The University of Warsaw is the largest university in Poland and a leading research centre in the country. The UW community comprises 7 300 employees, 40 500 undergraduate and graduate students, 2 500 doctoral candidates and 2 100 postgraduate students. 4 800 international students are among the overall number of students and doctoral candidates.
Besides its 24 faculties and 4 doctoral schools, UW also has 30 academic and research centres. UW provides a wide range of studies in humanities, and social, exact and natural sciences, as well as individual interdisciplinary studies, 27 English-language programmes and 22 programmes of study run jointly with universities from abroad.
The University of Warsaw was the first Polish university to begin monitoring the careers of its graduates. The results of this monitoring indicate that over 90% of respondents find employment within a year of obtaining a degree.
Subsidies from the Ministry of Science and Higher Education as well as domestic and European grants are the main sources of academic research funding. The University of Warsaw is ranked first among the Horizon 2020 beneficiaries in Poland in terms of the number of participants (97) and coordination (19). The most prestigious European research competitions are organised by the European Research Council. In 2007-2019, UW employees have won 16 of the 37 grants given to Polish institutions from ERC.
In 2019, following the competition of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education entitled “Initiative of Excellence – Research University”, the University of Warsaw was granted research university status for 2020-2026. The University of Warsaw receives 10% extra on a state subsidy. This boosts the development of five priority research areas and the execution of 70 measures specified in the application.
Since 2016, the University of Warsaw has the right to use the title ‘HR Excellence in Research’ awarded by the European Commission. The award confirms that the university fulfils the requirements of the European Charter for Researchers.
The university works together with 800 international partners, 680 of which are from over 100 countries which have signed a bilateral cooperation agreement with UW. The university belongs to the 4EU+ European University Alliance selected by the European Commission for funding in the ‘European Universities’ call for proposals, launched as part of the 2019 Erasmus+ programme. The 4EU+ universities want to enhance cooperation in research, teaching and initiatives related to the social responsibilities of science. UW scientists are engaged in conducting research projects within the European Knowledge and Innovation Communities: EIT Food (projects related to the food sector), and EIT Climate (projects whose objective is to mitigate and adapt to the consequences of climate change). In 2019, the university was awarded the status of project partner within EIT Raw Materials – a raw materials community.
The strategic objectives of the university include enhancing international recognition and building a good position among top European research universities. The multiannual development plan, which will continue until 2025, aims to maximise the potential of the university. It aims to foster research in the humanities and social sciences, tighten up collaboration within the environment and promote international academic exchange.
Measures aimed at improving the quality of teaching, broadening the range of education offered and developing the competences of students and employees at the University of Warsaw are conducted within the framework of the Integrated Development Programme of the University of Warsaw (ZIP).