About University

History of the University of Social Sciences (SAN)

The University of Social Sciences was established in 1994. Until the end of 2011, it operated under the name Social College of Entrepreneurship and Management (Społeczna Wyższa Szkoła Przedsiębiorczości i Zarządzania); however, the obtaining of an entitlement to confer doctoral degrees resulted in the Institution being granted the right to include the word 'Academy' in its name by a decision of the Minister of Science and Higher Education. The new name of the Institution is intended to maintain continuity while covering a broad spectrum of fields in which education is provided. The University of Social Sciences is a nationwide higher education institution. It offers first-cycle and long-cycle studies, doctoral seminars, non-academic post-diploma studies and MBA programmes. Classes are held in full-time, part-time and ONLINE systems. In total, the University offers education in 25 fields of study. The offer is supplemented by numerous courses and workshops, as well as a wide range of student internships carried out by the Academic Career Office with a view to students' future. The University of Social Sciences has gained its prominent position on the market through the high dynamics of its development along with the high academic and didactic qualifications of its staff. The University employs more than 500 academic teachers. Some of them hold the title of professor and have a well established position in the scientific community. The professional scientific and teaching staff come from well-known universities, both Polish and foreign. There are also many practitioners working with the Academy who conduct workshops and laboratories to prepare students for practical tasks in their future careers. The University of Social Sciences, by adapting its educational offer to changing conditions, has not only been recognised by students, but has also earned many honours and awards.

Mission and Development Strategy of the University of Social Sciences in Łódź for 2023-2030

Since its foundation, the University of Social Sciences has aspired to be an institution open to new scientific and educational challenges, promoting the idea of modern teaching while respecting centuries of academic tradition, educating students in accordance with the needs of the regional, national and global labour markets. The idea (which is still relevant today) of the Bologna Process, corresponding to the Europe 2020 Strategy, i.e. a strategy for intelligent and sustainable development promoting social inclusion, is of particular importance here. In this spirit, the University equips students with knowledge, skills and social competences in line with the Polish Qualifications Framework. In pursuing a missionary educational process in the broad sense, the University strives to shape students' attitudes in the spirit of respect for human rights derived from the dignity of a human being, patriotism, sensitivity to the fate of society and individuals, respect for the country, its institutions and citizens, tolerance, as well as responsibility and reliability in performing various social roles. It educates students capable of creating new social, cultural and economic values. The present is undergoing far-reaching transformations.

The third decade of the new millennium goes down in history with changes in the perception of mankind and the surrounding reality, pandemics and aggressive wars. The ongoing spiritual evolution of a man, tremendous technical progress, the rush of life and mounting social problems force the question about the role and place of academic centres in the changing reality, under conditions of increasing globalisation and internationalisation of educational processes in Poland, Europe and the world.

The University of Social Sciences, addressing the challenges of modern times in their entirety, creates its own subjectivity and unique identity by evaluating its own mission and strategy of action and development.

The University of Social Sciences sees itself as a missionary institution that is friendly to its staff, students and alumni, as well as to its environment. Its main objective is to serve society by collecting and expanding knowledge and comprehensively educating students so that in their future personal and professional development they can meet the challenges of civilisation in the 21st century. On the basis of the aforementioned vision, the Academy creates its own unique identity and subjectivity and thus builds a mission foundation. Therefore, the University’s vision is constantly intertwined and linked with its mission.

In its mission, the University of Social Sciences strives to maintain at a high level the quality of its research and quality standards in the education of students, especially in the sphere of problem-solving and risk-taking as an added value in the professional and personal fields.

We want the University of Social Sciences, based in Łódź, to influence the development of today's modern society and economy and to be an attractive place to study, to stimulate students' creativity and entrepreneurship, a place that enables them to fulfil their aspirations.

The University strives to educate nationally and internationally competitive and socially responsible professionals capable of meeting the demands of the next decades of the 21st century, prepared to actively and creatively participate in solving social problems of significant importance and to carry out research - thus serving society and science. In its mission, the Academy aims to become a depository of knowledge and human values, as well as a kind of an incubator of skills, social competences and talents.

Vision for the University's development

The vision for the development of the University of Social Sciences, based in Łódź, concerns all aspects of its functioning and refers to its desired state for the year 2030. This means that the Academy is:

A nationally and internationally recognised and respected centre for new trends and creative scientific thought in selected scientific disciplines implementing research projects of high scientific stature;
An academic higher education institution, entitled to confer doctoral and post-doctoral degrees, developing high-level research with a strong focus on interdisciplinary research, in line with the latest trends in world science;
A centre for the promotion of culture, combining tradition with modernity, upholding academic values, free from discrimination and prejudice;
A centre meeting the challenges of the future of a changing world, operating in accordance with the principles of sustainable development, serving the local, regional, national and European community;
A centre cooperating with regional economic entities, local authorities and public institutions, determining and supporting development and culture-forming processes in Łódź and in other cities where the Academy branches are located, thus contributing to social, technological, modern business as well as safety and health care development;

A trustworthy educational centre dedicated to the highest quality at all stages of the educational process, distinguished by its rich and varied educational offer, adapted to socio-economic needs;
A kind of a business and competence incubator with an eye to the needs of the labour market, especially with regard to the self-development of professional and social skills;
A place where autonomy, diversity, openness, truth, honesty, integrity, tolerance and responsibility are brought to fruition in a synergistic way;
A centre characterised by the subjectivity of the academic community - staff, students and doctoral students, caring for working and learning conditions and the highest ethos of employer, researcher, academic teacher, student and alumnus;
A thriving higher education institution opening new fields of study in cooperation with the social and economic environment and obtaining further authorisations to confer degrees in the fields and disciplines represented at the University.

Strategic objectives for the years 2023-2030

The implementation of the mission and vision for the future of the University of Social Sciences, based in Łódź, has been based on five main strategic objectives as priorities for 2023-2030.

Strengthening the position of the University of Social Sciences, based in Łódź, as a significant scientific centre.
Raising the standards of modern and effective undergraduate, master's and doctoral education.
Strengthening and developing cooperation with the socio-economic environment.

Development of theUniversity's social capital and improvement of the management system.
Development of the internationalisation of the University.
Strengthening of the strong economic position of the University and modernisation of the scientific and teaching infrastructure.

Achieving the stated strategic objectives requires specific strategic actions and continuous monitoring of the functioning of the various areas of the University's activities. The action areas for the adopted strategic objectives include:

Area 1 on Strengthening the University's position as a leading scientific centre

The strategic action area for strengthening the Academy's position as a leading scientific centre by 2030 includes the following tasks:

redefining the key research areas of the University and implementing a system of financial and organisational support for the development of research in these areas, and in particular stimulating the development processes of the University's hitherto existing research departments focusing on social sciences, humanities, medical and health sciences as well as engineering and technology;
developing research with high cultural and implementation potential to support the sustainable development of the economy;
assimilating the results of global research, popularising science and spreading awareness of its importance to the knowledge society;
developing the potential of research staff, including:
- implementing an employment policy favouring the recruitment of researchers and young research and teaching staff with high development potential;
- developing incentive systems for scientific as well as research and teaching staff in order to increase application efficiency and staff participation in the conduct of externally funded individual and team development research;
- strengthening activities leading to an increase in the number of academic degrees awarded to academic staff (doctoral and post-doctoral degrees) and, in particular, designing a development path for research and teaching staff;
increasing the number of research projects carried out jointly with national and foreign academic and research centres, as well as increasing the visibility of the Academy's research in the national and international arena;
promoting research results, including their publication in renowned scientific journals and raising the profile of the journals and publishing series of the Social Academy of Sciences Publishing House;
enhancing the expert role of the Academy through the creation and promotion of expert advisory services;
expanding and strengthening the Library's position and role as a centre of scientific knowledge and information.

Area 2 on Raising the standards of education at particular levels of the Polish Qualifications Framework for higher education

The strategic action area on raising the standards of education includes tasks relating to the full spectrum of educational activities and all elements of the educational process. Those include:

focusing on the student in education quality policy;
modelling a diverse educational offer encompassing all forms of education and learning, in line with the expectations of the socio-economic environment, including the search for new areas of education in order to strengthen the Academy's competitive edge in the educational market and support development and culture-forming processes in the region and the country, in line with the idea of sustainable development;
strengthening the academic nature of education, including practical training, among other things by improving study programmes, with particular emphasis on their interdisciplinary aspect, teaching methods and the evaluation of learning outcomes;
drawing on the extensive experience of experts from accreditation and certification bodies, including the implementation of suggestions and comments made by the Polish Accreditation Committee during accreditation visits;
increasing the flexibility of individual study programmes;
internationalising study programmes, e.g. by increasing the number of English-language courses introduced into the individual study programmes conducted in Polish;
developing and implementing a talent acquisition plan during recruitment to the Academy and implementing an academic tutoring programme for talented students and doctoral students;
developing substantive and methodological qualifications of teaching staff and developing and improving modern teaching technologies;
transferring the results of research conducted at the Academy to the student education process;
individualising students' learning paths and increasing their academic activity through, among other things:
- individual approach to each student's needs, skills, interests and expectations;
- shaping students' ability to inquire into the sources of problems and to find alternative ways of solving them;
- equipping students with the knowledge and skills to use modern information technologies that enable them to function consciously and efficiently in a complex social reality;
- creating favourable conditions for students to follow the study programme and learn independently, also to develop their own passions and interests and undertake all kinds of initiatives beyond the study programme (voluntary work, membership of student scientific associations, participation in conferences or seminars not covered by the study programme, etc.), as well as involving students and doctoral students in research and development work conducted at the Academy and organising student and doctoral conferences;
- creating conditions for students with disabilities to participate equally in the education process, including further elimination of architectural barriers, purchase of modern equipment, specialised software or scientific literature - supporting the education of people with various health impairments;
- improving the processes for planning and recording classes;
developing the offer of non-academic post-diploma studies and other forms of education resulting from social expectations in accordance with the idea of lifelong education;
making studies with a practical profile far more practical, including:
- creating mechanisms for recruiting experienced practitioners with significant standing and professional reputation to the Academy teaching staff;
- creating appropriate conditions for students to acquire the necessary practice related to their field of study and to certify their skills;
- arranging professional student internships and work placements;
- systematic monitoring of employers' expectations;
- supporting students in setting and managing their career path;
- building relationships with the Academy's alumni in order to improve the educational offer and monitor their careers.
emphasising the development of universal values, skills and social competences desirable for the labour market in all students, including:
- introducing into the curricular content of individual study programmes elements that allow for the implementation of the Academy's adopted values originating from the academic ethos, including the formation of ethical attitudes and civic engagement in students;
- developing students' skills in linking facts and critically assessing reality;
- developing students' skills in interpersonal communication and conflict management, cooperation and team leadership,
- developing students' ability to cope with stress and act under pressure;
- developing students' creativity and entrepreneurship, including the development of skills to enhance their employability in their learned profession and equipping students with the necessary professional competences, based on anticipated developments in the field and related socio-economic needs;
- promoting openness to the world, respect for others, sensitivity to culture and public discourse;
- making students aware of the need and importance of lifelong development;
fostering students' sensitivity to the environment and global sustainability issues;
increasing the effectiveness of the operation of the internal learning quality management system and strengthening the culture of quality with respect for academic values, including the pursuit of effective evaluation of teaching courses, the results of which will translate into a real improvement in the quality of teaching courses and thus the achievement of student learning outcomes;
improving methods of verifying the learning outcomes in question and raising the level of diploma theses;
improving processes for monitoring the quality of the administrative service of the teaching process;
improving the student support system by:
- shaping a friendly academic environment and creating favourable learning conditions;
- improving the system of support for students in their contacts with the socio-economic environment, including the improvement and intensification of the activities of the Student Career Office by, inter alia, increasing the number of consultations with career counsellors, the organisation of training courses and workshops enabling students to improve their skills related to entering the labour market and specialised certified qualification courses providing specialist professional qualifications;
- improving the scholarship system and developing other forms of material support for students;
- raising the level of meeting the needs of students with disabilities;
- raising the level of support for international students and, in particular, caring for students from regions affected by wars and disasters, including the provision of professional psychological support;
- supporting initiatives proposed by students.

Area 3 on Strengthening and developing cooperation with the University's socio-economic environment

developing forms of cooperation with the socio-economic environment, including giving opinions and co-designing study programmes;
ensuring that cooperation with the socio-economic environment is maintained and continuously strengthened in order to create new internships and work placements;
supporting the transfer of research results into social and economic practice, especially those implemented within research schools and research institutes, and the commercialisation of research achievements;
supporting organisations, institutions and local government bodies with expertise;
supporting the development of civic society as well as public debate and communication;
promoting a resource-efficient, greener and more competitive economy;
developing cooperation with theUniversity's alumni.

Area 4 on Developing the University's social capital and improving the management system

improving the qualifications of scientific and teaching staff;
improving external and internal communication systems;
continuous development of premises and teaching and research infrastructure;
adaptation of the management structure to the current tasks of the academy;
developing the academy as an attractive and friendly place to work and study;
supporting the Academy's alumni in upgrading their qualifications and evaluating their career and development paths;
seeking and introducing new solutions leading to the strengthening of a culture of cooperation, friendliness and trust, and adherence to ethical standards in relations with students and the University staff;
aiming to create a space for innovative and unconventional activities.

Area 5 on Developing the internationalisation of the higher education institution

using the results of research carried out worldwide and developing the University's own scientific activities in cooperation with foreign centres;
preparing Polish students to function in a global community and attracting international students from different regions of the world;
increasing the international exchange (mobility) of staff and students, thereby enabling students to gain knowledge and experience in a multicultural environment;
supporting linguistic competences of staff, increasing the number of classes delivered in English in the various Polish-language fields of study and launching degree programmes taught exclusively in foreign languages;
increasing the number of students doing part of their studies abroad and international students doing all or part of their studies at the University;
maintaining and attracting new scientific and educational partner institutions from around the world.

Area 6 on Strengthening the economic position of the University and modernising the scientific and teaching infrastructure

improving the efficiency of the management of the University's resources and the sustainability of its funding;
developing the infrastructure to support the teaching process, particularly with regard to the creation of simulation centres, the launch and refitting of laboratories and workshops.

Rankings and accreditations

Perspectives

Every year, the University of Social Sciences is ranked among the best non-public higher education institutions according to the Perspektywy Ranking. In the most recent ranking, the University became the best non-public higher education institution in Łódzkie Voivodeship, while in Warsaw it was ranked 8th. Taking 3rd place in the Publications 2022 category among all public and non-public higher education institutions in Poland is also a huge achievement.

ACQUIN international accreditation

In July 2022, the University of Social Sciences received international accreditation from the Accreditation, Certification and Quality Assurance Institute from Germany, ACQUIN, in the higher education sector. The accreditation process was carried out within the framework of the Erasmus + MentorMe Promoting Social Inclusion of people with fewer opportunities through the development of mentorships programme for HEs students and was aimed at assessing the preparation, operation and quality of education in higher education institutions, as well as the training materials prepared in the project.

Entitlement to confer post-doctoral degrees in two disciplines

As a result of the evaluation of scientific activity, for the years 2017 - 2021, the University of Social Sciences was awarded a category A in the discipline of Technical Informatics and Telecommunications and a category B+ in the discipline of Management and Quality Sciences. The entitlement to confer post-doctoral degrees has enabled the expansion of the educational offer and consolidated the high scientific standing of the University of Social Sciences. It reflects the high research and publication activity of our staff and is a recognition of the achievements of our academic community.