of scientifi c research; a focus on discovering the truth and sharing it with others; ethical responsibility of scholars and university professors; the spirit of duty in education; forming amicable and stable academic communities; partnership in cooperation with other scholars and universities; aiming at the integration of Christian knowledge and faith.

The paper ends with a citation from Pope John Paul’s II. address to the chancellors of all Polish academic schools in 1997, in which he stressed the role of ethical sensitivity of scholars today, owing to which the bond may be maintained both between the True and the Good and the freedom of scientific research and ethical responsibility for its outcomes.

I have been asked to give a thought on the University. It is arranged in a sequence of “past – yesterday – today”, to which I will occasionally refer. It will not, however, constitute a rigid scheme governing this talk. The inspiration for these thoughts was specified by the question “what perception of the University I imbibed in my family home, how I later confronted this with my own practice or «experience» of the University, how I look at it from the perspective of the experience I have had and from observing the changes taking place.”

The paper presents two competing perceptions of the modern university: the economic and the humanistic. While the economic approach has numerous and potent advocates in the modern, rationalized world, those opting for the humanist approach have to struggle for attention and understanding. The author aims to highlight the conflict between the two seemingly contradictory visions of the university in her sociological commentary about the debate over the importance of the humanities in Poland and worldwide. There exists, however, a kind of ontological meta-frame which allows the rhetoric of a ‘factory of knowledge’ and a ‘temple of knowledge’ to be accommodated. It consists in thinking of universities in universalistic categories, which should be the concern of the state as it seeks Poland’s civilizational advance—in the full meaning of the phrase.

Der Autor antwortet auf die moderne Einwände gegen das Heimatrecht der Theologie in der Universitas litterarum (Peter Hünermann). Es geht um bleibende säkulare Anfragen, um pragmatische und postmodernistische Einwände und nicht zulezt um Bekenntnis- und Magisterium Ecclesiae-gebundenheit der Theologie.

The author of the article is aimed at reconstructing the concept of academic freedom as a base of university existence, regarding both its didactic and research function. The author takes into account various definitions of academic freedom and analyzes areas and dimensions, especially its institutional (university) and individual (professor) level. He reconstructs also controversies which are exposed in discussions on academic freedom and arguments regarding its limitations. He considers the phenomenon of actuarial policy and various forms of academic competition. He puts question: does the concept of academic freedom can be still vivid in the time of growing commercialization of didactits and research functions of contemporary university as well as its growing dependance on economy and politics?

The Bulletin of the Polish Academy of Sciences: Technical Sciences (Bull.Pol. Ac.: Tech.) is published bimonthly by the Division IV Engineering Sciences of the Polish Academy of Sciences, since the beginning of the existence of the PAS in 1952. The journal is peer‐reviewed and is published both in printed and electronic form. It is established for the publication of original high quality papers from multidisciplinary Engineering sciences with the following topics preferred: Artificial and Computational Intelligence, Biomedical Engineering and Biotechnology, Civil Engineering, Control, Informatics and Robotics, Electronics, Telecommunication and Optoelectronics, Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering, Thermodynamics, Material Science and Nanotechnology, Power Systems and Power Electronics.

Journal Metrics: JCR Impact Factor 2018: 1.361, 5 Year Impact Factor: 1.323, SCImago Journal Rank (SJR) 2017: 0.319, Source Normalized Impact per Paper (SNIP) 2017: 1.005, CiteScore 2017: 1.27, The Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education 2017: 25 points.

Abbreviations/Acronym: Journal citation: Bull. Pol. Ac.: Tech., ISO: Bull. Pol. Acad. Sci.-Tech. Sci., JCR Abbrev: B POL ACAD SCI-TECH Acronym in the Editorial System: BPASTS.

The pontificate of Pope Francis, both in documents and in practice, takes on a pastoral character, emphasizing the evangelizing dimension. The encyclical Veritatis gaudium likewise presents the educational and academic mission of the Church from the same perspective. This paper provides a presentation of the Pope’s postulates understood as a new paradigm for Church education, resulting from a new cultural and social context. Pope Francis’ project is set in the more than fifty-year perspective of the reforms introduced by the Second Vatican Council, in particular Sapientia christiana, the document which has been governing the activities of theological faculties since 1979. Four criteria that ecclesial studies should demonstrate are indicated: a) the Christocentric kerygma building the ecclesial community, with an option for the poor, b) encounter and dialogue, characterized by authentic interaction on the level of religions and cultures, c) inter- and transdisciplinarity, which provide a tool for linking the academic achievements of all disciplines in the perspective of the transcendent Christian revelation, d) integration of academic centers which practice ecclesiastical studies and their collaboration with institutions of different religious and cultural traditions, with a view to an adequate diagnosis of global world problems and their resolution.

Starting with Bologna and Paris, a classical model of a European university usually contained four faculties: theological, philosophical, legal (of secular and canon law) and medical. One must remember that establishing theological faculty had to be agreed with the Holy See. The same university structure existed in Poland too, when in 1364 the Cracow University came into being. Beginning from 1397 it had its Theological Faculty. The faculty also functioned at other universities: in Vilnius (1578), in Zamość (the Zamość Academy, 1595), in Lviv (1759), in Warsaw (1817), in Lublin (the Catholic University of Lublin, 1918), again in Warsaw (the Academy of Catholic Theology, 1954 and later the Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University, 1999), in Opole (1994), in Poznań (1988), in Olsztyn (1999), in Katowice (2000), in Toruń (2001) and in Szczecin (2003).

Besides, after eradication of the Theological Faculty in Cracow, there came into being Papal Theological Faculty (1959), transformed into Papal Theological Academy (1974). A Theological Faculty was also founded in Wrocław (1964), transformed into Papal Theological Faculty (1974), in Poznań (1968), transformed into Papal Theological Faculty (1974) and then in Warsaw – as the Papal Theological Faculty (1982). The Catholic University of Lublin (where there was a Theological Faculty), as well as Papal Theological Faculties have got the status of ecclesiastical schools which are treated as higher education public schools.

In the Third Polish Republic (aft er 1989) there were created theological faculties at the following public universities: in Opole (1994), in Olsztyn (1999), at the Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University in Warsaw (1999), in Poznań (1998), in Katowice (2000), in Toruń (2001) and in Szczecin (2003). In accordance with the regulations of Polish law and canon law, the named above faculties are liable to both ecclesiastical authorities and state authorities.

The following paper presents recollections of a seminar by Professor Józef Andrzej Gierowski 1965–1967 by Kazimierz Przyboś.

After 1989 the cooperation between catholic theological departaments and the secular academies was standarized. The rules of cooperation between seminaries and theological departaments, existing either in ecclesiastical universities or in the state-controlled ones, were also circumscribed. The aim of this collaboration is to gain the academic degrees by the prospective priests.

The Author of an article recalls the legal rules, that regulate this cooperation and points the chances of it. Th anks to the collaboration, the seminary is raising academic qualifications of employees, and the students are being educated by the university standards.

The university gains an unique group of students, whose spiritual and moral formation, may be an example for a modern graduate in theology. Moreover, throughout affiliating seminaries to the theological departaments, the university has chance to benefit of the rich seminary archives and libraries, and to examine the great architectural, musical and painting treasures, concentrated in diocesancities.

The essay investigates issues related to the ways in which University participates in the complex and dramatically changing reality. The „melancholy” refers, on the one hand, to University’s irrevocable right and responsibility to ask difficult questions to which there may be no easy, immediate answers, which is the mode of University addressing urgent issues of actual social and cultural life. On the other hand, however, we have recently faced the authorities’ reluctant attitude towards scholarly activities which may not coincide with the ideological guidelines, which mistrust may result in the imposition of various limitations on research and funding allocations.

Professor Piotr Węgleński, who died on January 19, 2024 studied and worked at the University of Warsaw – at the Faculty of Biology and later at the Center for New Technologies. He was a member of the Polish Academy of Sciences and the vice-rector and later the rector of the University of Warsaw. He was responsible for introducing genetic engineering to Poland. He was a great boss – that is what we always called him – and a great academic teacher and was very active in popularizing science.

The author reviews the main elements of Richard Münch’s academic capitalism theory. By introducing categories like “audit university” or “entrepreneurial university,” the German sociologist critically sets the present academic management model against the earlier, modern-era conception of academic research as an “exchange of gifts.” In the sociological and psychological sense, the latter is a social communication structure rooted in traditional social lore, for instance the potlatch ceremonies celebrated by some North-American Indian tribes which Marcel Mauss described. Münch shows the similarities between that old “gift exchanging” model and the contemporary one with its focus on the psychosocial fundamentals of scientific praxis, and from this gradually derives the academic capitalism conception. His conclusion is the critical claim that science possesses its own, inalienable axiological autonomy and anthropological dimension, which degenerate in result of capitalism’s “colonisation” of science by means of state authority and money (here Münch refers to Jürgen Habermas’s philosophical argumentation). The author also offers many of his own reflections on the problem, which allows Münch’s analyses to be viewed in a somewhat broader context.

This article concerns the conditions for the institutionalization of open academic debate. The author focuses on the changes that have occurred over time in the seminar’s place in academic practice. She describes three types of seminars, from various eras in university history. In each case, the bases for the institutionalization of academic discussion were generally-held convictions as to what knowledge is and how it should be sought. Seminars legitimized academic debate. The examples provided—of the medieval university, Humboldt’s university, and the so-called entrepreneurial university—have various sources of legitimation: religion, the authority of scholarship, or the economic ‘usefulness’ of science (devoid of other authority). The author attempts to show that the sources of legitimation are reflected in the forms of the seminar’s institutionalization: the composition of the participants, the conversational rules (its public or closed character), and the transparency of academic knowledge.

In the historical and educational literature, there is no text, which present the history of the academic colony of the University of Cracow in Lviv from its inception in the 17th century to the next transformation at the end of the 18th century. This paper is based on manuscript archival materials collected at the Jagiellonian University, the Archbishop of Lviv, in including consistory files, and also in printed annals, published official magazines of the city of Lviv, printed works of the teaching staff and students of the colony. As a result of many years of collecting source facts, the following was reconstructed: establishment of an academic colony in 1608, directors, some auxiliary teachers, pupils’ case, their activity in the city and the church in Lviv, school building and conditions for teaching, scattered grounds for financing teachers, pupils and building maintenance school. The article is the first part of the school’s history, the archival material owned by the author, after completing the query in the Lviv city archives, allows the author to write its history in the 18th century. This is the third academic colony (Chełmno, Nowy Sącz) presenting by the author.

An interview with professor Maciej Salamon, a historian, medievalist, and Byzantinist, renowned expert in numismatics, about his childhood home and studies in Cracow, academic career at the University of Silesia and Jagiellonian University, as well as study trips.

The question about theology is, indeed, the question about the cognitive role of faith, a mutual relationship between faith and mind, as well as cultural, social and existential consequences of accepting or eliminating faith in the cognitive (scientific) process. While developing in the space of thought, theology seeks rational arguments speaking in favour of God’s answers to existential questions. In his publications and teachings J. Ratzinger/Benedict XVI gives much attention to these issues, as they are particularly topical and important for the contemporary civilisation. He teaches that faith releases the mind (makes it independent, non-ideologized), opens it to the truth, the learning of which constitutes the key objective of all scientific research. Recogni-tion of the priority of gifts, God’s grace, who makes Himself known through his Word and actions is an important pre-requisite for theological cognition. Ultimately, it has a christological sense: Son knows His Father and wants to reveal the Mystery of God. As scientia fidei, theology has got potential to give relational and holistic character to cognitive actions, thus made them acquire sense transcending their temporary use-fulness. Theology, faithful to the Church, contributes to the development of the world and men in the deepest meaning of the word – it leads to salvation, finding fulfilment in God Himself.

The University of Krakow was founded twice, in 1364 and 1400. The jubilees of these two foundations were celebrated in 1864, 1900, 1964, 2000 and 2014. The paper present the role of university jubilees in the development of critical studies on the history of the University of Krakow until the end of the 18th century. The author analyses both the achievements and weaknesses of Polish university historiography, and shows the perspectives for its future development.

The ten years Stanisław Pigoń spent in Wilno (1921-1931) was a very important phase of his life. Wilno not only attracted a great deal of his research but also became the focus of a lasting emotional attachment, a sentiment which he reaffirmed in a memoir published shortly before his death in 1968. Although a lot is already known about Pigoń’s Wilno decade, there are some episodes that are worth a closer examination. One of them is a debate about Konrad’s cell which he triggered off just before leaving Wilno. The controversy concerns a cell in the former Basylian Monastery where Adam Mickiewicz was imprisoned in 1823 and where Konrad, the main character of his Dziady (Forefathers’ Eve) undergoes a spiritual transformation, the climax of the poetic drama. Pigoń contributions to this interminable debate exhibit a fine balance of scholarly precision and passionate conviction. This article not only looks at the origin and the early phases of the Konrad’s cell controversy in their contemporary background but also tries to show Pigoń’s involvement in the life of the university and the cultural and literary life of Wilno.

The Faculty of Theology of Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University in Warsaw is endowed with rich history. It existed at the Royal University of Warsaw, established in 1816.

It operated until the University was closed in 1831; then its activity was continued at the Main Seminary (1823–1835), and fi nally at the Roman-Catholic Clerical Academy (1835–1867). The Theological Faculty came into being again at the University of Warsaw in 1918. Aft er the World War II, the faculty became active in 1945, in 1954 it became part of the Academy of Catholic Theology and since 1999 it has been included into the Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University. The achievements of the faculty are important, it has employed many eminent theologians and instructed thousands of graduates. Its merits for the Church and Polish culture are not to be neglected.

The following scientific grades in theology were awarded at the Theological Faculty of the Academy of Catholic Theology (1954–1999): 85 professional bachelor’s degrees, 4853 master’s degrees, 762 canonical licentiates, 313 doctor’s degrees, 92 nostrifications of doctorates and 89 post-doctoral degree.

The following scientific grades in theology have been awarded at the Th eological Faculty of Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University (from 1 October 1999 to 16 June 2008): 3916 bachelor’s degrees, 5718 master’s degrees, 1315 canonical licentiates, 299 doctor’s degrees, 71 nostrifications of doctorates, 45 post-doctoral degrees and 23 professor’s degrees in theology. In addition, the Institute of Studies of the Family has awarded 1733 master’s degrees in studies of the family.

Nowadays, the Theological Faculty of Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University is composed of six institutes: Institute of Theology, Institute of Media Education and Journalism, Institute of the Studies of Culture, Institute of Theology in Radom, Institute of Apostleship Theology, Institute of Studies of the Family. The Theological Faculty includes as well the Non-local Didactical Centre in Gdynia. Three clerical seminaries are affiliated at the Theological Faculty: Higher Clerical Seminary in Płock, Gdańsk Clerical Seminary in Gdańsk-Oliwa, Higher Clerical Seminary of Catholic Apostleship in Ołtarzew. The following institutions are bound with the Faculty of Theology of the Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University with the cooperation agreement: Archdiocese Clerical Seminary in Białystok, Higher Clerical Seminary in Łódź, Higher Clerical Seminary in Łomża, Franciscan Higher Clerical Seminary in Łódź-Łagiewniki, Higher Clerical Seminary of the Salesian Society in Ląd nad Wartą, Higher Clerical Seminary of the Salesian Society in Łódź.

It was with great sadness that we learned on 18 October 2021 of the death of the distinguished Italian Slavist and Polonist Sante Graciotti, professor emeritus of the Sapienza University of Rome. This personal tribute, written on the first anniversary of his death, begins with a recollection of the ceremony of awarding Sane Graciotti the title of Doctor honoris causa by the Jagiellonian University. on 16 December 1986. The laudatio, delivered by Professor Tadeusz Ulewicz, presented our guest's achievements and the main stages of his academic life. It began with the study of Italian philology at the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Milan and came to a turning point at La Sapienza in Rome, where he pivoted towards Slavic philology. The youthful fascination became a lifelong commitment which earned him the acclaim and honours that are the crown of an academic career. Finally, he concentrated his attention on Poland, Polish history and culture, and the history of Polish-Italian cultural relations. In his explorations of the new field, he could count on the friendly assistance of his Polish colleagues, especially Tadeusz Ulewicz, a historian of Polish literature with a profound knowledge of the historical ties between Poland and Italy. The respect they had for each other's work led to the promotion of Graciotti's research in Poland and the awarding of the doctorate honoris causa to Tadeusz Ulewicz by the Università Cattolica in Milan.

The article outlines the conceptual assumptions of pedagogy underlying university education, re-defined with regard to the dynamic conditions underlying contemporary culture. The authors concentrate on constitutive educational forms that define the nature of semiosis in education, as well as their exposure and transformation. In connection with this, there is a focus on the concept of “symbolic politics”, which aims to liberalize the practice of pedagogy, freeing it from the dictatorship of a transmission form of education, as well as creating conditions for strengthening discursive relationships and a reflexive discursive attitude. As a result of the implementation of this form of symbolic politics, those involved in education do not promote the prevailing discourse but become agents capable of discursive reflection in action as well as participants in processes of discursive design and creation.

According to the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education and Polish Central Statistical Office the number of students systematically decreases since 2015. This demographic change was a reason to examine students motivation for undertaking their studies in order to improve educational program and to encourage students to peruse higher education. By approaching the subject of “Motivations for Undertaking Special Education Studies in The Opinion of Students at Pedagogical University of Cracow”, the answers were sought to the three following questions: What were the main reasons for choosing studies at Pedagogical University of Cracow? What motivators played a key role for students while selecting field of studies? What student’s personality traits did mainly influence their choice? Research material was collected basing on a self-designed questionnaire. The group of first-year 54 students year were tested, in which 39% didn’t know which specialization they would choose after a one year. The article’s conclusions present key factors motivating students for undertaking Special Education Studies and explain how personality traits influenced their choice.

An interview with Professor Stefan Skowronek (1928–2019), a historian, archaeologist, and classical philologist, particularly renowned as an expert in numismatics, about his education in his hometown of Przeworsk, studies at the Jagiellonian University and his scholarly career.