Poland

This chapter focuses on the evolution of Poland’s Adult Learning Systems (ALS) from the 1990s post-communist period to the 2010s, highlighting a distinctive path compared to other Central European nations. Initially, Poland moved towards decentralisation and privatisation within its Adult Education and Training (AET) sector, with an enhanced focus on formal adult education (FAE). As the country entered the 2000s, it began to align more closely with European standards, adopting EU-driven policies that prioritised job-related training and sought to distinguish itself from FAE. However, political instability and financial limitations posed challenges to establishing a cohesive AET framework. Despite these hurdles, the supply side of ALS remained dominated by FAE, with a notable increase in higher education institutions, both public and private, responding to the demand for tertiary education. The 2010s witnessed Poland continue to prioritise formal education within its ALS, with strategic initiatives focused on vocationalization and standardisation, alongside the expansion of universities into non-degree postgraduate programs aimed at upskilling graduates. Despite a gradual rise in AET demand, fuelled by an increasing number of high-skilled workers and tertiary-educated adults, persistent structural barriers and limited employer participation in AET highlighted continuing educational disparities. Characterised by its strong formal education focus and dependence on tuition fees, Poland’s ALS is distinguished by substantial inequalities in access to and participation in AET, making it one of the region’s most formal education-centric systems.