Higher School of Economy and Innovation in Lublin [WSEI] was established in 2000. It is registered at the registry of higher schools kept by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education at number 57. During its 9 years of existence, WSEI became a fully professional university, providing education at eight courses of studies, including, as the only school in the region, four Master level studies (Psychology, Economics, Pedagogy, Administration).
The School was founded by the Polish Foundation Opportunities Industrialization Centers “OIC Poland”, the biggest educational non-governmental organisation in the Eastern Poland.
WSEI is not a commercial university, its activity is based on statutory aims of the Foundation. The School is very active, friendly and open, what makes it unique and one of its kind university in the region. The School stands out from other universities as far as the approach to the students, understanding their needs and assistance in their comprehensive development is concerned.
The School provides education at 5-year Master’s studies and 2-year complementary Master’s studies, as well as I stage studies: 3-year Baccalaureate studies and 3.5-year Engineer studies. Currently there are over 9 thousand students at Master’s, Baccalaureate and Engineer studies, both full and part-time, as well as at post-graduate studies. The School is entitled to run study courses in the following majors: Psychology (uniform Master’s studies), Economics (complementary Master’s studies and Baccalaureate studies), Administration (complementary Master’s studies and Baccalaureate studies), Pedagogy (complementary Master’s studies and Baccalaureate studies), International relations (Baccalaureate studies), Nursing (Baccalaureate studies), Transportation (Engineer studies) and Information Technology (Engineer studies).
The most important task of the university is supporting the students’ development and preparation of future graduates for the important and responsible task of fulfilling public and professional roles. High level of the provided knowledge, professionalism and diligence of the teaching personnel, attractive educational curricula, realised based on modern methods and teaching techniques serve to achieve this aim. Educational offer is constantly adapted to the requirements of the Polish and European labour market. Educational personnel consists of over 400 outstanding, highly-qualified scientific and educational workers. Currently the School employs 105 academic teachers, including 52 independent scientific workers, on the basis of employment agreement, for whom the School is their basic place of employment. High-class specialists, every-day participants of the market, are employed as trainers. Such an excellent team guarantees very high substantial level of the studies, including staying up to date with the social-economic life of the region, Poland, Europe and of the global market, which is very rare among universities.
Talent development, creativeness support and students’ resourcefulness are very important for the School, as it teaches its students independence in business undertakings and making strategic decisions in a company. In the course of the studies one may obtain additional certificates and licences, i.e. City & Guilds Certificate, Certificate of an Auditor/Internal Inspector, Certificate of a Manager / Quality Proxy of TÜV Nord Akademie, Managerial Diploma of the completed course of study, Certificate of Real Estate Management / Project Management of Europälische Akademie für Fühnungskräfte.
In the opinion of independent institutions, which analyse the quality of education in higher education, WSEI is unrivalled among non-public higher schools in the region. The School was rated at the highest level among non-public higher schools offering education at Master level in the Eastern Poland, in the “Wiarygodna Szkoła” ranking of higher schools, announced by the Academic Information Centre in Poznań in May 2009. The number of points received in individual categories of the ranking confirms the strong position of WSEI among the best universities in Poland. WSEI came third in the country in the “Publications and research projects” category, second in the “International Research Projects” category, ninth in the “Friendly studying” category, second in the “Assistance to the disabled students” category. WSEI came first in Poland in the category “Facilitating finding a job”. The Report of the Educational Magazine “Perspektywy” regarding higher vocational education (June 2008) indicates that students of WSEI and candidates for the studies trust us. As far as the number of students is concerned, WSEI is 10th in Poland, whereas as far as the recruitment for the academic year 2007/2008 it is fifth in the country. The School came first in the “Regionalna Liga Szkół Wyższych” [Regional League of Higher Schools] ranking in the Lubelskie Voivodship, compiled by the Magazine “Education Word”. In the ranking of “Perspektywy” and “Rzeczpospolita”, published in May 2009, which consists of 100 of the best non-public universities, WSEI was ranked the highest among the universities of the Southern-Eastern Poland.
Higher School of Economics and Innovation in Lublin was awarded the certificate “WIARYGODNA SZKOŁA” five years ago.
School has
canteen
e-learning
facilities for the handicapped
gym
library
| Number of students | Number of courses |
| 9 000 | 8 |
Student programs
Extensive system of financial assistance is in use in the Higher School of Economics and Innovation. It covers inter alia:
Maintenance grants
The school receives grants from the Ministry of Sciences and Higher Education for maintenance grants for the students of full and part time studies. In the academic year 2008/2009 1045 were awarded the grants, including 853 I stage students and 192 II stage students.
Scholarships
In the current academic year, students, whose average mark is over 4.30 at Economics and Administration (I stage), 4.10 at Transportation and Information Technology and 4.55 at Pedagogy and Administration (I stage) have the opportunity to receive a scholarship from the Ministry of Sciences and Higher Education. Scholarships were awarded to 546 students in the academic year 2008/2009, including 546 students of II stage studies and 195 students of II stage studies.
Special grants
Students with determined degree of disability receive special grants. In the academic year 2008/2009 143 made use of this form of financial support, including 112 students of I stage studies and 31 students of II stage studies.
Sponsored scholarships:
- Scholarship Fund of “OIC Poland” Foundation – maintenance grants
- Educational Entrepreneurship Foundation in Łódź – scholarships
Sport scholarships:
Students, who achieve outstanding results in sports are awarded sport scholarships. In the academic year 2008/2009 there are 3 such students.
Awards for students:
Each year the Authorities of WSEI choose the most talented students for the Poland-wide competition PRIMUS INTER PARES, organised by the Polish Students’ Association. The candidate must not only achieve excellent marks, but also must be active as far as social issues, sports and other sills are concerned.
The laureates may count on valuable prizes. The winner of the final stage more than once received a car.
The best student of WSEI qualified to the regional stage is awarded a financial prize by the Chancellor of the School.
Awards for graduates:
For the most talented graduates, the Authorities of the School provide high value prizes in kind and in money.
Benefits for students:
- Maintenance assistance in the case of an accident in the form of one-off financial aid
- Payment of the tuition fees in convenient instalments
- WSEI students may work for the benefit of the School, engaging themselves in recruitment, promotion and other activities in return for a discount in the tuition fee. About 20 students a year uses this opportunity.
International programmes:
- “Our first steps in EU” – vocational practices in German companies for the students of Higher Schools of Economics and Innovation in Lublin within Leonardo da Vinci programme
- “Mobility” within the Erasmus 2007/2008 programme
- “Exchange of experience” within VETPRO – Adult education – Leonardo da Vinci
- “Mobility” within the Scholarship and Educational Fund 2008/2009 programme
- Uniwersytet Jagielloński
- “Mobility” within Adult education programme – ERASMUS 20009/2010
- “More competent – Promotion of entrepreneurship among young people” within VETPRO programme – Adult education – Leonardo da Vinci
- “Cudze chwalicie, swego nie znacie – promotion of the achievements of Polish sciences” within the POKL 4.2 programme
Scientific students’ organizations:
The whole student community has the opportunity of common discussions and giving opinions on the subject of the School due to the “Forum of WSEI students” created by the IT Student Association. It has been re-established recently. Thanks to their membership in the association, students develop their skills within computer systems and may receive answers to the most difficult questions regarding IT.
The oldest student association active at the School is the Economic-IT AIM Scientific Association. It was established in 2005 and its main aim is to support student scientific development. The Association runs workshops and thematic seminaries.
Students of Transportation, Administration and Pedagogy have their own Associations. Student Logistics Association is aimed at broadening the knowledge of transportation students by widely-perceived praxis. They participate in scientific-technological conferences, in trade fairs and exhibitions of the transportation and logistics industry. The Pedagogy Faculty has two associations: “Young Teachers’ Association” actively participates in scientific research and in charity actions organised by the Student Government. “Grupa mocarna” Environment Organizer Student Association is working for the benefit of student circles, including the disabled.
The most recently established association is “Tourist Association”, founded in January 2009. It is aimed at developing students’ hobbies, organizing trips and promote active past-times.
In the near future an artistic association and a photographic association are to be established. It is also possible to create new associations, in accordance with the needs and initiative of the students.
WSEI Career Centre enjoys a lot of interest from the students, who turn to the Centre in order to receive advice on writing application documents or preparation to job interviews.
Psychologists, who work at the Psychological Centre of Diagnosis and Therapy of the OIC Poland Foundation, ensure professional assistance in making vocational decisions.
In the Centre, apart from the regular worker, there are a lot of volunteer workers – students of WSEI. Career Centre’s activities cover a few areas and directions. Our customers are not only students, but also employers, with whom WSEI and the Foundation cooperates. The Centre is a kind of a link between the School and the widely-understood labour market.
The Centre conducts the following activities, too:
- Cooperation with the Job Centres from the Lubelskie Voivodship
- Joint projects realised with the Student Government of WSEI, Project and International Cooperation Centre and Academic Entrepreneurship Incubator
Within its activities, Career Centre supervises and ensures student practice, which is required for the diploma. A dozen or so students had the opportunity to realise their student practice at the Higher School of Economics and Innovation. The most talented students were employed at the School.
Academic Entrepreneurship Incubator began its activities in September 2007. The basic aim of the Incubator is to help young entrepreneurs to set up their own business and support their activities as far as the widely-understood entrepreneurship is concerned. The Incubator allows for complementing theoretical knowledge with the practical applications. It helps young entrepreneurs prepare for independent functioning by providing servicing, training and scientific activities.
AIP WSEI inspires the cooperation of the scientific and economic circles, encourages students to began their activity in the course of the studies, not after graduation.
The scope of AIP WSEI covers:
- Data bank of AIP
- Organisation of practice and scholarships in cooperation with the WSEI Career Centre
- Support as far as entrepreneurship and company establishment are concerned
