A conversation with Michał Walczak – the chancellor of Pedagogium – University of Social Sciences (WSNS) and Tomasz Różański PhD – vice-rector for educational consortia, both nominated for the title of Leader by Vocation, on innovations in the field of effective education of future leaders and specialists in the areas of social, preventive, care, and educational work, border guards or police, as well as on business and technology management, and building a creative society.
Michał Walczak
What makes your University different?
First and foremost, the approach to students, as they come first. We want to show them how to “move mountains”, keeping in mind the dynamically changing environment, business, internet, and society. We emphasise on practice and skills development, therefore we invite successful lecturers linked to business and science, to show young people how to apply certain solutions in practice. For example, a former Minister of Justice, lawyer and university teacher, taught at the Faculty of Administration and Security Sciences. I would like to invite the current Minister of Justice, as well as one of the most eminent specialists in taxation and tax law, Professor Modzelewski and co-author of labour law, Professor Gładoch. I would like to talk about the experience we conducted at the university. As part of a class in the Department of Pedagogy, we invited children from private and state kindergartens, and compared how they play. The children were given a task: design your city, and we observed huge differences in the designs of the two kindergartens. We decided to smash stereotypes and proposed a game, i.e. ‘Alice in Wonderland’. We prepared a mirror and the children could walk through and see what it was like on the other side. Then the differences disappeared, everyone played identically. We specialise in versatile student development, promotion of innovative teaching methods and influence on building of a creative society.
What courses of study do you offer?
Pedagogium is a private university, it has been in existence since 2010, and so far we have issued more than 8,000 diplomas in 63 specialties. We run full-time and part-time I and II degree programmes in the fields of pedagogy, re-socialisation, administration, civil security. We have now applied for a new course – an integrated master’s degree programme in clinical psychology. Last year, the university’s powers to conduct doctoral studies in pedagogy were restored. It took us five years to regain our rights. We launched the Pro.Pedagogium project, meeting the needs of the market.
How many students does the university admit?
We used to admit 400 students a year, but, in the pandemic the number was reduced to 100. It was a difficult time. During the last-year recruitment, we admitted 120 students. This year the situation’s much better. We’ve already had 100 because we are a second choice university and recruitment is prolonged to September and October, so we expect more students.
How many people does the university employ?
About 40, they are full-time lecturers and administrative staff, but also contracted employees, hired especially to manage postgraduate studies.
Can you share your plans with us?
The university has also set its sights on internationalisation; we have signed a number of agreements on mutual cooperation and student exchange. We are only at the beginning of this road and have just completed our first project with a university seated in Milano. The university has also undergone a change of ownership. The new owners appear to be very creative and enable the university’s enormous growth.
What facilities are your students offered?
We are seated in Warsaw at Marszałkowska Street, adjacent to the Capitol Theatre whom we cooperate with. We also rent rooms in the Zamojski Palace. We have 30 rooms at our disposal and our grand auditorium’s accommodation ability is 240 people – so we often rent it for various events.
Were you born a leader?
No, but at school I was active in the scouts, as a scout leader, a leader of a troop, and then I took part in competitions, I played volleyball, basketball, I took part in competitions, played volleyball, basketball, tennis, table tennis, ran. Generally sport has been with me all my life. I attended an automotive technical school, where I learnt lots of practical things, we had to be able to do everything ourselves. I also had my episode in professional volleyball. I was the third coach of the Skra Bełchatów – the Polish and European volleyball champions. I graduated in human resources management in Płock. I ran my own business for 20 years.
When did you get involved with Pedagogium?
In 2017 I was invited to work with the then owner. At first it was recruitment I dealt with, but after a year I became deputy chancellor. I observed and learned all about higher education and from 2021 I took over as chancellor. From 2022, I also worked at the Poznan School of Social Skills as a CEO and currently I’m the Chairman of the Board of the School’s Founder.
What are you most proud of?
Im proud of my family, my daughter, my wife. We both work a lot. I admire my wife as she manages to work several jobs (as a wife, a mother, a daughter, a sister, an aunt, a guardian of the home and hearth, a CEO of the company she runs).
How do you spend your free time?
I have it very little. My wife “infected” me with a passion for horses, but we also have a couple of other pets we love to cuddle with, especially my wife. We both like cycling and traversing unknown hiking trails especially in the mountains.
Tomasz Różański PhD
You are a cannabis expert and therapist, author of the book titled “Cannabis Therapies. The Right to Health”, business practitioner, trainer, creator of Educational Consortia, partner of EMAS Medical Center, coordinator of internships and trainings for medical staff in clinics in Israel. When did you start cooperation with universities?
A few years ago. Before that, I was giving lectures, conferences, courses and trainings for various companies on cannabis in a very broad aspect. This is because I not only deal with the matter of therapy, but also with the matter of cannabis application in many industries. When I heard in 2012 that I was suffering from several ‘incurable’ diseases at the same time, I decided to look for alternative therapeutic solutions, absorbed knowledge from Chinese medicine, hemp medicine and not only overcame lupus or thrombophilia, but also created my own therapeutic project. I built my position as an expert by giving lectures and trainings, cooperating with companies and universities in Poland and worldwide. I co-founded an educational portal on cannabis, and my articles were translated into many languages, including Thai. In 2023, at Lukaszewski University, we opened the course: ‘Hemp. From cultivation to 50,000 uses’. I became involved with Pedagogium by following the suggestion of the vice-rector for development, Wojciech Słomka PhD, my friend and mentor, who had previously trusted me with my own hemp therapy.
How did the idea of creating educational consortia come about?
It resulted from my observations. My mother was a teacher and I always said that Polish education didn’t meet my expectations. We don’t teach about the requirements of the environment and the changing world or business culture. On the other hand, observing the companies I worked with, I found that many innovative courses could be created to meet the growing demands. After submitting the project, the authorities of Pedagogium favoured the establishment of pro.pedagogium.pl, where we create educational consortia, i.e. unique, often world’s first educational projects at multiple levels of learning. This year is the year of a new opening, the University is changing by strongly opening up to international students and new unique faculties. Changes in the environment are giving rise to new courses. For example, the Internet has created influencers and, in August, we’re starting recruitment for the only such course in the world – MBA Multi Influencer Marketing. I’m in the business of finding niches and demand for so far nonexistent faculties. Out of the need to take care of our planet, in correlation with European Union regulations, we soon are going to open a Regenerative Agriculture major. We recently inaugurated the Executive MBA DS/MLM (Direct Sales/Multi-Level Marketing). We’re also introducing an innovative approach to education. Anyone who wants to acquire unique competences but doesn’t have a university degree can join any of our educational projects. The only difference is that they will receive not a postgraduate diploma but a certificate of completion of an academic course. As these are unique, innovative projects, often first in the world, we are announcing the intakes just now, during the summer holidays. Several courses start from October 2024, others from February 2025.
Further plans?
Yes. To meet market expectations, we’ve started procedures for implementing new professional codes. Within the structures of our University, we’ve set up the Polish Institute of Regenerative Business, or the Institute of Entrepreneurship Development, merging business and science. At the moment, I’m looking for partners for another unique educational project, i.e. Social Media Journalism.
What are you most proud of?
Of my family as strong support, love and friendship. I father two daughters, Victoria, who graduated in acting and film production and has been on a solo world tour for 10 months now. Ola graduated in law but, like her younger sister, is an artistic soul and is involved in creation of time and space. My wife and children are my dearest friends. I’m also proud of developing my own proprietary cannabis therapy.
Were you already a leader in your school years?
I’ve always had the need to lead a group. I’ve always lived my dreams and pursued far-reaching goals that seemed impossible to achieve. I have leadership qualities that allowed me to achieve individual and organisational goals. I prioritise relationships and building an ecosystem of conscious people. I’m able to listen and understand needs. I’ve. Been constantly developing and learning, while sharing my knowledge and experience. I think I motivate and inspire lots of people by creating the Hemp Will Save the World community.
How do you recharge your batteries?
My passion used to be the mountain hiking. At the age of 15, I earned two gold hiking badges in one season. I had an exceptional grandfather, who was a pre-war officer, one of the few survivors of the Ostashkov camp, from which Poles were transported to Katyń. Grandpa was my friend, and “tormented” me with chess, philosophy and Latin, art exhibitions, operas, theatres, while others were playing outside. But he made me who I am now. Together, we visited Poland and the world. My grandpa made me the world searcher and this is where I find myself.
Dorota Kolano
Beata Sekuła
