Ladies and gentlemen,

In June 2001, eighty rectors of Polish academic schools established the Polish Rectors Foundation. Its mission is to act for the benefit of the system of education, science and culture in Poland, with special emphasis on higher education.

In August 2003, the Polish Rectors Foundation and the Consortium of Non-State Higher Education Institutions jointly set up the Institute of Knowledge Society. The mission of the Institute is to carry out analytical studies and research work on the system of higher education and scientific research, and on educational, scientific and innovation policy of the State. The Consortium of Non-State Higher Education Institutions, comprising 17 renowned non-public higher education institutions, was established to create partnership relations with the Polish Rectors Foundation, and to support activities of the Institute of Knowledge Society.

An intention of the group of 100 rectors – founders of the Foundation and the Institute – acting as citizens, was to create independent institutions that act for the benefit of the society, realizing pro publico bono their objective of supporting the development of the knowledge society and knowledge-based economy. An important component of the mission of the Foundation and the Institute are activities aimed at the development of an integrated system of higher education and scientific research that provides all institutions, both public and non-public, with an opportunity to operate under common rules which would guarantee their growth and fair competition.

We believe that the Polish Rectors Foundation and the Institute of Knowledge Society, working in partnership with and under the aegis of the Warsaw University of Technology, together with their strategic partners - Pearson Central Europe, Public Consulting Group (PCG), Plagiat.pl, School and Pedagogical Publishing House (WSiP) - will play an important role in areas in which they contribute to public life.

Prof. Jerzy Woźnicki
President of the Polish Rectors Foundation
Director of the Institute of Knowledge Society