Who Controls the National Academic Promotion System: An Analysis of Power Distribution in Poland

In studying the performance of academic systems, one often tries to find out—by inspecting some well-defined parameters—how specific changes in legal system influence volume and quality desired outputs, such as publications, patents, or alumni. This mechanistic approach neglects fact that main actors this spectacle are not passive, but have their own priorities, actively self-organize response any professional environment. contribution, we investigate collective social behavior using data for promotions Poland years 2011 2020. Focusing on degrees higher than PhD, analyzed over 12,500 habilitation (= doctorate) 3,000 professorship applications, extracting personal promotion panel membership along with official roles panels. These details were then linked make-up three consecutive terms central body overseeing Poland, Centralna Komisja do Spraw Stopni i Tytułów (“Central Board Degrees Titles”). As a result, able identify privileged group individuals who controlled substantial majority beyond PhD degree by virtue being part Central Board. We found relatively small academics held dominant control repeatedly serving Thus, despite well-meaning intentions reformists had designed it, Polish past decade can hardly be regarded based pure merit.