Members of the parliamentary science and education committee meet with scientists at the National Science Centre

19 01 2026

On January 15, members of the Parliamentary Committee on Education and Science visited the National Science Centre to discuss how basic research benefits society and the economy, and what role the National Science Centre plays in this system. It was the first such meeting with members of the committee in the agency’s history.

The meeting was attended by MPs Dariusz Wieczorek, vice-chair of the committee, Dorota Olko, chair of the standing subcommittee on science and higher education, Katarzyna Matusik-Lipiec, Sylwia Bielawska, and Zbigniew Dolata. The invited guests, including the director of CeNT, Jacek Jemielity, spoke about research and the role of the NCN in career development.

In Poland, basic research is funded by the National Science Centre. Between 2011 and 2024, the NCN supported over 31,000 projects carried out by more than 22,500 researchers working throughout the country. “Basic research is the foundation of everything that happens next in the area of development and innovation, new ideas that can be commercialized. That is why we want to talk about why basic research conducted in Polish institutions is particularly important,” said Krzysztof Jóźwiak, director of the NCN, during a meeting with parliamentarians.

The chair of the committee, Krystyna Szumilas, drew attention to the need for substantive dialogue: “When we talk at committee meetings, the political tone dominates, and less time is devoted to substantive discussion of the essence of the problem. We want to listen to the people who use the regulations we create on a daily basis and carry out their mission based on them.

Read more at https://ncn.gov.pl/aktualnosci/2026-01-16-czlonkowie-komisji-sejmowej-w-ncn (in Polish).