On 29 January 2026, a two-day conference entitled “International Students in Poland” began at the Jagiellonian University in Kraków. The theme of this year’s edition is “Internationalisation in the Face of New Challenges.” The event is accompanied by the publication of a report prepared by researchers from the University of Economics in Katowice.
The conference was attended by HM the Rector, prof. dr hab. inż. Celina Olszak, Vice-Rector for Teaching and International Relations prof. dr hab. Wojciech Dyduch, and Edyta Lachowicz-Santos, Director of the Internationalisation Office.
Over the course of two days, six plenary sessions are scheduled:
- Where We Are - internationalisation in the shadow of drones,
- Where We Want to Be - prospective directions and cooperation markets for Polish universities (chaired by the Rector of the Jagiellonian University, Prof. Piotr Jedynak),
- Instruments for Building the Attractiveness of Polish Universities Among International Students (chaired by the Vice-Rector of the Jagiellonian University for Education, Prof. Paweł Laidler),
- Destination Brussels - how to unlock access to European research and development funds,
- Polish Diaspora Students in the Spotlight,
- Internationalisation 2025 “Day by Day” - problems, reports, and announcements (chaired by the Vice-Rector of the Jagiellonian University for International Cooperation, Prof. Jarosław Górniak).
#UEKatowice Report: “International Students in Poland in the Context of New Regulations. Scale, Trends, and Economic Significance”
During the event, HM Rector prof. dr hab. inż. Celina M. Olszak, and Vice-Rector for Science and Academic Staff Development prof. dr hab. Maciej Nowak, presented the report “International Students in Poland in the Context of New Regulations - Scale, Trends, and Economic Significance.” The report was prepared by experts from the University of Economics in Katowice:
- prof. dr hab. inż. Celina Olszak
- prof. dr hab. Wojciech Dyduch
- dr hab. Jan Acedański, prof. UEKat
- dr Krzysztof Niestrój, prof. UEKat
- dr hab. Anna Sączewska-Piotrowska, prof. UEKat
- mgr Anna Maniura
The report presents the economic dimension of the presence of international students in Poland, demonstrating that they are not a burden on the system but rather a significant stimulus for the economy and for the stabilisation of higher education in the face of unfavourable demographic trends. The analyses show that international students generate multi-billion-zloty revenues from tuition fees and living expenses. A decline in their numbers - largely resulting from regulatory and administrative factors - leads to tangible economic losses, particularly in academic cities. More information about the report is available on the website.
A press conference was also held during the event, at which HM the Rector presented the report:
“What do these analyses show? Above all, that international students make a very significant contribution to the economy. Considering that there are currently around 108,000 international students studying in Poland, accounting for approximately 8% of all students in the country, we can clearly see the scale of this phenomenon. These students live in Poland, rent apartments, need to support themselves, incur food expenses, travel, and use various services, including cultural services. The estimated expenditure related to this amounts to approximately PLN 5.3 billion—an enormous sum,” emphasised HM Rector prof. dr hab. inż. Celina M. Olszak.
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