The project is led by prof. dr.hab. Jerzy Woźnicki, Faculty of Administration and Social Sciences, Warsaw University of Technology, President of the think-tank Polish Rectors Foundation - Institute of the Knowledge Society.

The project idea is to develop cooperation between Polish and Ukrainian rectors in the sphere of governance in HEIs in search of the desired balance between governance and self-government of the university, with reference to the experience of both countries and international practices. The project is based on previous cooperation and agreement between CRASP and URHEIU as well as on the assumptions of the Tripartite Agreement CRASP-URHEIU-Polish Rectors PRF, which boost the cooperation on the interim level of academic stakeholders, besides intergovernmental and interinstitutional cooperation. The project was inspired by the findings and recommendations of the EUA project ATHENA[1] on strengthening of the position and capacity development of the national rectors conference in Ukraine.

The main goal of the projectis to contribute to the improvement of higher education governance in Ukraine and Poland with respect for the academic values, traditions and considering good practices and international experience.

Target group: university management staff in Poland and Ukraine (decision makers): rectors, vice rectors, national conferences of rectors in Ukraine and Poland.

The project implementation period covers 4 budget years from 20.08.2018 till 30.07.2021.

Project activities includes the following workpackages:

• 1. Analyzes and study of the selected systemic issues of higher education governance on Poland and Ukraine: higher education funding; rankings and university strategy; university governing bodies, statutes as the main regulation; academic careers.
• 2. Expert meetings aimed at working out documents to be used by rectors’ conferences and rectors during seminars (e.g., recommendations for CRASP  on amendments of the Code of good practices in HEIs in Poland, recommendations for URHEIU on adoption of such a document in Ukraine). 
• 3. Polish -Ukrainian rectors’ study visits
• 4. Polish-Ukrainian rectors seminars and debate on the selected issues.
• 5. Polish-Ukrainian Forum of National Rectors' Conferences on higher education governance.
• 6. Project promotion, promotion of the Polish-Ukrainian academic cooperation and learning trends and best practices from EU institutions and stakeholders.
• 7. Annual progress reports and final report on project implementation and outcomes.

[1] https://athena-tempus.eu/