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MISSION OF THE FACULTY OF BIOLOGY, UNIVERSITY OF WARSAW

The Faculty of Biology UW is part of an institution that, in 2019, achieved the status of an Initiative of Excellence – Research University and is a member of the 4EU+ Alliance. Due to its high-quality publications, extensive network of international and national contacts, and active participation in research programs, the Faculty of Biology UW is recognized in the field of biological sciences both in Europe and globally. With its flexible, diverse, high-quality, and student-friendly educational offer, the Faculty of Biology UW is regarded as an excellent place of study, and its graduates are well-prepared to thrive in the competitive job market. The Faculty’s outreach activities positively impact the public perception of science and raise environmental awareness.

MISSION OF THE FACULTY OF BIOLOGY, UNIVERSITY OF WARSAW

The Faculty of Biology conducts research across a wide range of contemporary biological fields, biotechnology, ecology, and environmental protection. It participates in the creation of global scientific achievements and addresses current civilization challenges, such as the climate crisis. The Faculty employs the latest research methods and approaches, focusing on the continuous development of its staff. The Faculty of Biology spends public funds, obtained through subsidies and grants, in a transparent, justified manner, bringing both scientific and educational benefits. Students at all levels have access to the latest knowledge and participate in research activities, acquiring skills that ensure they are highly qualified professionals. The Faculty fosters and shapes the civic and ethical attitudes of students, teaching them how to conduct science responsibly and understand the importance of the natural environment in the functioning of modern global society.

The Faculty of Biology is part of the University of Warsaw and strives to achieve common and universal scientific and educational goals, as well as optimize university management. The Faculty’s community disseminates and popularizes knowledge about nature and its achievements both within Poland and abroad, offering a diverse range of activities and forms of outreach. The Faculty of Biology also cares for its history, protects, catalogs, and makes its museum collections accessible.

DIAGNOSIS OF THE FACULTY’S CONDITION

  1. Fixed Assets
    The Faculty of Biology UW manages the building at 1 Miecznikowa St, with some departments located in the Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics (IBB) building and in the Biological and Chemical Research Centre (CNBCh) building. The Faculty of Biology includes the Botanical Garden and three field stations located in Białowieża, Pilchy, and Urwitałt.
    The Faculty of Biology has accumulated movable assets over the years, including laboratory equipment, research apparatus, and bibliographic and museum collections. The acquisition of these assets was mostly financed through research projects obtained by the Faculty’s staff.
  2. Human Resources
    In 2019, the Faculty of Biology employed 209 academic staff members, including 161 research and teaching staff. Additionally, 160 non-teaching staff were employed, including 37 in the Faculty’s administration and 26 in support roles. 46 positions were funded from sources other than subsidies. The employees of the Botanical Garden are paid from a personal payroll fund, independent of the subsidy for the Faculty of Biology.
  3. Scientific Output
    Between 2016 and 2019, the staff and students of the Faculty of Biology published over 800 scientific papers in journals. During the same period, the Faculty’s staff obtained funding and signed contracts for the implementation of 102 research projects, totaling PLN 79,320,065.
  4. Teaching Achievements
    In 2019, the Faculty of Biology had 579 students enrolled in full-time programs (Bachelor’s and Master’s levels), including 198 in Biology, 322 in Biotechnology, and 59 in Environmental Protection. There were 121 students enrolled in the doctoral programs, receiving scholarships from the Faculty of Biology or research and educational projects. Currently, the Faculty’s doctoral students are part of the Doctoral School of Exact and Natural Sciences at the University of Warsaw. The Faculty of Biology holds the current institutional accreditation from the Polish Accreditation Committee for Higher Education. Numerous student scientific societies are active at the Faculty, gathering students from all programs. These societies organize national and international student scientific conferences (e.g., Faces of Neuroscience, Symbiosis, Biofusions) and publish the popular science journal Faces of Neuroscience.
  5. Political-Legal, Economic, Social, and Technological Environment
    The Faculty of Biology is part of the University of Warsaw, thus subject to all regulations of the Senate, the Rector, and, more broadly, the laws passed by the Polish Parliament concerning higher education and science. In areas requiring specific regulation, the Faculty of Biology follows the regulations of the University of Warsaw and resolutions from the Faculty Council and Discipline Council, as well as decisions made by the Dean. All documents related to the Faculty are available on the Faculty’s intranet and can be accessed by both staff and students.
    The Faculty of Biology is located in the Ochota Campus, one of the largest centers for mathematical and natural sciences in Poland. This provides access to the latest scientific equipment and facilitates interdisciplinary research.
  6. SWOT Analysis

Key Strengths and Weaknesses:

Key Strengths:
Strong scientific achievements. High success rate in securing funding for research projects and educational initiatives. Excellent research equipment and facilities. Flexible, student-centered, and modern study programs. Effective internal quality assurance system for education. Collaboration with external stakeholders in developing study programs. High student satisfaction with courses and instructors. Developed system for optimal use of space. High engagement in science popularization by both staff and students. Active Career Office offering support to students.

Key Weaknesses:
Too high a number of non-academic staff compared to academic staff. Low participation in internationally funded projects. Insufficient offering of courses in English.

Key Opportunities and Threats:

Opportunities:
Achieving the status of Initiative of Excellence – Research University by the University of Warsaw. Participation of the University of Warsaw in the 4EU+ alliance. European Union funding for research. Emergence of new funding sources from the State and other institutions for young researchers. Application-based projects focused on knowledge transfer. Growing demand from young people and their potential employers for education at top universities. Increasing interest in science popularization activities. Need for interdisciplinary natural science studies. Student mobility between faculties, universities, and countries.

Threats:
Low state funding for education and research with no declaration of increase. Increased reporting requirements for higher authorities (Ministry of Science and Higher Education), which do not translate into effective use of the information obtained for financing science. Non-competitive salaries at university departments. Declining birth rates leading to a smaller student population. Increasing formal and legal requirements from the State regarding the conduct of education. Insufficient support from the University of Warsaw in managing and meeting the reporting requirements of POLON and PBN databases. Declining number of students.

STRATEGIC GOALS

Education

Strategic Goal: Maintain high-quality teaching and foster the creative development of teaching methods.

Specific Goals:

  1. Individualize the teaching process and support the master-apprentice model.
  2. Maintain the proper balance between practical and theoretical courses.
  3. Implement teaching innovations, including interdisciplinary approaches, without disrupting established standards.
  4. Foster ethical attitudes among students and doctoral candidates.
  5. Implement activities that increase student engagement and uncover their creative potential.
  6. Thoughtfully align teaching with the needs of modern science and technology, in collaboration with external stakeholders in shaping the curriculum.
  7. Intensify activities related to the popularization of science, including ecological education for society.

Research

Strategic Goal: Enhance the Faculty’s reputation as a center for creative, modern, and globally visible scientific research.

Specific Goals:

  1. Create organizational conditions that encourage faculty members, doctoral candidates, and students to pursue ambitious research objectives.
  2. Intensify interdisciplinary research.
  3. Strengthen international cooperation.
  4. Increase research funding from external, national, and international sources.
  5. Sensible support the implementation of scientific innovations and services, and the transfer of knowledge and modern technologies to the economy.

Management

Strategic Goal: Increase the organizational efficiency of the Faculty of Biology, enabling the achievement of educational and scientific objectives.

Specific Goals:

  1. Develop an employment structure that ensures the fulfillment of the Faculty of Biology’s mission.
  2. Actively participate in the management of the University, and develop the optimal organizational model for the institution.
  3. Support the development of the Faculty’s budget structure, while ensuring the financial balance of the unit.

Warsaw, 2019
Dean Prof. Agnieszka Mostowska