APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA-RDP01-00707R000200070028-8
higher educational institutions have been pressured into expanding their technical educational facilities. Polytechnical universities are being strengthened and new engineering faculties are being added to schools. Some of the technical faculties in universities have been transferred to higher technical schools, leaving only faculties concerned with science and the humanities. The shortage of qualified teachers at all levels is a serious problem. The radio of enrolled students to faculty members at polytechnical universities and specialized engineering schools is much lower than the ratios at various state universities. High school science teaching is very poor. The government has tried without much success to increase the number of science teachers by establishing scholarship funds.
Postgraduate scientific education is available at many of the universities, technical universities, and institutes of the PAN; masters and doctoral degrees are offered. Doctoral degrees in the scientific field are awarded to persons who have completed studies at a higher educational institution, achieved the title of master, master of engineering, physician or equivalent, and shown ability for scientific research work; succeeded in passing the prescribed doctoral examinations; and submitted a doctoral thesis. The titles of extraordinary professor and ordinary professor in the field of science are awarded by the Council of State to persons who, having previously received a doctoral degree in science, have made substantial contributions in scientific research or education. At the end of 1967, about 45,000 persons with a higher education as scientists and engineers were employed by research and development institutions in Poland. Of these 5,300 held doctoral degrees, 904 had the title of professor, and 3,678 held senior scientist positions. In 1967, 302 doctors' degrees were awarded in natural and exact sciences and 465 doctors' degrees in engineering and technology. It has been estimated that between 1971-75, there will be 4,600 doctoral degrees granted in mathematical, physical, chemical, and other natural sciences, and about 4,300 doctoral degrees for the technical sciences. Powers for awarding doctoral degrees were vested in 248 institutional units in 1969; this number included 189 faculties and institutes in the schools of higher education, 29 institutes and research centers of the PAN, and 30 research institutes of the ministries. In January 1969, approximately 1,350 research workers had been admitted to doctoral studies; 36% of them were registered with the ministerial research institutes.
The PAN and formerly the KNiT have been responsible for forecasting manpower needs and developing plans to secure an adequate supply of qualified scientific and technical personnel. A commission including the above organizations and the Ministry of Science, Higher Education and Technology works on scientific personnel development plans extending to 1985. The previous shortage of qualified scientists and technicians has become less acute, and the major research centers and installations are well staffed. Industrial enterprises apparently are unable to absorb a large number of the students with advanced training in science and technology. Most of these graduates take jobs in governmental research institutes or in higher educational institutions.
The quality of Polish scientific and technical manpower is variable. During the years 1949-54, the technical universities concentrated efforts on the mass training of specialists in narrow fields in order to fill the shortage of qualified personnel. As a result, many unqualified personnel, particularly in engineering and medicine, were produced. In subsequent years there was a return to the philosophy of a thorough basic education at the expense of specialization, with a consequent improvement in the quality of scientists and engineers.
According to recent statistics, there were about 6,050 chemists with university degrees and about 6,300 qualified chemical engineers in 1970. About one-half of the chemists and one-third of the chemical engineers are women. A concerted effort is underway to encourage students to study chemistry and related subjects, but in 1971 the number of students studying mathematics and physics unaccountably increased while there was a decrease in chemistry students.
Polish scientists are poorly paid; consequently, many hold more than one position. For instance, some salaried workers of PAN institutes also are employed by universities or higher technical schools. The government is attempting to limit scientists to one position by increasing their salaries.
The Polish Government realizes that much of the country's progress in research and development is impeded because of inefficient use of qualified manpower and the fact that Poland lacks modern and advanced facilities for conducting the needed research. The main contributing factor has been the low level of foreign exchange earnings which ha prevented the government from buying better equipment abroad. During the past 25 years, research centers have increased their apparatus, facilities, and machinery necessary to carry on their short- and long-range programs; however, much of the equipment is either improvised or poorly made. Most of the best
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APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA-RDP01-00707R000200070028-8
