Education

The regional educational base comprises the network of 3,475 educational units of all the levels of education which is the one-tenth of the country’s educational base. The largest number of pupils (43.8%) is educated in the vocational schools and a similar number (42.3) in grammar schools. The other 13.9% in the basic schools.

In the last years, a decrease of the youth’s interest in the basic vocational schools is observed and the turn to the secondary education, both the general and technical. Currently, in the post-secondary schools, the predominant group is made up of the IT graduates (17.3%) as well as the economic and administration (17.2%).

Source: The Statistical Yearbook of the ¦l±skie Voivodeship 2004, The Statistical Office, Katowice

The ¦l±skie Voivodeship is one of the largest academic centres in Poland. In the region, there are 37 schools of higher education as well as 13 regional branches and divisions (9.5% of the units in Poland). The most important elements of the higher educational base comprise:

• The University of Silesia in Katowice with the branches in Cieszyn, Chorzów, Jastrzębie Zdrój, Sosnowiec
• The Silesian University of Technology in Gliwice with the branches in Katowice, Rybnik, Zabrze
• The Częstochowa University of Technology
• The Academy of Medicine in Katowice with the branches in Bytom, Zabrze, Jaworzno, Cieszyn
• The Academy of Music in Katowice
• The University of Economics in Katowice with the branches in Bielsko-Biała, Rybnik
• TheAcademy of Physical Education in Katowice
• The Academy of Fine Arts in Katowice
• The Higher Silesian Seminary in Katowice and the Seminary in Częstochowa
• Higher Schools of Pedagogy, Foreign Languages and Colleges for Teachers in  Częstochowa, Mysłowice, Racibórz
• Higher schools of business, accountancy and finances in D±browa Górnicza, Chorzów, Bytom, Bielsko-Biała, Katowice
• Higher schools of management, marketing and information technology in Częstochowa, Zawiercie, Chorzów, Sosnowiec, Katowice, Tychy, Żywiec, Bielsko-Biała.

In the academic year 2003/2004, the schools of higher education educated c.a. 200,000 students, i.e. almost 11% of the country’s value. The region holds the second position in Poland in terms of the number of students and the third one in terms of the number of academic teachers. From among the number of the students in the region, slightly above 27% study in private colleges.

The most popular branches of studies among the students are those associated with social sciences, economy and law – 45.8%. Owing to the region’s industrial traditions, the large number of students chooses to study the branches associated with technology, industry and building engineering – 15.6%. The largest and most renowned school of higher education is the Silesian University of Technology with its over 50-year tradition.

The advantage of the high education in the ¦l±skie Voivodeship is the huge diversity of the subjects and specialisations, which results in the demanded diversification of graduates.

A large number of private language schools educate both the youth and the adults. In the region, especially in large municipal centres, a significant number of people take the international examinations, acknowledging the language knowledge (e.g. Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate, the Goethe Institute or the French Ministry of Education). It is noteworthy that the scope of the foreign languages taught in Katowice also comprises the oriental languages, such as Japanese, Chinese, Arab or Turkish.

Foreign language learners at the schools for children and youth in the ¦l±skie Voivodeship in the school year 2003/2004

Teaching foreign languages starts early, in a primary school. It is English that is the most popular among the foreign languages taught as compulsory subjects.