Analysis of Principles and Contents of University Curricula Carried Out at the Faculties of Forestry in Poland

The number of forestry faculties’ students in Poland is increasing and number of persons interested in forestry major is rising. In academic year 2009/2010 forestry as a main field of study (major) studied 5735 persons, of that number 2692 persons on full-time programs (47%) and 3043 on part-time programs (53%). This emerging trend is strengthening and will make stronger the competition among the educational forest programs and can create favourable conditions for improvement of teaching quality. The analysed curricula and study programs at the all Faculties of Forestry in Poland (Warsaw, Krakow and Poznan) are offering a wide spectrum of educational possibilities for the prospect staff of foresters. One should pay a particular attention to relatively high share of practical aspects in form of field training. The Faculties are offering full-time and part-time undergraduate and graduate studies adjusted to Bologna Process requirements for potential forestry students. The full-time undergraduate study program lasts 7 semesters and offers 210 ECTS and full-time graduate program lasts 3 semesters and offers 90 ECTS. The similar situation presents part-time program which lasts 8 semesters. It seems to very important to conduct of further broadening and intensification of contacts and students and academic staff exchange within the framework of international programs, like Erasmus, CEEPUS, Leonardo da Vinci and others. The constant development of academic staff qualifications and activity is clearly visible over the last two decades. One should tend to more close integration of offered study curricula with curricula of selected forest universities worldwide to make possible for students to obtain double diplomas (polish and foreign university)