From elite to mass education : diagnosis of the Polish higher education system after year 1989

Transformation that took place in 1989 in Poland paved the way for many reforms, including those in educational system. Poland became more open to Western influences, which resulted in a significant growth of the number of students and provided easier access to colleges and universities. However, nowadays (nearly 25 years later) it turns out that quantitative increase does not always entail qualitative increase. The quality of disseminated knowledge is now on a far lower level than it used to be in the 20th century. What is more - benefits derived from having a higher education diploma are less and less perceptible. This study is an attempt to make a diagnosis of the condition of the Polish higher education after the political transformation, so it includes not only the description of positive changes but also points out all the most important imperfections