Public Financing of Research Projects in Poland — Its Image and Consequences?

Both the size of appropriation as well as their distribution have had a profound impact on the shape and activities of the science sector. The creation of a fair system of distribution of public resources to research that will also facilitate the effective implementation of the pursued scientific policy goals represents a major challenge. The issue of the determination of the right proportions of individual distribution channels remains critical. Despite this task being the responsibility of the State, establishing cooperation in this respect with the scientific community is desirable. The implementation of solutions that raise the concerns of scientists leads to system instability and reduced effectiveness which is manifest among others in a lower level of indicators of scientific excellence and innovation in the country.

These observations are pertinent to Poland where the manner in which scientific institutes operate were changed under the 2009-2011 reform. A neoliberal operating model based on competitiveness and rewarding of top rated scientific establishments and scientists was implemented. In light of these facts, the initiation of research that will provide information on how the implemented changes are perceived by the scientific community seems to be appropriate. The aim of this article is in particlar presenting how the project model of financing laid down under the reform is perceived and what kind of image has been shaped among Polish scientists. In order to gain a comprehensive picture of the situation, both the rational and emotional image was subject to analysis.

The conclusions regarding the perception of the project model were drawn on the basis of empirical materials collected in a qualitative study the specifics of which will be presented in the chapter on methodology. Prior to that, the author discusses the basic models for the distribution of state support for science and characterises the most salient features of the system in place in Poland. To conclude, the possible implications of the shaped image of the project model on the national science system will be presented.