National level

Ministry of National Education 

The  Ministry (the website in Polish only) coordinates activities in the area of continuing education at the national level. Since September 2024, the responsibility for this area have been shared between the Vocational Education Department (VED) and the Innovation and Development Department (IDD). 

The VED is responsible, in particular, for the following matters: 

• organisation of work in, and functioning of schools providing vocational education and adult education; 
• vocational exams, exams confirming vocational qualifications and external exams; 
• conditions and procedures for acquiring and supplementing general knowledge and vocational skills and qualifications in non-school settings, and for improvement of the accreditation system for continuing education in non-school settings; 
• the Integrated Qualifications System, with the coordinating function for the system performed by the Minister. 

The main responsibilities of the IDD include: 

• coordination of the LLL policy, including the implementation of the Integrated Skills Strategy and administrative support for the Inter-Ministerial Task Force for LLL and the Integrated Qualifications System (IQS); 
• cooperation with central and local government institutions and social partners, including employers, in the area of adult learning; 
• promotion of adult learning, including the concept of Local Knowledge and Education Centres; 
• cooperation with relevant stakeholders for the coordination of regional-level activities in the areas of vocational education, higher education and LLL, also as part of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan.  

Ministry of Science and Higher Education

The term ‘continuing education’ is not used in the field of higher education (Law on Higher Education and Science / Ustawa o szkolnictwie wyższym i nauce). However, in view of the so-called third mission of higher education, this area can be considered to include open universities (run by some higher education institutions); third-age universities (run by some higher education institutions, but operating mainly outside the higher education system); and expert services, including training services, commissioned by various entities on an individual basis. Non-school education settings also include so-called folk universities.

Within the Ministry, the Department for Organisation of Higher Education Institutions, Education and Student Matters regulates matters relating to non-degree postgraduate programmes, specialist programmes and other types of education provided by higher education institutions.

Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy

The Ministry is the main partner of the Ministry of National Education in the field of continuing education for adults, and in particular, unemployed people, some categories of job seekers and employed persons. Continuing education is mainly the responsibility of the Labour Market Department. In this area, it cooperates with the minister responsible for school education. It also develops and disseminates tools, methods and resources to support career guidance and the development of competences of the unemployed and employed, and is responsible for matters related to EURES and economic migration.

Other ministries (incl. Ministries of Culture and National Heritage, Development and Technology, Agriculture and Rural Development, Climate and Environmental Protection, and Health)

Responsibilities include, for example, participation in the work of the Inter-Sectoral Task Force for LLL and the IQS, and activities undertaken as part of the skills development policy in line with the idea of LLL.

Regional / province (województwo) level

Regional authorities

Regional authorities are responsible for public education, including higher education. In particular, they establish and administer public in-service teacher training institutions, educational resources centres / libraries, and schools and institutions operating at regional and supra-regional levels. The planned network of such schools and institutions is outlined in a development strategy for a given province.

Each province governor submits a motion to the minister responsible for school education to appoint or dismiss the Head of the Regional Education Authorities (REA) (kurator oświaty) who exercises so-called pedagogical supervision over schools and non-school education settings in a given province.

Regional authorities also keep the Register of Training Institutions operating within their region.

District (powiat) level

District authorities

District authorities establish, administer and finance public post-primary schools (established in accordance with the Law on School Education (ustawa Prawo oświatowe), continuing education institutions, vocational education and training centres and sectoral skills centres. Sectoral skills centres may also be administered by other local government units, other institutions, organisations and natural persons based on an agreement concluded with the competent district authorities. 

Commune (gmina) level

Commune authorities

Communes establish, administer and finance public primary schools.

 1.

Improving key skills in children, young people and adults

The ministers responsible for school education, higher education and science; culture, national heritage and sport; family, labour and social security; economy; regional development; and province-level executive boards and other entities

2.

Developing and fostering a learning culture geared towards active and continuous development of skills

The ministers responsible for school education; economy; regional development; digitalisation; and province-level executive boards and other entities

3.

Increasing employer involvement in the development and better use of skills

The ministers responsible for economy, family, labour and social policy, school education, and regional development; province-level executive boards and other entities

4.

Building an effective system for skills assessment and anticipation and dissemination of related information

The ministers responsible for school education, economy, family, labour and social policy, and regional development; and province-level executive boards and other entities

5.

Developing effective and sustainable mechanisms for inter-ministerial and inter-sectoral collaboration and coordination

The ministers responsible for school education, higher education and science, economy, regional development, and digitalisation; and province-level executive boards and other entities

6.

Ensuring equal access to opportunities for the development and use of skills

The ministers responsible for school education, higher education and science, culture, national heritage and sport, family, labour and social policy, economy, and regional development; and province-level executive boards and other entities