The University of the Commission of National Education in Krakow is the oldest and highest ranked pedagogical university in Poland, is well established in the European Higher Education Area and has extensive cooperation with universities from all over the world.
An organised form of doctoral education at UKEN was launched in 1963. In 2019, the Doctoral School was established following a major revision of the Polish law on higher education. It offers training in general academic and social skills, discipline-specific training and interdisciplinary elective courses. The School also provides funding for research and opportunities for academic exchange and other scholarly activities. The School currently provides doctoral training in 19 disciplines. The School is authorised to award doctoral degrees in each of these disciplines.
Doctoral education at UKEN is taught by highly qualified academic staff. Each lecturer must demonstrate significant experience in the subject they teach, as well as a substantial research dossier in the discipline, including international achievements. As a rule, classes at the Doctoral School are taught in Polish or English (or both). If the course is mainly taught in Polish, the lecturer must submit a written statement explaining how the skills and knowledge will be transferred to the foreign students and how the verification of the learning outcomes will take place. Supervisors are appointed strictly on the basis of their research competence and experience in the field to which the doctoral student’s project relates. If necessary, a second supervisor may be appointed from another Polish or foreign university.