The Institute
The Educational Research Institute (IBE) is an institution conducting interdisciplinary research concerning the functioning and effectiveness of the education system in Poland. The Institute participates in national and international research projects, prepares reports, expert opinions and carries out advisory functions. From October 1st, 2010 the Institute under the Act on Research Institutions became a research institute.
The Institute is supervisied by the Minister of National Education.
The Institute main research areas:
- - new core curriculum and subject teaching methods,
- - measurement and analysis of student educational achievement,
- - psychological and pedagogical foundations of school achievement,
- - relationship between education and the labour market, especially monitoring the situation of young people entering the labour market,
- - lifelong learning and national qualifications framework,
- - economic determinants of education, financing education and other broad issues concerning economics of education,
- - teacher working conditions, working hours, professional status and competencies,
- - institutional and legal problems concerning the education system and educational policy.
The Institute employs over 130 education researchers - mainly sociologists, psychologists, educators, economists, political scientists - most of whom are eminent specialists in their fields with considerable professional expertise not only in research work but also teaching, public administration, market/public opinion research and NGOs.
The Institute cooperates with the Central Statistical Office (GUS) and the Central Examination Board. Its growing network of cooperation includes local authorities, schools, NGOs, universities, national and foreign research centres and international organizations.
The Institute promotes evidence-based policy and practice, and, in particular, the studies whose results can be used in practice and educational policy development at both national and local levels.
Currently the Institute manages two projects co-financed by the European Union under the European Social Fund - Operational Programme Human Capital, Priority III - High quality of education:
- Quality and effectiveness of education - strengthening of institutional research capabilities - Measure 3.1 - Modernisation of the supervision and management in education, 3.1.1 - Creating conditions and tools for monitoring, evaluation and research in the educational system.
The project aim is to strengthen the capacity of the education system in the field of educational research and the capacity to use research in educational policy and practice as well as education management.
- Developments of terms of reference for the implementation of the National Qualification Framework and the National Qualification Register for lifelong learning - Measure 3.4 Openness of the education system in the context of lifelong learning, sub- measure Development and implementation of the National Qualifications Framework.
The primary outcome of the project is refining and developing the National Qualifications Framowork model and preparing reference report. Both the report and the model should contribute to a significant qualitative change in the perception of the various ways in which qualifications can be obtained in Poland.
As a part of its statutory responsibilities the Institute publishes every year a number of books and studies in the field of education. Since 1982, the Institute publishes a quarterly "EDUCATION".
