“I wish you to immerse in education and have only very rare moments of uncertainty,” Prof. Jolanta Choińska-Mika, University of Warsaw Vice-Rector for students and education quality and the first SE Director said to the students who were enrolled for the this-year’s course. “I believe, School of Education is an institution that will pave the way to the future and give the response to the need of change and innovative solutions that is felt in many environments. I know that by participating in establishing the School I took part in a project that has introduced the real change in Polish education. Although each year our students are different, we can see that School of Education was a good idea,” Prof. Choińska-Mika emphasized.

Next speaker was the Polish-American Freedom Foundation Program Director Marianna Hajdukiewicz, who noted that School of Education is very important for the organization she represents. “Our main objectives are to change local communities, improve education quality and equal education opportunities. Therefore, I wish you a unique educational adventure. Take from it as much as you can.” 

In her address welcoming new students, President of the Foundation for Quality Education Magdalena Radwan-Röhrenschef expressed her belief that SE will play a significant role in shaping education in the future.

The last speaker at the inauguration ceremony was Prof. Jolanta Sujecka-Zając, the Director of School of Education. She noted that the essence of education is to investigate in learning and teaching, and search continuously for best answers. “We want to teach you not the teaching profession but how to be a teacher. Our response to Polish school problems is – teach with a passion and teach the passion,” Prof. Sujecka-Zając added.

The academic year inauguration ceremony was a part of annual Summer School for students and the staff. This year it was held in Serock. For the first time, SE students are not only future Polish and mathematics teachers but also those who will teach biology.

The Polish-American Freedom Foundation and University of Warsaw School of Education is the first post-graduate full-time course that combines theory and practical classes. The study program was prepared in cooperation with Columbia University Teachers College in New York. After a year-long course the graduates receive teacher certificates. So far 42 people have graduated from SE, and the School accepted 27 students for 2018/19 academic year.