European, global and intercultural dimension in curriculum development

Nursery, primary and post-primary schools (except for international schools and classes) develop curricula in accordance with the core curricula established in regulations of the minister in charge of preschool and school education. The core curricula include elements which insert the European, global or intercultural dimension into general education subjects (see below).

The Act of 14 December 2016, The Law on School Education, as subsequently amended (ustawa z dnia 14 grudnia 2016 r. – Prawo oświatowe, z późn. zm.) provides for the establishment of international classes in public and non-public schools, and of non-public international schools. Curricula for international classes and schools are developed by foreign educational institutions, and a foreign language can be the language of instruction. The only exception is the teaching of the Polish language and the history and geography of Poland for pupils who are Polish nationals; such classes / subjects are taught in accordance with the Polish core curriculum and in the Polish language.

There are no national programmes, projects or initiatives fostering the teaching or learning a foreign language outside school curricula or within the framework of transnational learning mobility or partnerships.

Based on the national core curriculum, all children participating in preschool education learn a foreign language. Pupils in Grades I to III and Grades IV to VIII of the primary school learn, respectively, one or two modern foreign languages. The core curriculum includes two modern foreign languages for general and technical secondary schools, and one foreign language for stage I sectoral vocational schools. Additionally, starting at the primary school level, interested pupils can attend lessons in the language of a national or ethnic minority. 

The Law on School Education also provides for the establishment of public and non-public bilingual schools and bilingual classes in public and non-public schools. Curricula in bilingual classes and schools are based on the same core curriculum as non-bilingual classes or schools. However, bilingual schools and classes teach bilingually, in Polish and a modern foreign language, at least two types of classes / two subjects, except for the Polish language and the history and geography of Poland. At least one of the classes / subjects for bilingual teaching should be chosen from among biology, chemistry, physics, general geography, world history and mathematics.

Core curricula for preschool education and primary education

Curricular content and the knowledge and skills which should be covered by school curricula for early childhood and primary education are laid down in the Regulation of the Minister of National Education of 14 February 2017 on the core curricula for preschool education and for general education in primary schools, including for pupils with mild and severe intellectual disabilities, for general education in stage I sectoral vocational schools, general education in special schools preparing for employment, and general education in post-secondary schools, as subsequently amended (Rozporządzenie Ministra Edukacji Narodowej z dnia 14 lutego 2017 r. w sprawie podstawy programowej wychowania przedszkolnego oraz podstawy programowej kształcenia ogólnego dla szkoły podstawowej, w tym dla uczniów z niepełnosprawnością intelektualną w stopniu umiarkowanym lub znacznym, kształcenia ogólnego dla branżowej szkoły I stopnia, kształcenia ogólnego dla szkoły specjalnej przysposabiającej do pracy oraz kształcenia ogólnego dla szkoły policealnej, z późn. zm.). 

The main elements of the core curriculum content addressing the European, global or intercultural dimension are outlined below.

Preschool Education

The core curriculum states that children completing preschool education should be aware that Poland is a member state of the European Union (EU).

Primary Education (Grades I to VIII)

Curricular content and educational activities related to the European or global dimension of education are included at both stages of primary education: in Grades I to III and IV to VIII. 

Grades I to III (early school education)

Activities aim to cater to pupils’ need to learn about cultures of other nations, including EU countries, and games and customs of children in other countries, and are adjusted to their ability to perceive and understand such issues. Pupils completing this stage of education can give examples of social groups established by agreements, for example, associations of big social groups such as the EU. Pupils learn to respect customs and traditions of different social groups and nations; and present and compare customs and traditions, including, for example, those cultivated on public or religious holidays in other countries.

Grades IV to VIII 

European, global or intercultural content is included, in particular, in the core curricula for the subjects History and Civic Education. 

As part of the subject History, pupils learn, for example, about the main processes, epochs and events in the history of Europe and the world from the ancient to present times. Classes in most recent history cover, in particular, the position of Poland in the world, for example, in NATO and the EU. 

The subject Civic Education comprises 3 thematic sections addressing, among other things, the following topics: 

• Human Rights: Preamble to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; children’ rights; Convention on the Rights of the Child; aims of the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF); 

• National/ethnic communities and the homeland: various socio-cultural identities (regional, national, ethnic, state, civic, European); xenophobia, including racism, chauvinism and antisemitism, and fight against them; 

• International affairs: aims of the EU; activities of the United Nations (UN) Organisation and NATO; main benefits of Poland’s EU membership for employees and travellers; use of EU funds at the local level; selected social problems of the contemporary world, and possible ways of improving living conditions of other people in the world. 

As part of other subjects, including the Polish Language, Music and Visual Arts, pupils analyse representative examples of European and world literature from various epochs or learn about the world cultural heritage and the leading artists and their work. 

Core curricula for secondary education

General secondary school and technical secondary school

Curricular content and the knowledge and skills that school curricula should cover are laid down in the Regulation of the Minister of National Education of 30 January 2018 on the core curricula for general education in general secondary schools, technical secondary schools and stage II sectoral vocational schools, as subsequently amended (Rozporządzenie Ministra Edukacji Narodowej z dnia 30 stycznia 2018 r. w sprawie podstawy programowej kształcenia ogólnego dla liceum ogólnokształcącego, technikum oraz branżowej szkoły II stopnia, z późn. zm.). 

As a result of the school education reform initiated in 2016/2017, the core curricula that have been in place since the school year 2022/2023 vary slightly depending on whether pupils were/are enrolled in a 4-year general secondary school or a 5-year technical secondary school before or on or after 1 September 2022. The information provided below is based only on the core curricula for pupils starting general or technical secondary school on or after 1 September 2022.  

European, global or intercultural content is included, in particular, in the core curricula for the subjects History (taught at the basic and advanced levels), Citizenship Education (introduced as from the school year 2025/2026 and taught only at the basic level), and Civic Education (taught only at the advanced level). Citizenship Education is replacing the subject History and Presence (phased out since the school year 2024/2025), which covers various European or global topics from 1945 till the first two decades of the 21^st century. 

The subject History covers, for example, history of the ancient world, and history and culture of Europe from the Middle Ages till the present times. Topics from the 20^th and the 21^st century include, for example, the two World Wars and their impact; economic, social and civilisation changes and new ideologies in the 20^th century; rise and spread of totalitarianisms; decolonisation; integration and new conflicts; the world at the turn of the 20^th and 21^st centuries (social and political changes in Central and Eastern Europe; continuation of the European integration process; growing importance of China; new threats to the international order). 

The subject Citizenship Education has 2 thematic sections dedicated to European, global or intercultural topics: 

• Poland in Europe: the origins and institutions of the EU; the deepening and widening of European integration; personal development opportunities supported by EU programmes; selected EU policies; ways and means for citizens to influence EU policy; causes and consequences of ethnic and religious diversity in European societies, and various models of state diversity policy;

• The world of global interdependence: political, economic, financial, social and environmental interconnections between Poland and the rest of the world; role of NATO and the UN in ensuring security; main global issues; impact of international trade and other economic dependencies on the quality of life in various parts of the world; climate crisis; migration flows; impact of international corporations; selected international conflicts; current developments in the international arena. 

The subject Civic Education includes 4 thematic sections with European, global or intercultural content: 

• Migrations and demography in the contemporary world: key concepts related to migration, and causes and directions of migration flows in the contemporary world, with special regard to the evolving situation in Europe and the climate crisis; and global demographic trends; 

• Law: legislative systems; human rights and their link to the heritage of the Western civilisation; 

• Types of political systems in contemporary states: different political systems, with examples of selected countries; and functions of the legislative branch; 

• Cultural, political and economic changes in the world after 1989: Cold War; changes in Central and Eastern Europe after the fall of communism; countries following the communist ideology after 1989; genocide in the contemporary world; the New World Order; China’s global expansion; terrorism and the war on terrorism; hybrid war and cyberwar; and European integration; EU bodies; political groups in the European Parliament; EU revenues and expenditure, and EU funds; European climate policy and its economic and social implications. 

The core curricula for other subjects include, for example, the following elements: 

• Polish Language (basic and advanced levels): classic and contemporary literature works of European and world authors; 

• Latin and Classical Antiquity Culture (basic advanced levels): in addition to the language, elements of the history and culture of ancient Greece and Rome; 

• Philosophy (advanced level): ancient Mediterranean philosophy as a key element of European culture and identity; achievements of outstanding European philosophers since the classical antiquity period; 

• History of Arts, History of Music and History of Dance (advanced level): history of European and world art, music or dance (styles, schools and forms, artists and their works) from the antiquity period to the 21^st century; 

•  Business and Management (advanced level): search for, and analysis of economic data and forecasts for Poland and the EU and their use for informed decisions; freedom of economic activity in the EU, and economic impact of the EU internal market, including monetary integration within the eurozone. 

 Stage I sectoral vocational school

The core curriculum for general education subjects in a stage I sectoral vocational school is established by the Regulation of the Minister of National Education of 14 February 2017 on the core curricula for preschool education and for general education in primary schools, including for pupils with mild and severe intellectual disabilities, for general education in stage I sectoral vocational schools, general education in special schools preparing for employment, and general education in post-secondary schools, as subsequently amended (Rozporządzenie Ministra Edukacji Narodowej z dnia 14 lutego 2017 r. w sprawie podstawy programowej wychowania przedszkolnego oraz podstawy programowej kształcenia ogólnego dla szkoły podstawowej, w tym dla uczniów z niepełnosprawnością intelektualną w stopniu umiarkowanym lub znacznym, kształcenia ogólnego dla branżowej szkoły I stopnia, kształcenia ogólnego dla szkoły specjalnej przysposabiającej do pracy oraz kształcenia ogólnego dla szkoły policealnej, z późn. zm.)  

European, global or intercultural content is included in the core curricula for the subjects Polish Language, History and Citizenship Education. As from the school 2025/2026, Citizenship Education is gradually replacing the subject History and Presence (phased out since the year 2024/2025), which covers various European or global topics from 1945 till the first two decades of the 21^st century. 

The core curriculum for the subject Polish Language covers several items on the world literature reading list.

As part of the subject History, pupils learn about selected topics, processes and events in the history and culture of Europe and the world from the antiquity to the present times. The main topics in the history of the 20^th and the 21^st centuries include, for example, the World War I and II; Europe and the world in the era of Cold War divisions; impact of changes in Poland in 1989 on changes in Central and Eastern Europe; importance of Poland’s accession to NATO and the EU; and new threats to the international order. 

The subject Citizenship Education has 2 thematic sections with European or global content: 

• Poland in Europe: origins and institutions of the EU; the deepening and widening of European integration; selected EU policies; personal development opportunities supported by EU programmes; 

• The world of global interdependence: political, economic, financial, social and environmental interconnections between Poland and the rest of the world; role of NATO and the UN in ensuring security; main global issues; climate crisis; migration; international conflicts; and migration flows. 

Other initiatives related to European and global topics 

The Integrated Educational Platform (Zintegrowana Platforma Edukacyjna) of the Ministry of National Education provides fee-free access to digital educational resources aligned with the core curricula for schools. Teachers can find there, for example, resources for the school subjects covering European, global or intercultural content. 

Until 2016/2017, two national knowledge contests on the European Union were organised in Poland for post-primary school students. Since 2016/2017, under a contract awarded by the Ministry of National Education, the University of Warsaw, in collaboration with other higher education institutions, has organised annual national contests on Poland and the Contemporary World (Olimpiada Wiedzy o Polsce i Świecie Współczesnym). Winners and finalists are exempt from the secondary school exam in Social Studies. Various regional contests are organised by regional European information centres, schools, NGOs, the regional education authorities and local authorities.

Partnerships and networks

Polish preschool education institutions and schools establish partnerships and networks only under EU programmes in the field of education and training. 

EU Programmes

• Erasmus+ Programme

Erasmus+ (2021-2027) offers Polish nursery schools, schools and other school education institutions most extensive opportunities for establishing partnerships and networks. The Programme is administered in Poland by the Foundation for the Development of the Education System. As part of projects, partners, for example, build their capacity for international collaboration and / or work jointly to enhance their performance (Cooperation Partnerships and Small-scale Partnerships); carry out various activities aimed at developing labour-market relevant skills (Centres for Vocational Excellence); devise strategies, approaches and innovations for new skills development (Alliances for Innovation); or share information and practices in teaching EU topics (Jean Monnet Networks).

• eTwinning

The eTwinning Programme, which promotes the use of ICT in European education and training, supports various forms of collaboration (for example, exchange of information and teaching or learning materials, online courses, seminars and workshops) via electronic media. The Programme is administered in Poland by the Foundation for the Development of the Education System.

Information about opportunities for establishing partnerships and networks involving youth organisations and institutions working with youth as part of the Erasmus+ Programme and other EU initiatives is available on the European Commission’s Erasmus+ website and the European Youth Portal. 

Other European initiatives

Poland has been a member country of the European Agency for Development in Special Needs Education since 2005. The organisation was founded in 1996 as an international forum for exchange of knowledge and experience in the field of education of pupils with special needs.