The Educational Research Institute (Instytut Badań Edukacyjnych - IBE) is an institution conducting interdisciplinary research on the functioning and effectiveness of the education and qualifications system in Poland. IBE is responsible for the national coordination of large-scale assessments (TALIS, PIAAC, SHARE, PISA, ESLC, TIMSS and PIRLS), is active in other international studies (within Horizon 2020 and Erasmus+) and prepares reports, expert opinions and acts in an advisory capacity.
The Institute was founded in December 1952 as the research arm of the Ministry of National Education. IBE currently works with over 130 researchers – sociologists, psychologists, educators, economists, political scientists, and representatives of other disciplines, as well as social partners (employers’ organisations, trade unions). They are eminent specialists in their fields with considerable professional expertise, not only in research, but also in teaching, public administration, market/public opinion research and civil society development.
IBE collaborates with central and local administrations, the Central Statistical Office of Poland, NGOs, and many universities in Poland, Europe, and the USA. It is a member of IEA, EUROCLIO, KeyConnect, and the College Board, as well as a partner in European research networks.
Since 2010, IBE has been implementing several major projects to modernise Poland’s education system. It was responsible for undertaking one of the largest research projects funded by the European Social Fund to establish information resources for use in planning and developing education policies. The inter-disciplinary research undertaken within this project focused on the functioning of school curricula, as well as the quality and effectiveness of the education system in internal school-specific, institutional and economic contexts, and with reference to the requirements of the labour market.
IBE has also been actively participating in developing the national qualifications system, including the Polish Qualifications Framework. The Minister of National Education commissioned IBE to develop the overall concept of an integrated national qualifications system that includes the NQF and the Integrated Qualifications Register.
The Institute prepared the Polish Referencing Report which, after government approval, was published by the European Commission in the EQF portal. In addition, IBE produced a number of policy recommendations, carried out many related studies, developed products and implemented processes with the involvement of key stakeholders and target groups. These include, among others:
- designing procedures to align qualifications to Poland’s NQF;
- conducting a pilot of referencing over 400 qualifications from VET, HE and general education to the NQF together with stakeholders;
- involving representatives of ministries, labour offices, employers’ organisations, trade unions, training companies, research institutions in public debate meetings and working groups in the development of Poland’s NQF;
- working with representatives of business sectors to produce a standard for describing qualifications, which was developed, consulted and tested;
- five sectoral qualifications frameworks were produced together with stakeholders from the banking, telecommunications, IT, sports, and tourism sectors.
Contact details:
Educational Research Institute
Address: Górczewska 8, 01-180 Warsaw, Poland
Phone number: +48 22 24 17 100
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Web site: www.ibe.edu.pl