Programme ZIP UW

The University’s Integrated Development Programme (ZIP) is a comprehensive project focused on improving the quality and effectiveness of education in Bachelor, Master and Doctoral programmes, as well as supporting adaptation of the University’s offer to the needs of the economy, labour market and the society.

The main aim of the programme is to contribute to the implementation of permanent changes in the functioning of the University of Warsaw, adapted to the needs of the academic community and taking into account the current socio-economic challenges.

It has started on April 1, 2018 and will last until March 31, 2022.

The main objectives of the project are:

• Strengthening the mechanism of adaptation of Masters programmes to socio-economic needs and launching a new or redesigned Master programmes in Polish and English, enriched with new didactic elements

• Improving the quality of language education, increasing the number of fields of study taught in English and launching additional forms of education, e.g. interdisciplinary or specialized summer schools in foreign languages

• Increasing students’ competences matching the needs of the economy, labour market and the society, especially in the areas of analytical, IT, communication, interpersonal, entrepreneurial, language and professional competences

• Increasing international mobility of PhD students, strengthening their practical skills and scientific competences, as well as scientific contacts for developing international and interdisciplinary research projects

• Support for organisational changes and development of university management IT tools, especially in the field of education

• Increasing the competences of university’s staff and support the implementation of the human resources development strategy

Significant liabilities towards financing institutions (main indicators, key terms):

Main activities within 5 modules in the programme:

1. Educational programmes module (for students)

• 20 new or redesigned Master's degree programmes
• 12 summer schools
• 33-80 classes conducted by visiting lecturers from abroad

2. Educational programmes module (for PhD students)

• 1 PhD students' interdisciplinary education programme
• 51 scholarships for 2 years
• 360 foreign internships
• additional classes focused on practical skills and scientific competences
• 15 summer schools

3. Entrepreneurship competence module (for students)

• Cross-university entrepreneurship education programme
• IT tool for the management of education offer in the field of entrepreneurship and competence measurement
• Additional classes to develop practical skills, especially analytical, IT, communication, interpersonal, entrepreneurial, language and professional competences
• Recommendations on teaching academic staff in entrepreneurship

4. Human resources module (for staff)

• Academia of management leaders
• Language courses for management and administrative staff
• Workshops on professional and management for administrative staff
• Pilot programme of feedback and development of employee competences
• Didactic workshops and training for teaching staff
• 8 subprojects of self-improvement of teaching staff
• Postgradute studies for university staff
• IT tool for the staff training management

5. Analitic module

• Analytical reports
• Diagnosis of the actual needs of the academic community
• Data review in information systems - management of the education process
• IT tool for support decision making process regarding education

Main results:

• Increased competences of students and PhD students
• Increased competences of teaching, management and administrative staff
• Development and implementation new mechanisms to improve the quality of education in master's degree studies and to enrich the offer of first and second cycle studies, as well as doctoral education programmes with new didactic elements (e.g. recommendations for designing master’s programs for the University Council of Education)
• Development and introduction new models of entrepreneurial education, adapted to the needs of the socio-economic environment (e.g. entrepreneurial education offer available on the one online platform)
• Development of forms of professional support for employees and human resources management tools (including IT tool)
• Development and implementation IT tools to support of the management based on data in the area of education

Main activities for the sustainability of results:

• The development of platforms for the exchange of knowledge and experiences in the field of design and conduct of studies and new teaching methods and techniques
• Strengthening the entrepreneurship education team and its organizational structures for further mainstream of models of entrepreneurial education in the relation with the socio-economic environment
• Strengthening of the human resources unit for further development of human resources strategy and increasing the competences of university staff in order to adapt them to current needs.
• Providing conditions for maintaining IT tools and user support after the end of the project (including the service team)

Beneficiaries

The programme includes activities targeted at all groups of the academic community:

• students
• PhD students
• scientific and teaching employees
• management and administration staff

UW units implementing the program

There are 28 UW units involved in the implementation of the program, including:

• 21 faculties and didactic/research units implementing didactic initiatives
• 8 administration office implementing cross-university initiatives

Management and administration of the program

Office for University’s Integrated Development Programme is coordinating of the programme’s implementation, based on the close cooperation with the majority of UW administration offices.

The budget of the project: PLN 39 393 989.40

European Funds contribution: PLN 38 198 898.40

The programme ZIP is co-financed by the European Union within the European Social Fund, under the Operational Program Knowledge Education Development for 2014-2020. It is implemented on the basis of an agreement between the University of Warsaw and The National Center for Research and Development, an implementing agency of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education.

Links with other University’s strategic development programs:

The multiannual development plan “University of Warsaw 2016-2025.”

• To enhance the potential of the humanities and social sciences and to integrate them into innovative experimental programmes
• Strengthen the international position of the university and increase its role in fostering social and economic transformations.

4EU+ Alliance & European University

• Platforms for the exchange of knowledge and experiences in the field of design and conduct of studies and new teaching methods and techniques

Excellence Initiative

• Workshops and trainings for university staff
• Development of IT tools
• International internships for PhD students
• Summer schools