西 南 交 通 大 学 学 报
第 56 卷 第 1 期
2021 年 2 月
JOURNAL OF SOUTHWEST JIAOTONG UNIVERSITY
Vol. 56 No. 1
Feb. 2021
ISSN: 0258-2724 DOI：10.35741/issn.0258-2724.56.1.17
Review articleEducation
H
IGHER
D
OCTORATE IN
P
OLAND AND
I
MPLICATIONS FOR
P
OLISH
H
IGHER
E
DUCATION AND
S
CIENTIFIC
D
EVELOPMENT
波兰的高级博士学位及其对波兰高等教育和科学发展的启示
Nguyen Minh Ngoc a, Nguyen Hoang Tien b, *, a Ho Chi Minh City University of Finance and Marketing
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, [email protected]
b Saigon International University
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, [email protected]
Received: November 26, 2020 ▪ Review: December 23, 2020 ▪ Accepted: January 22, 2021
This article is an open-access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0)
Abstract
This article reveals the specificity of the Polish higher education system with a higher doctorate (doctor of science) as an obligatory stage of individual scientific career development in a contrary to most European countries where this title exists. The article presents the current state of Polish science, questioning the usefulness and the raison d'être of this title and showing the impact of its existence on the perspective of Polish higher education and Polish scientific development.
Keywords:habilitation, higher doctorate, doctor of science, Poland
摘要 本文揭示了波兰高等教育体系具有较高的博士学位（科学博士学位）的特殊性，这是个人科 学职业发展的强制性阶段，这与存在该名称的大多数欧洲国家相反。 本文介绍了波兰科学的现 状，质疑该标题的实用性和存在的理由，并说明了其存在对波兰高等教育和波兰科学发展的影 响。 关键词: 适应能力，高级博士学位，科学博士，波兰
I. I
NTRODUCTIONThis article presents the unique higher education system in Poland, including four education levels: bachelor’s degree, master's degree, doctorate, higher doctorate (doctor of science, doctor with habilitation). Meanwhile, in
most countries globally, the higher education system has only three levels: undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate (doctorate). The question is whether this four-tier higher education system is good for Poland as in the opinion of the lecturers and scientists of this
country or should it be streamlined to follow the higher education trend of Western countries and the world, including up to three levels: undergraduate, graduate (optional) and doctorate. In the process of higher education reforms towards larger autonomy in Poland, which direction is appropriate for Polish universities to choose? [29, 30]. Is this a solution to effectively develop human resources in universities, promote academic reputation and brand, gradually approach the Western standard of education, improve the output quality of students to compete in the European common labor market towards the overarching goal of sustainable development of the entire higher education system in the context of international, European integration and the fourth industrial revolution? [25, 26, 27, 28, 31, 32, 33].
This article examines the history of the higher doctorate in some European countries and focuses specifically on Poland, the role of the higher doctorate in the Polish higher education system in the context of its development history, implemented reforms to simplify this four-level higher education system, or in other words, to remove or disable the higher doctorate institution so that young scientists have more opportunities to shorten education process, develop and maximize their potential and capacity.
In addition to the secondary studies mentioned above, the authors also conduct some related primary studies. Two members of the author staff have studied and graduated with a doctorate in Poland, so they have much experience. Today, in the context of the Internet boom and the fourth industrial revolution, for universities, university lecturers, and scientists, the level of citations to the research works published has a very important meaning, demonstrating his or her prestige and personal influence. Related to the citations is the H-index (and other indexes) that partly speak objectively about scientists' influence over time. Based on these indicators, the authors compare the top Polish economic universities with leading Polish technical universities; As next, we compare Poland's top universities of economics with the leading economic universities in Europe and the world. Since then, the authors give comments and recommendations for the economic universities on whether to reform or abandon higher doctorate so that these universities can approach the world's level of science and development.
II. T
HEORETICALR
EASONINGA. Higher Doctorate in Europe
The word "habilitation" comes from the Latin habilitas (dexterity). In academic practice, it means acquiring broadly understood qualifications, including obtaining the right to conduct lectures. Higher doctorate does not currently exist in many countries or is of limited importance for a research career. However, higher doctorate functions not only in Poland. The postdoctoral degree (or its functional equivalent) also exists in countries such as France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Portugal, Spain (to be abolished in 2008), the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Hungary, Russia, and other countries established after the collapse of the USSR (including Belarus, Lithuania, Latvia, and Ukraine). In Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and other post-Soviet countries, the equivalent of a higher doctorate is obtaining the degree of a doctor of science (Russian: дoктop наук). The condition is to obtain an earlier academic degree of a candidate of sciences (the equivalent of a Polish doctor), appropriate scientific achievements, completion of special studies called doctoral studies, and higher doctorate thesis defense. The next stages of a scientific career in Russia are nominations for subsequent scientific titles: associate professor (senior researcher), professor, correspondent member, academician [19].
In contrast, the Anglo-Saxon model does not envisage such a degree between contractual professorship and doctorate. Nevertheless, there are so-called higher doctorates in Great Britain and Ireland, similar to the Polish degree of habilitated doctor. However, this is not a mandatory stage in a scientific career. They are rarely awarded and mainly concern doctors who have not passed the appropriate stages of their academic career and need confirmation of their achievements. At many universities in Great Britain, the equivalent of a higher doctorate has an honorary meaning. There are two doctoral degrees in life sciences: lower, Ph.D. (doctor of philosophy), and higher, D.Sc. (doctor of sciences). Some of the British higher doctorates have lost their importance as a determinant of an academic career, but they are still prestigious at the oldest universities, e.g., during university ceremonies.
There is no higher doctorate in the USA. However, to obtain a job at a university, a candidate usually needs to demonstrate at least two years of postdoctoral fellowship and scientific achievements in the form of several to several dozen scientific publications depending on the prestige of the university, the scientific
discipline involved, and the prestige of the journals in which the publications appear. Academic teaching experience in the US is welcome to become a university professor. It is common practice to hire an assistant professor, which does not guarantee a permanent job, and after 6-7 years, to conduct formal and strict verification, as a result of which candidate can obtain a full professor position. Sometimes an intermediate position between assistant professor and professor is associate professor, who is not treated as a full professor, and usually, there is no guarantee of employment, i.e., tenure. The tenure system has also been adopted in Canada and Australia. It refers to positions such as professor and associate professor.
On the other hand, the assistant professor has yet to demonstrate his scientific activity supported by publications, teaching, and administrative skills. However, the American system forces candidates to work and limits the number of years they can work as an assistant professor. On the other hand, positions are offered that are not time-limited, e.g., adjunct professor, research professor. Universities attach great importance to assigning tenure positions, expecting the candidate to be highly active and productive in research, teaching, and administration. In the USA, Ph.D. is the highest academic degree and is an independent scientist with the right to conduct doctoral theses independently [22]. On the other hand, Assistant Profesor, Associate Professor, Adjunct Professor, or (Full) Professor, and Research Professor are the names of academic positions assigned for the duration of their occupation at a given university (however, in the USA, most scientific careers are pursued at one university, compulsorily different from the one for which the doctorate was obtained). A retired (Full) Professor usually, when leaving the university, obtains the honorary position of Professor Emeritus. The nature of the tenure review (formal assessment of an assistant professor's achievements before deciding on further promotion and employment for an indefinite period) resembles Polish regulations on a higher doctorate. The tenure system has also been adopted in Australia and Canada.
B. Higher Doctorate in Poland
Under the Act of March 14, 2003, on academic degrees and the academic title as well as on degrees and title in the field of art, with the supplement of 2005 (Journal of Laws of 2003, No. 65, item 595; Journal of Laws of 2003, No. 65, item 595; U. of 2005, No. 164, item 1365), the degree is awarded through a habilitation
process, to which a person who has a doctoral degree and has achieved significant scientific achievements and has presented a higher doctorate thesis, may be admitted [10]. The habilitation process consists of: (1) initiating the habilitation process; (2) admission to the higher doctorate colloquium based on the opinions of designated reviewers (who evaluate the scientific achievements to date and the higher doctorate thesis itself); (3) acceptance of the higher doctorate colloquium (consisting in passing the answers to the questions asked in the field of science represented by the postdoctoral researcher and presenting the higher doctorate lecture at an appropriate level; unlike the doctorate, it is not public) [2, 3, 4, 5]. Since 2006, the award of the degree of habilitated doctor has been modified. The Faculty Council of the unit conducting the procedure appoints two reviewers, the Central Commission for Degrees and Titles also two; all are called openly. The higher doctorate colloquium ends with the award of the degree of habilitated doctor. No committee approval is required to earn the degree. Only those scientific institutions (usually, faculties of academic universities and some scientific institutes) have the right to award the degrees of habilitated doctors, which guarantees a sufficiently high substantive level of conducting the habilitation stages process in a given field [22].
The tradition of awarding a higher doctorate, an intermediate degree between a doctor and a professor as an academic position, was established at Prussian universities at the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries. However, unlike a professor, an associate professor (the title obtained as a result of habilitation) did not have the right to his own chair. Higher doctorate and associate professor's associated title became popular in the 19th century in Germany, especially in medicine, because the rapid development of higher education meant that more and more people had to give lectures, and giving them the title of professor required costly funding of new departments. In Poland, it was similar until World War II, i.e., the higher doctorate allowed for lectures without the right to a chair. At the same time, there was no higher doctorate, but there was an associate professor as a result of habilitation.
In Poland, until 1951, a higher doctorate was treated as a right to teach at a given university. In 1951, the Soviet system was introduced. The faculty councils were deprived of the right to independently confer higher doctorate concerning their lecturers. According to Soviet terminology,
the degrees of "candidate of sciences" and "doctor of sciences" were introduced. In 1958, as part of the "thaw" after 1956, the Solomonic solution was introduced. The structure of academic degrees was retained, modeled on the Soviet one, but given names in line with the Polish tradition. Therefore, the degree of candidate of science came to be referred to as the degree of doctor, and the degree of doctor of science as the degree of habilitated doctor. The title of associate professor was also restored in place of the deputy professor for whom the procedure of traditional habilitation was followed, as a result of the desire to eliminate vacancies after leaving or removing from the university many professors and associate professors (academic titles) after the events of March 1968, as well as to pay party academics and increase the political correctness of teaching, a new academic post of an associate professor was introduced (not to be confused with the existing title associate professor obtained as a result of habilitation), also available to doctors [15]. 1) What was the Higher Doctorate for?
The point is that it will not be possible to quickly liquidate the higher doctorate, among others, because the level of doctorates obtained has dropped significantly (at some universities). Hence, the higher doctorate is the last barrier that makes it possible to stop works and employees of not the highest quality. This is not a good situation because young scientists should obtain higher doctorate before 30 and professorship before 40. If the higher doctorate were to be seen only as such a barrier, then it would only be a plaster with which we try to seal the wound. After all, the role of a higher doctorate should not be to repair what has been broken in doctorates. So what could a postdoctoral degree, which should be obtained before the age of 30? Let us take a look at why the higher doctorate was introduced. For example, when the Act of March 15, 1933 on Academic Schools was in force, the higher doctorate was defined in the part of the Act on Teaching Staff [21].
(1) Persons who have been granted the right to teach at an academic school (venia legendi) by their higher doctorate receive the title of associate professor.
(2) The right to lecture is to cover all or a part of science that may be regarded as an intrinsic object.
Art. 30.
(1) The higher doctorate is carried out by the faculty council. A condition for admission to habilitation is a doctoral degree. (...)
(2) The habilitation process is preceded by the assessment of the candidate's personal qualifications.
(3) The habilitation process includes three acts: a) assessment of the candidate's scientific (artistic) qualifications based on the examination of the value of their higher doctorate thesis; b) higher doctorate discussion; c) higher doctorate lecture. (...).
(7) The right to lecture expires if an associate professor does not use it for two consecutive academic years. (...)
(12) The right to teach, granted in one of the academic schools, may be transferred to another faculty or another school based on a resolution of the relevant faculty council.
2) What is the Higher Doctorate Good for? So what is the higher doctorate for now, if it is not directly related to the law and the obligation to teach? The habilitation procedure is to determine whether the candidate, i.e., the postdoctoral candidate, can independently design and manage research. So what really does the higher doctorate? Some will say it gives the candidates peace of mind. The higher doctorate is used to separate the grain from chaff ("quality perspective") or to separate ours from non-ours ("crony perspective").
Furthermore, we can actually meet people who, after completing their higher doctorate, settled down on their laurels because they stood on the other side of the barricade [7]. From that moment on, they can be doctoral students' supervisors and sit on various bodies, committees, and councils, which is very important and useful for many. The answer to what the higher doctorate is for causes many problems and gives rise to various tensions. Because one has to ask: who is it good for? The main question: does the higher doctorate itself help the postdoctoral researcher to improve his technique and achievements? Because this could be expected from the process, which is to allow someone to be called an independent scientist.
With the changes that appeared after the reform in 2011 and at the end of the vacatio legis period on September 30, 2013, many questions and doubts will arise. First of all: are there any criteria or requirements for a higher doctorate? Will postdoctoral candidates have to meet all the criteria listed in the Regulation of the Polish Minister of Science and Higher Education of September 11, 2011, on the criteria for assessing the achievements of a person applying for the award of the postdoctoral degree, i.e. [20], from October 1, 2013.
Managing or participating in international or national research projects;
Participation in research consortia and networks;
Managing projects implemented in cooperation with scientists from other Polish and foreign centers, and in the case of applied research in cooperation with entrepreneurs;
Scientific supervision over students and doctors in the course of the specialization.
C. Pathology and an Attempt to Liquidate Higher Doctorate in Poland
Obtaining the degree of a habilitated doctor depends not only on scientific achievements. This is one of the conclusions drawn from the survey conducted by people gathered around the Polish Science Foundation. It concerned the most frequently raised problems related to the academic environment. For this purpose, five thematic questionnaires addressed to researchers were developed. The results of one of them concerning higher doctorate have just been published. It was completed by 1,311 people. The data shows numerous shortcomings of the habilitation procedure. Nearly 50 % of respondents indicated that there are people who received the degree of habilitated doctor despite little scientific achievements in their research unit.
In contrast, others were refused to grant this degree despite much greater achievements. This state of affairs is explained by the difficulties in identifying significant scientific achievements. Some may have many publications, but they can contribute little to science because they duplicate the theses contained in the previous articles. It is very difficult to evaluate the quality of the scientific activity. Doctor Joanna Gruba, president of the Polish Science Foundation, also points to the lack of measurable criteria for assessing the postdoctoral researcher's achievements. Developing them is difficult but not impossible. Some respondents bluntly argue that the more mediocre a candidate, the more certain he will receive a postdoctoral degree because he is not a threat to the old staff. In turn, nearly 59 % of the respondents claim that obtaining a habilitated doctor depends not only on scientific achievements. In the Polish scientific community, it is very often not the value of achievements that counts, but the social networks. According to the respondents' justifications included in the survey, scientific advancement depends on the connections and arrangements with representatives of university authorities. Another problem emerged from the surveys. According to as many as 86 %
responding, the postdoctoral candidate should have the right to argue with the reviewer. This right is often missing today. It is unacceptable that the postdoctoral candidate cannot present his or her position. Scientists should expect discussions and accept other people's opinions because only then scientific works make sense and can be improved. Respondents also point out that although the reviewer should be a specialist in a given field, he is not infallible either. Some are much blunter. They argue that reviews tend to be biased, based on the reviewer's ideological beliefs, and therefore not substantive.
Should we, therefore, completely abandon this academic degree? Today we have a problem with defining what the higher doctorate should be. What do we need this degree for? In terms of scientific achievements, what should differ a doctor from a doctor after habilitation? Currently, the higher doctorate is rather an art for art. All the more, the new law on higher education and science in Poland abolished the obligation to obtain it. Although the statistics show numerous problems related to this procedure, nearly 50 % believe that this step should not be completely abolished. The optional higher doctorate (introduced by Act 2.0) is a good solution, but it seems that no one will have the courage not to do it [23]). The complete elimination of a higher doctorate or ensuring its facultative nature was postulated at the last meeting by the Council of Young Polish Scientists. The Polish promotion system contains regulations that still constitute an obstacle to developing the scientific career of young scientists [24].
Maintaining or abolishing the higher doctorate in the system of academic degrees from time to time becomes the subject of heated discussions in the scientific community in Poland and in some countries, which maintain the principle of a higher doctorate in this system. The arguments of the opponents of the higher doctorate are, above all, the inconsistency of the systems of academic degrees and titles in Anglo-Saxon countries and continental Europe and the multiplication of difficulties in the development of a scientific career. In previous practice, a scientist with internationally recognized achievements could not become a reviewer of a doctoral dissertation in Poland if he or she did not have a higher doctorate. However, the Act of 2011 provides for such a possibility. The statements of opponents and supporters are highly polarized. A higher doctorate is unnecessary in science; a higher doctorate is an archaic element that stratifies the academic community, which is of significant importance only in Poland. Beyond its borders,
which in science is determined by the results of scientific research documented by publications. Science is becoming more and more transnational; therefore, local academic degrees are losing their importance [1]. In turn, Dariusz Jemielniak points to the usefulness of fore, higher doctorate as an objective criterion for the recognition of scientific achievements, at the same time pointing to numerous pathologies related to this institution resulting from cultural conditions in Polish science [12]. Proposals to abolish higher doctorate and to introduce instead the possibility of free awarding positions by universities instead of the rapid emancipation of promising assistant professors could well lead to the appropriation of these positions by eternal doctors, those employees who have been unable to publish enough and well for years. The higher doctorate should also remain because it is simply a global standard. The higher doctorate is equivalent to the position of associate professor. It is practically common in the world without exception and has a deep meaning: it is an intermediate stage between the first permanent job after a doctorate and a professor's position (Jemielniak, 2010). However, in many cases, the higher doctorate system serves to consolidate the privileges of professors because the regulations on universities formally require the employment of a certain number of habilitated doctors under the so-called staffing minimum [14]. It is a relic and a 19th-century anachronism and one of the key factors behind the backwardness of Polish science [17]. In 2008, a draft reform of the system of academic degrees was prepared, including the proposal to abolish higher doctorate. The argument for the abolition of the higher doctorate was that only 14% of scientists obtain a higher doctorate in Poland before reaching the age of 40. 55% hold higher doctorates between the ages of 40 and 50, and professors' nominations are most often awarded over 60. At the same time, the higher doctorate system makes it difficult to hire foreign lecturers for professorships, even if they have the appropriate degrees in their home countries. The habilitation procedure itself is archaic, non-transparent (competitions are often set for a specific candidate), lasts for many years, and is influenced by reviewers' personal likes or dislikes [16]. As a result of protests from the scientific community, the project was abandoned [18]. Despite the critical attitude, the higher doctorate was maintained by the new Law on Higher Education and Science in Poland from 2018; only the formal powers of scientists without higher doctorate were increased [8, 13]. There is a
compromise postulate in the discussion that the higher doctorate should be optional, i.e., preserving it while withdrawing the legal privileges associated with it [13, 34].
III. R
ESEARCHM
ETHODOLOGYIn this article, we use a comparative approach to investigate quantitative issues of scientific potential that universities face in the context of global trends due to the fourth industrial revolution and current development in the field of higher education set by top universities in the world. By benchmarking different universities in Poland and Europe based on Google Scholar indicators such as Citations and H-index, their scientific potentials are uncovered. On that basis, a set of suitable solutions concerning higher doctorate as an academic degree or title is proposed for Polish universities. The use of qualitative comparison is recommended as the study cannot carry out investigation over too many research objects for the reason of limited financial budget and time [6]. Thus, we apply the rigorous selection process of research objects using very strict criteria so that finally, we compare only the most suitable objects in Poland and Europe. In developing countries such as Poland, a vast preference for qualitative methods may obviously indicate difficulties in conducting thorough empirical research on a wide scale of space and time due to the cost and complexity that researchers face [9, 11]. Thus, this present research is also condensed in terms of spatial (Warsaw, the capital of Poland, where the best Polish business school and university of technology are situated; London, the capital of the UK, where probably the best business school in Europe is located) and time (November 2020). Furthermore, systemic analysis, findings synthesis, and abstraction are designated to study adequate solutions to boost Polish business universities' performance considering the issue of the functioning of a higher doctorate as an academic degree or title in the current higher education system.
Within Poland, based on Google Scholar indicators, we compare the research achievements and potentials of the Warsaw School of Economics (the best, largest and oldest business school in Poland) with that of the Warsaw University of Technology (the best and oldest school of science and technology in Poland). Also, within Europe, based on Google Scholar indicators, we compare the research achievements and potentials of the Warsaw School of Economics (the best and oldest business school in Poland) and that of the
London School of Economics, its counterpart in London, the best-developed part of Europe. In our beliefs, the selected universities possess long-term traditions and experiences of teaching, conducting research, and community services in Poland and Europe. All of them are pioneering academic institutes, technology, and business schools educating generations of entrepreneurs, experts, strategists, and policymakers, serving the development cause in the era of globalization. All targeted universities represent the exactly highest standard of teaching and research, reflecting the current state of their orientation towards modern assessment criteria and techniques of research achievements and potentials.
The conducted study addresses the overarching question: ‘Is a higher doctorate as an academic degree or title is really necessary in the Polish higher education system, or it is just only a barrier for scientific development in Poland, limiting the rapprochement world and European standards of science?’ by providing convincing arguments for of the purpose of:
(1) Liquidatinhigher doctorate as an academic degree or title in the field of economics and social sciences?
(2) Making a higher doctorate as an optional academic degree or title in the field of technology and natural sciences?
Our research is carried out in two major steps: A. Comparison of research achievements and potentials in selected Polish business and technology universities.
(1) Presentation and comparison of top 20 best staff’s citations
(2) Presentation and comparison of top 20 best staff’s H-index
(3) Presentation and comparison of the percentage of staff with different citation ranges from 0 up to 10,000.
(4) Presentation and comparison of the percentage of staff with H-index over 10
B. Comparison of research achievements and potentials in selected Polish and European business universities.
(1) Presentation and comparison of top 20 best staff’s citations
(2) Presentation and comparison of top 20 best staff’s H-index
(3) Presentation and comparison of the percentage of staff with different citation ranges from 0 up to 100,000.
(4) Presentation and comparison of the percentage of staff with H-index with different ranges from over 10 up to 100.
IV. R
ESEARCHR
ESULTS ANDD
ISCUSSIONSA. Comparison of Research Potentials in Polish Business and Technology Universities
Table 1, containing obtained research results, leads us to the following conclusions. As a country transitioning to a market-oriented economy, Polish business and economic majors are still widely taught. They have not been focused on investment to improve quality to meet market demand. Meanwhile, some technical and engineering majors with a long tradition affirmed prestige and brand name in Europe and worldwide have made the citation index much higher than business and economics majors. We see the first place in the top 20 citations of the Warsaw School of Economics (3951) is only equal to the last place in the top 20 citations of the Warsaw University of Technology (3950). The same holds true for the top 20 H-indexes of these two schools, with H-index 23 being the highest for the Warsaw School of Economics and the lowest for the Warsaw University of Technology. Furthermore, the top spot in the Warsaw University of Technology’s top 20 citations (84060) is 21 times higher than the top spot in the Warsaw School of Economics’ top 20 citations (3951); The top spot in the Warsaw University of Technology’s top 20 H-index (94) is nearly five times higher than the top spot in the Warsaw School of Economics’ top 20 H-index (20). These are very scary things.
Table 1.
Top 20 citations and H-index comparison (Google Scholar website as of November 2020) Top 20 citations of Warsaw School of Economics Top 20 citations of Warsaw University of Technology Top 20 H-index of Warsaw School of Economics Top 20 H-index of Warsaw University of Technology 1 3951 84060 20 94 2 2739 23532 23 49 3 2579 22004 25 75 4 1954 20353 16 68 5 1909 14727 20 58 6 1835 12214 23 52 7 1658 11764 15 35 8 1612 9427 11 43 9 1422 6963 12 35 10 1407 6741 15 41 11 1401 6262 16 37 12 1324 6112 17 35 13 1292 5650 22 38 14 1182 5617 18 16 15 1135 5141 15 27 16 1085 4772 17 27 17 1060 4669 20 24 18 1040 4500 17 38
19 1040 3972 15 30
20 1022 3950 15 23
Table 2, containing obtained research results, leads us to the following conclusions:
- In terms of percentages quoted at levels 1 to 8 (column 1 table 2), there is no difference between Warsaw School of Economics and Warsaw University of Technology. However, 0.8% of the Warsaw University of Technology faculty have more than 5000 citations, while none of the Warsaw School of Economics faculty members achieve this level (level 9). On Google Scholar, there is only information on citations of 332 Warsaw School of Economics lecturers and 1322 Warsaw University of Technology lecturers. Based on the teaching and education scale of the two schools, it is found that a sizable proportion of Warsaw School of Economics faculty members does not set up accounts in Google Scholar. This outcome also affects the results of comparative research between these two institutions.
- 15% of the Warsaw School of Economics faculty and 22.7 percent of the Warsaw University of Technology faculty have an H-index above 10, which means that they meet international standards for university lecturers. However, this H-index value needs to be gradually increased over time, at least 1 point after each year of teaching and research work at universities. coThis has not been clearly shown in the research results.
Table 2.
Citations and H-index comparison (Google Scholar website as of November 2020) Citations Warsaw School of Economics Warsaw University of Technology 1 0 22 (6.6%) 32 (2.4%) 2 1-10 40 (12%) 150 (11.3%) 3 11-50 60 (18%) 290 (21.9%) 4 51-100 40 (12%) 160 (12.1%) 5 101-200 50 (15%) 210 (15.9%) 6 201-500 70 (21%) 240 (18.2%) 7 501-1000 30 (9%) 120 (9.1%) 8 1001-5000 20 (6%) 110 (8.3%) 9 5001-10000 0 10 (0.8%) H-index Warsaw School of Economics Warsaw University of Technology >10 50 (15%) 300 (22.7%)
B. Comparison of Research Potentials in Polish and European Universities
Table 3, containing obtained research results, leads us to the following conclusions. Compared to the UK, one of the world's and Europe's education and research powers, Poland has no
room for comparison by any means. Polish economic majors are still widely taught, not focused on investment to improve quality to meet the market needs. There are few international standard programs taught in English to attract students from neighboring countries and worldwide. Lecturers of economic universities in Poland also rarely have international publications in English published in prestigious scientific journals with high impact indexes. We see the first place in the top 20 citations of the Warsaw School of Economics (3951) is only 1/7 of the last place in the top 20 citations of the London School of Economics (27612). The same goes for the top 20 H-indexes of these two schools, with H-index 23 being the highest for the Warsaw School of Economics and 34 being the lowest for the London School of Economics. Furthermore, the top spot in the London School of Economics’ top 20 citations (20337) is 50 times higher than the top spot in the Warsaw School of Economics’ top 20 citations (3951). The top position in the London School of Economics’ top 20 H-index (134) is almost seven times higher than the top position in the top 20 H-index of the Warsaw School of Economics (20). These are very scary things showing that the level of the top two economic schools of Poland and the UK has a marked difference.
Table 3.
Top 20 citations and H-index comparison (Google Scholar website as of November 2020) Top 20 citations of Warsaw School of Economics Top 20 citations of London School of Economics Top 20 H-index of Warsaw School of Economics Top 20 H-index of London School of Economics 1 3951 203317 20 134 2 2739 137816 23 124 3 2579 98278 25 117 4 1954 64986 16 76 5 1909 58650 20 77 6 1835 57858 23 118 7 1658 54948 15 75 8 1612 52941 11 108 9 1422 47542 12 79 10 1407 46152 15 82 11 1401 41110 16 60 12 1324 39612 17 80 13 1292 38682 22 54 14 1182 36295 18 64 15 1135 35539 15 76 16 1085 33102 17 89 17 1060 30080 20 34 18 1040 29118 17 86 19 1040 28748 15 67 20 1022 27612 15 56
Table 4, containing obtained research results, leads us to the following conclusions:
- Regarding the percentage of citations at the levels from 1 to 8 (column 1 table 4), we see the percentage of faculty with citation levels from 0 to 500 (levels 1 to 6) of the Warsaw School of Economics higher compared to that of the London School of Economics. However, the percentage of faculty with citations levels from 500 to 5000 (level 7 and 8) of the London School of Economics is much higher than that of the Warsaw School of Economics. Over 10% of the London School of Economics faculty have between 5,000 and 50,000 citations, and nearly 1% have between 50,000 and 100,000 citations. In contrast, none of the Warsaw School of Economics faculty members have achieved these impressive numbers.
- 15% of the Warsaw School of Economics faculty members have an H-index from 11 to 25, and about 44% of London School of Economics faculty members have an H-index over 10 (of which 28% from 11 to 25; 9.3% from 26 to 50; 3.5% from 51 to 100; 0.3% per 100). As usual, this H-index value needs to be gradually increased for lecturers and scientists over time, at least 1 point after each year of teaching and research work at the universities. This outcome has not been shown in the research results for the Warsaw School of Economics, which are quite evident for the London School of Economics. The veteran faculty members of the London School of Economics have an increasing H-index each year in line with the number of years they have devoted to education.
Table 4.
Citations and H-index comparison (Google Scholar website as of November 2020) Citations Warsaw School of Economics London School of Economics 1 0 22 (6.6%) 50 (4.7%) 2 1-10 40 (12%) 100 (9.4%) 3 11-50 60 (18%) 150 (14.1%) 4 51-100 40 (12%) 70 (6.5%) 5 101-200 50 (15%) 90 (8.4%) 6 201-500 70 (21%) 120 (11.2%) 7 501-1,000 30 (9%) 240 (22.4%) 8 1,001-5,000 20 (%) 110 (10.3%) 9 5,001-10,000 0 60 (5.6%) 10 10,001-50,000 0 70 (6.5%) 11 50,001-100,000 0 10 (0.9%) H-index Warsaw School of Economics London School of Economics 11-25 50 (15%) 300 (28%) 26-50 0 100 (9.3%) 51-100 0 37 (3.5%) >100 0 3 (0.3%)
V. C
ONCLUDINGR
EMARKS A. ImplicationsThe above study shows that, in Poland, universities of economics (represented by the Warsaw School of Economics) are inferior to universities of technology and engineering (represented by Warsaw University of Technology) in terms of scientific citation and international publication. In part, this is because engineering and technology universities have always been the traditional and longstanding strength of Polish science even in the period of socialism and centralized planning economy. As the country is still in the process of transitioning to a market mechanism, all the economic universities with a short and fledgling history of development need to be more active in improving the quality of education, scientific research, international publications, and citations to keep up with the development pace of Western universities. During the socialist period, the Warsaw School of Economics was called the Warsaw School of Planning and Statistics. This name denied the role and importance of higher education in commerce, economics, and business during this period. Research done in this article shows a very wide development gap between Polish economic universities (represented by the Warsaw School of Economics) and Europe's top economic universities (represented by the London School of Economics). The question is whether this is the fault of the highly complex four-level higher education system, preventing the creativity and development freedom of scientists and young economists in this country? Is higher doctorate, as a compulsory stage of development for academic lecturers and scientists who have PhDs, the biggest barrier preventing them from the right track of development in line with the general trend of the West and all countries around the world? This article has carefully presented the higher doctorate, the history of its establishment in Poland and European countries, its role in each scientist's career development, and the general development of the Polish higher education system. In addition, harsh comments and criticisms about a higher doctorate and its pathological manifestations from the Polish scientific circle were also raised objectively so that higher education managers and policymakers could make proper moves and follow suitable remedies to put things on the right track.
The conducted study addresses the overarching question: ‘Is a higher doctorate as an academic degree or title really necessary in the Polish higher education system, or is it just only a barrier for scientific development in Poland, limiting the rapprochement world and European standards of science?’ by providing convincing arguments for:
(1) Liquidating a higher doctorate as an academic degree or title in the field of economics and social sciences?
(2) Making a higher doctorate as an optional academic degree or title in the field of technology and natural sciences?
Carefully analyzing the role of a higher doctorate, the criteria and requirements to achieve this degree (such as having more publications and influential scientific works besides completing and defending the thesis for doctor of science), we see that in Poland, after a doctorate degree, scientists have to do another doctoral thesis. Meanwhile, in the world and Western countries, Ph.D. is the highest degree. After achieving this degree, scientists have to continuously participate or preside over large-scale research projects and possess high-quality international publications published in prestigious journals to increase their own global citation level. This fact has made Polish higher education, especially in economic and social sciences, go against the trend of very dynamic development of the contemporary world. It is more dangerous when the higher education managers and policymakers put higher doctorate and associate professor on par because the higher doctorate graduates who have passed two doctorate studies (doing doctoral thesis twice), but they may not have experiences of multiple years of teaching and research at universities and have not integrated into the home and international scientific community. Therefore, the first proposal mentioned above is completely grounded so that scientists, especially in the field of socio-economics, after having a doctorate degree, can focus wholeheartedly on scientific research and applied research projects and improve the publishing efficiency of international publications of their own and of the institutions where they are working. Given the scientific and technical strengths of Polish technology universities, the second proposal is also perfectly reasonable. A higher doctorate is to be maintained but should be optional. As scientists, they can choose to pursue or not to pursue this degree as long as they can maximize their potential. More importantly, the comparison of scientists should not be based on the criteria of
whether they have or not have a higher doctorate but based on experience, personal reputation, and the influence of the research works that scientists have accumulated over the years.
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CKNOWLEDGMENTThe authors received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
