Equality, Innovation, Integration: How Poland’s EU Presidency Engaged with Science and Academia
31 July 2025
Piotr Jedynak, Rector, Jagiellonian University in Kraków
Poland’s six-month Presidency of the Council of the European Union concluded a month ago. Expectations, both within Poland and beyond, were high. Accordingly, a summary and preliminary assessment of its outcomes appears not only appropriate but necessary. While the full impact of the presidency will only become apparent over time, it is already worthwhile to reflect on the achievements of the past six months, as well as on the issues that remain unresolved.
Such an assessment seems particularly relevant in the academic context. This is partly because the slogan that has set the tone for the Polish Presidency – “Security, Europe!” – appeared to refer more to the geopolitical situation on the continent than to the current concerns of the academic and scientific communities.
These concerns mainly revolve around the well-being of students and academic staff, who, according to recent studies, are increasingly vulnerable to educational and occupational burnout. Further anxieties pertain to gender and pay equity, and to the continued underrepresentation of women in European research.
Other urgent challenges include promoting STEM disciplines, developing next-generation digital competencies (particularly those related to the ethical and proficient use of AI technologies), and continuing efforts to enhance the quality, effectiveness, and societal value of scientific research. These objectives must be pursued in accordance with the fundamental principles of academic integrity while minimizing negative social and environmental impacts.
Across Europe, strategic emphasis is now being placed on strengthening collaboration among universities, particularly through various forms of academic alliances, and on gradually integrating national science and higher education systems within the broader European framework.
This direction now defines the majority of academic discourse. It is therefore encouraging that the Polish Presidency of the EU Council not only actively engaged with these discussions but also enriched them with new perspectives. A particularly noteworthy milestone was the meeting of the EU Competitiveness Council (COMPET) on 23 May, during which EU ministers of science and research — under the chairmanship of Poland’s Minister of Science and Higher Education, Marcin Kulasek — adopted the European Research Area (ERA) Policy Agenda 2025–2027.
This document may be regarded as a synthesis of several months’ conclusions around three key priority areas. Its implementation could contribute meaningfully to addressing many of the critical challenges currently confronting the European academic and research sectors. It outlines a broad set of actions organized around three principal dimensions of science and higher education:
- The social dimension: including equal access to education and academic careers, the empowerment of women in research, the promotion of inclusive learning environments, and support for individuals facing mental health issues or social marginalization.
- The structural and systemic dimension: such as advancing open science practices, enhancing researcher mobility and shared infrastructure, and deepening institutional cooperation through cross-border academic partnerships.
- The technological and cognitive dimension: encompassing efforts to raise the quality, innovation, and impact of scientific research across the EU; to harness artificial intelligence responsibly and effectively; and to strengthen the role of science in addressing global challenges, stimulating economic growth, and driving technological progress.
Nonetheless, during Poland’s EU Council Presidency, certain challenges within the European science and higher education landscape remain unresolved. One example is the concept of a joint European degree, a long-standing ambition of many universities across Europe, now being pursued primarily through bottom-up initiatives operating at the margins of existing regulatory frameworks. Progress on this front, however, appears stalled at the level of declarations and preliminary planning. This reflects a broader concern: while European legislation has become more agile, it still lags behind the pace of global transformation.
Looking ahead, there is cautious optimism that the initiatives left incomplete during the past six months of Poland’s Presidency will progress in the upcoming months under the leadership of the next countries in the EU Council Presidency Trio: Poland, Denmark, and Cyprus.
With continued commitment and collaboration, what remains unfinished may yet find a path forward.