Poland attracting more foreign students

Doctoral students at the University of Zielona Gora, a member of the European University Association: photo - PAP/Lech Muszynski

At present, over 24,000 foreign students are enrolled in Polish institutions of higher education, taking in citizens of 141 countries.

Figures for 2012 marked an increase of 4000, taking the proportion of international students to 1.39 percent.

However, in this respect, Poland even lags behind newer members of the EU such as Romania and Bulgaria.

At present, citizens from two countries outside the EU – Ukraine and Belarus – make up the largest groups of foreign students in Poland.

Currently there are 6321 students from Ukraine enrolled at Polish institutions of higher education, and 2937 from Belarus.

The increase in Ukrainian students is especially notable - since the academic year of 2005/6 the number has more than tripled.

This rise is largely due to the fact that the Conference of Rectors of Academic Schools in Poland (KRASP), prioritised attracting Ukrainian students to Poland.

Meanwhile, the number of Asian students continues to fall.

At present 565 Chinese study are studying in Poland, 533 Taiwanese, 215 Indians and 197 Vietnamese.

Last December, President of Poland Bronislaw Komorowski invited Chinese students to enroll at Polish universities, while he was on an official trip to China to promote economic and cultural ties.

The most international field of study in Poland is Medicine, in which every twelfth student is a foreign citizen. (nh)