The first Doctoral School at Cracow University of Technology (CUT) was established for the academic year 2019/2020. The Senate of CUT adopted General Regulations, Study Programme as well as Terms of Admission for the new School, and appointed Associate Professor Małgorzata Cimochowicz-Rybicka Head of the Doctoral School.
The concept of the Doctoral School was developed by the team working under the leadership of Vice-Rector for Science - professor Tadeusz Tatara. During the Senate meeting held in May 2019, the most important legal acts regarding the new CUT unit were adopted. Education of doctoral students was one of those elements of the higher education and science system which required significant changes. The Rector of CUT – professor Jan Kazior – stated that the existing model, based on doctoral studies, was widely regarded as ineffective. In the opinion of the vast majority of the academic community, neither the level of doctoral dissertations nor the number of international students entering the programmes was satisfying. Also, the Study Programme itself had to be revised and upgraded. The Doctoral School, which replaced doctoral studies in October 2019, has been the answer to these problems. The main goal of doctoral schools is to support interdisciplinarity of scientific research and develop advanced skills valuable for the economy. The new model of education of doctoral students additionally involves a significant improvement in their financial situation; each student is to receive a scholarship.
The scholarship system is a novelty in the doctoral education under the new Law on Higher Education and Science. For 4 years, each doctoral student shall receive a monthly doctoral scholarship in the amount of 37% of professor's salary up to the month in which the mid-term evaluation takes place; after that a doctoral scholarship will be raised up to 57% of professor's salary.
According to the adopted principles, the Doctoral School shall offer education in those scientific disciplines in which Cracow University of Technology has the right to award doctoral degrees. These are seven disciplines: Architecture and Urban Planning; Automation, Electronics, Electrical Engineering and Space Technologies; Chemical Engineering; Civil Engineering, Geodesy and Transport; Materials Engineering; Mechanical Engineering; Environmental Engineering; Mining and Energy (planned since 2023/24: Information and Communication Technology). The doctoral student shall choose one main discipline but he or she may also select modular courses that are not related to the main discipline but are part of the Study Programme. Education at the Doctoral School lasts 8 semesters, is free of charge and shall be based on the Study Programme as well as the Individualised Research Plan. The General Regulations of the Doctoral School state that the promoter, or promoters, provide doctoral students with scientific supervision and support them in their independent research work performed throughout the entire period of education. Most courses at the Doctoral School shall be available in both Polish and English.
The Doctoral School of Cracow University of Technology was established by the Rector. It is a separate organisational unit supervised by the Vice Rector for Science. Scientific supervision is exercised by the Doctoral School Council. Associate Professor Małgorzata Cimochowicz-Rybicka has been appointed Head of the School until December 31, 2020.
The tasks, internal organisation and principles of education at the Doctoral School are set out in the General Regulations adopted by the Senate of CUT. Admission to the Doctoral School is carried out from September 1 to September 25 and is awarded on a competitive basis. The first year of study at the Doctoral School of Cracow University of Technology started on October 1, 2019.