The summer semester has come to an end at the Department of Political Science and International Studies; most of the thesis defenses are now behind us, as is the graduation ceremony, during which we symbolically bid farewell to our graduates.
The end of one year naturally marks the beginning of the next and the introduction of changes to the curriculum and, consequently, to the way we study. Some of these changes stem directly from requests made by students—both full-time and part-time—while others are the result of initiatives by our faculty members. Students will see some of these changes as early as October, while we’ll have to wait a little longer to see the effects of others.
Here are the key elements of the process of reforming teaching at the Faculty of Music and Performing Arts:
1. We are working on changes to the degree programs. We began by conducting qualitative research among political science students and faculty members, who reflected on and discussed how best to adapt the degree program to the demands of the modern world and the job market. The changes to the curricula will take some time to become apparent—since they require a formal approval process—but we will strive to implement some of the suggestions that emerged from the research without waiting for the new curricula to be formally adopted.
2. We conduct in-depth analyses of thousands of evaluation surveys. This will allow us to identify the courses, teaching methods, and instructors that students trust, as well as to implement oversight and targeted adjustments where there are concerns about meeting teaching quality standards.
3. A competition for innovative teaching methods is currently underway—we are actively seeking out interesting approaches to teaching among our faculty and exploring ways to make broader use of them.
4. We have also made changes to the faculty assignments for certain courses, better aligning the specializations of individual instructors with the course topics and the degree program.
5. Among other things, we purchased the right for the Faculty of Law to use simulation games—developed as teaching aids for the degree programs offered by our Faculty—in its teaching activities.
6. We also maintain an ongoing dialogue with the student community, including both the student government and representatives of individual groups and academic programs. We greatly appreciate the openness with which students share their comments and ideas, as well as bring issues to our attention. This allows us to take swift action and continuously work to maintain an appropriate standard of education.
7. We’re also investing in infrastructure—we’re expanding the equipment in our qualitative research studio (the so-called “focus group room”), and we’re preparing to open a podcast recording studio—we hope students will be interested in helping to create this type of content.
8. Starting in October, there will be common areas in the department building where students can heat up their food or take a break between classes.
9. At the same time, we are developing cooperation with our socio-economic environment. We regularly engage in dialogue with representatives of public administration, the business community, nongovernmental organizations, and other institutions that collaborate with the Faculty. We want their experiences and expectations to help us improve our academic programs, teaching methods, and the skills we help students develop. We want WNPiSM graduates to be as well-prepared as possible for the challenges of today’s job market and to meet the real needs of employers and public institutions.
10. An open debate on the future of teaching at the Faculty of Social Sciences and Management has been rescheduled for the start of the academic year. We would like to invite students, faculty, alumni, and representatives of our social and economic community to attend. This will be an opportunity to discuss together the directions of educational development, new teaching methods, and the skills that employers will expect in the coming years.
11. Our top ranking in the Perspektywy Ranking is not only a source of pride for us, but above all a commitment to continuous improvement. That is why we are always open to new solutions, opinions, and feedback from students, faculty, and external partners, and we consistently implement modern teaching methods. We listen, engage in dialogue, and adapt to the changing environment in order to continually improve the quality of our teaching and effectively prepare students for the challenges of the future.
We hope that the consistent implementation of the plan to improve the quality of teaching at WNPiSM will truly benefit our students. It will not only increase their satisfaction with their studies at WNPiSM, but will also tangibly enhance their opportunities and potential in the job market.