Mission
The Faculty of Philology provides top-quality education in the disciplines of linguistics, literary studies, culture and religion studies, with emphasis on the development of student autonomy and competences essential for functioning in a dynamically changing reality. The Faculty of Philology provides top-quality education in the disciplines of linguistics, literary studies, culture and religion studies, with emphasis on the development of student autonomy and competences essential for functioning in a dynamically changing reality.
Pursuing a policy of multilingualism and multiculturalism, the Faculty simultaneously strengthens its role as a regional centre for teaching Polish as a foreign language.
Vision
The Faculty of Philology is a unit of high quality education, shaped top-down by the Dean’s supervision and bottom-up by training, support and a system of dissemination of good practices. The Faculty has a high position in philological education, and its programmes are recognised nationally and internationally thanks to their clearly profiled curricula. The Faculty develops general and practical education tailored to the needs of the changing labour market and improves the conditions of studying in a multicultural environment. The Faculty plays an important role in the social and economic environment of the region and is a renowned centre for certification of Polish as a foreign language.
Development strategy
Strategic objectives
1. To maintain the significant scholarly potential and status of the disciplines of linguistics and literary studies as well as to build a team of high scholarly potential in the discipline of culture and religion studies.
Strategic objectives and key tasks as well as personnel policy in the disciplines of linguistics and culture and religion studies – see the Development Strategy of the Institute of Linguistics, in the discipline of literature studies – see the Development Strategy of the Institute of Literary Studies.
2. To improve the quality of philological studies and optimising the delivery of education
| Specific objectives | Actions |
| 2.1 To strengthen the high position of the Faculty in philological education through the increase of the attractiveness of its teaching offer | 2.1 Monitoring study curricula and forms of education in terms of their constant adjustment to the changing needs of students and potential employers; maintaining the number of students and strengthening the position of degree programmes in academic rankings |
| 2.2 To develop curricula embedded in three leading disciplines: linguistics, literary studies, culture and religion studies | 2.2 Developing an elective language module common for several degree programmes; introducing the Italian language to the educational offer; maintaining the number of opened second-cycle programmes; preparing a new educational offer in the field of Slavic studies; developing a curriculum of study with practical profile in the discipline of culture and religion studies; launching double diploma programmes within the FORTHEM alliance |
| 2.3 To develop education in foreign languages at various levels | 2.3 Adjusting the syllabi of courses of neophilological programmes to the new Common European Framework of Reference for Languages CEFR 2020, in accordance with the existing learning outcomes for these courses: level C2 for master’s programmes, C1 for bachelor’s programmes, and B2 for elective language modules |
| 2.4 To deliver philological education adapted to the needs of the changing labour market | 2.4 Creating and modifying elective modules preparing for work in translation bureaus, education, business, culture institutions |
| 2.5 To develop practical education | 2.5 Expanding the offer of practical-profile programmes; organising practical workshops on programmes of general academic profile; having experts from the social and economic environment conduct some of the classes |
| 2.6 To develop student autonomy | 2.6 Involving students in research, especially in the case of master’s studies; supporting the activity of research groups; conducting academic coaching; promoting tutoring as a form of teacher-student contact; developing a procedure for promoting the best diploma theses; developing a path preparing for the third-cycle studies |
| 2.7 To provide individualised education | 2.7 Increasing the number of elective courses and modules offered by the Faculty above the statutory minimum of 30%; enabling students to choose courses organised by FORTHEM alliance partners and developing the procedure of full recognition of courses completed at partner universities |
| 2.8 To improve the quality of education by increasing the effectiveness of the internal system of improving the quality of education and building a quality culture | 2.8 Conducting a systematic internal and external evaluation (internal audit carried out by the Faculty Quality Assessment Team, accreditation of study programmes by the Polish Accreditation Committee); conducting a periodical control of the quality of teaching (class inspections, student opinion surveys); periodical assessing the teaching staff competence; monitoring the effectiveness of the education quality procedures |
3. To improve access and study conditions
| Specific objectives | Actions |
| 3.1 To improve the system for promoting enrolment | 3.1 Implementing a comprehensive year-long promotional campaign allowing to reach a wide range of candidates with the use of various media channels, in cooperation with specialists from the Office of Marketing and Public Relations of the UO; diversifying promotional campaigns for candidates for first and second cycle studies |
| 3.2 To Improve the information system | 3.2 Constant enriching the Faculty website and subpages of study programmes with new information; enhancing the Faculty website in English and creating subpages of study programmes in foreign languages |
| 3.3 To attract good candidates to study and reduce drop-out rates | 3.3 Introducing the procedure of study programmes attractiveness evaluation; systematic increasing the entry points threshold for the first-cycle studies candidates |
| 3.4 To Improve accessibility for people with specific needs | 3.4 Significant improvement of working conditions in classrooms through ongoing provision of multimedia equipment; equipping the premises with teaching aids necessary for practical training; increasing the functionality of specialist laboratories for booth interpretation and computer assisted translation |
| 3.5 To develop infrastructure | 3.5 Creating a simulation laboratory of a company in the modern business services sector; additional equipping the classroom simulation laboratory; optimisation of the use of teaching rooms; improving study conditions through student-friendly development of common space |
| 3.6 To develop digital infrastructure | 3.6 Adapting resources by upgrading existing equipment and licences; increasing access to databases and digital resources of the Faculty Library |
| 3.7 To develop study support services | 3.7 Improving student services by enabling multi-channel communication (direct and remote contact) in Polish and English |
| 3.8 To develop distance learning solutions | 3.8 Enhancing the functionality of distance learning platforms; providing training for employees in the field of conducting remote academic teaching; equipping all laboratories with multimedia enabling hybrid teaching |
| 3.9 To support the development of teaching staff | 3.9 Developing the offer of training courses improving the skills of the teaching staff; developing forms of appreciation for the staff expanding and deepening their competences; initiating activities aimed at self-improvement and self-education of academic teachers |
| 3.10 To support teaching staff in handling the teaching process | 3.10 Improvement of working conditions for teaching staff by providing them with separate rooms equipped with a computer station, multifunctional device and social facilities |
4. To strengthen relations with the environment and developing competences of graduates
| Specific objectives | Actions |
| 4.1 To constantly widen the circle of collaborators from outside the university within the Economic and Social Council of the Faculty of Philology | 4.1 Using the existing contacts and establishing new ones in the social and economic environment; inviting to cooperation in the process of evaluation of study curricula; increasing the share of practitioners in the teaching process; inviting to collaboration in the organisation of student internships and traineeships; inviting to cooperation as part of projects developing students’ professional competences |
| 4.2 To facilitate graduates’ entry into the labour market by developing their professional competences | 4.2 Implementing competence development and placement projects; monitoring labour market trends; preparing master’s theses related to the labour market and commissioned by institutions from the university environment |
| 4.3 To develop cooperation with the modern business services sector | 4.3 Organising 3-month work traineeships and internships; organising workshops with entrepreneurs; introducing case study in practical academic teaching |
| 4.4 To develop cooperation with the translation sector | 4.4 Carrying out real translation projects |
| 4.5 To survey alumni and monitor the situation of alumni | 4.5 Conducting periodic surveys of alumni to identify the strengths and weaknesses of philological and cultural studies education |
| 4.6 To strengthen the culture-forming role of the Faculty | 4.6 Increasing the number of open lectures, events and popularising publications |
| 4.7 To us the expert presence of the Faculty staff in national and international bodies in order to give opinions on changes and introduction of good practices in the educational process | 4.7 Recommending by the faculty members, who are experts of national and international bodies, the faculty development directions and changes in the educational curricula. |
| 4.8 To build the Faculty’s potential as a centre of education and certification of Polish as a foreign language within the framework of full and short-term studies and continuous education | 4.8 Improving and developing new curricula based on teaching Polish as a foreign language to students, providing language courses for foreigners, conducting certificate examinations on different levels of language proficiency, conducting post-graduate studies for teachers of Polish as a foreign language |
5. To internationalize studies
| Specific objectives | Actions |
| 5.1 To create conditions for studying in a multicultural environment | 5.1 Increasing the share of foreigners among students of the Faculty; increasing the number of study programmes conducted in a foreign language; increasing the number of elective courses conducted exclusively in a foreign language; increasing the share of foreigners in the teaching staff |
| 5.2 To develop student exchange through short-term study | 5.2 Carrying out the verification of agreements of the Erasmus+ programme; optimising the process of recognition of learning outcomes acquired at a partner university; increasing the activity of students of the Faculty in travelling to universities and internships abroad |
| 5.3 To cooperate within FORTHEM European Universities Alliance | 5.3 Implementing good practices of FORTHEM alliance partners; organising joint studies ending with obtaining a double diploma; increasing the Faculty participation in the FORTHEM virtual academy |
| 5.4 To cooperate in international strategic partnerships | 5.4 Implementing joint teaching activities, in particular within the framework of educational projects (Strategic Partnerships of the Erasmus+ programme, International Academic Partnerships of the NAWA programme) |
| 5.5 To develop on-site internationalisation | 5.5 Developing a procedure for the recognition of individual courses taken remotely at a partner university within the FORTHEM Alliance virtual academy; implementing projects for students within the framework of internationalisation on site by making it possible to achieve learning outcomes in international groups, in cooperation with students of partner universities using remote learning and communication tools |
| 5.6 To develop students’ soft skills in a foreign language | 5.6 Enabling the implementation of some part of the curriculum in a foreign language; increasing the number of university-wide variable courses delivered in foreign languages; increasing the number of lectures delivered by visiting professors |
| 5.7 To co-create a multicultural environment | 5.7 Organising academic and cultural events as part of short-term mobility of foreign students, including international summer/winter schools, science festivals, PhD seminars, poster sessions; increasing the quality and availability of non-philology courses taught in English |
| 5.8 To shape the policy of multilingualism | 5.8 Teaching in many languages, at different levels; introducing Polish-English bilingual signage throughout the Faculty; ensuring availability of information in English (regulations, application forms, Faculty website); providing foreign student services in English |
| 5.9 To foster attitudes of openness to diversity and to enhance the quality of interaction with foreigners | 5.9 Organising integration events and training in the field of intercultural communication; creating conditions for cooperation between Polish and foreign students in the educational process |
| 5.10 To develop foreign students’ proficiency in the Polish language | 5.10 Developing foreign students’ proficiency in Polish as a foreign language throughout their studies; increasing the quality and attractiveness of courses offering Polish language learning from scratch for foreigners |
| 5.11 To promote educational offer for foreigners | 5.11 Organizing Polish and English language summer schools, with a special focus on Chinese candidates; cooperating with institutions recruiting foreign students |
| 5.12 To promote the exchange of teaching staff | 5.12 Considering mobility in the employee evaluation process; developing criteria for the recruitment of employees for mobility within the Erasmus+ programme |