University of Warsaw

Overview

The University of Warsaw is the biggest university in Poland and one of the country’s leading institutions for higher education. It is known for its prestige, research impact, strong academic programs, and high employability rate of graduates. Given its high research activity, Warsaw is a member of the European University Association and the 4EU+ Alliance, composed of some of the top public research universities in Europe.
The institution is organized into 24 faculties spanning a broad range of fields, including Liberal Arts, Journalism, Biology, Physics, and Mathematics. It offers more than 100 undergraduate and postgraduate programs, 22 double degree courses, and 27 programs taught in English. Some of the university’s most highly regarded subjects are Physics, Mathematics, Archaeology, Philosophy, Modern Languages, Arts and Humanities, and Natural Sciences.
Research at the University of Warsaw is conducted in its faculties and more than 30 units spanning a wide spectrum of disciplines. High priority studies are concentrated on five specific themes: humanities, global challenges, big data, environmental studies, and scientific and technological innovations for economic growth. Participating in over 1,400 funded projects and receiving more than 1,600 grants, the university’s research team has made contributions to numerous fields locally and internationally.
The university is composed of two campuses and houses around 126 buildings characterized by 17th-century and contemporary architecture and a botanical garden with four sections. Its central library maintains over three million volumes while its Natural Science Campus is equipped with cutting-edge laboratories, among many other study environments. Students get to enjoy a plethora of historic structures such as the Main Gate, the Old Library, and the Kazimierz Palace, the university’s oldest building.
The University of Warsaw was developed because people in Warsaw did not have access to a university in the early 1800s, with the Vilnius University belonging to Russia and the University of Krakow incorporated into the Habsburg Empire at the time. It was not until 1816 that the Russian emperor Alexander I allowed Congress Poland to build a university that taught Philosophy, Medicine, Theology, Law, and Arts and Humanities.
By 2020, the university has opened its doors to more than 44,400 undergraduates, 3,000 postgraduates, 3,200 doctorate students, and 7,500 employees. It has partnered with more than 1,000 foreign organizations and is aligned with around 100 international networks. The university also participated in the European Union’s Erasmus program to further its drive for internationalization.
The institution has produced six Nobel laureates and decorated personalities from various fields. Its notable alumni include Frédéric Chopin (pianist), Bronisław Komorowski (Polish president), Adam Michnik (historian), Olga Tokarczuk (writer), Tadeusz Mazowiecki (writer), and Zygmunt Bauman (sociologist).
Moving forward into the future, the University of Warsaw aims to maintain the rationale behind its founding, which is to cultivate the knowledge and skills of learners and then transfer them to real-world scenarios. It also synthesizes local and global values to promote inclusivity and ethical practices.