SWPS University explained

SWPS University (pl|Uniwersytet SWPS) is a private non-profit university in Poland established in 1996 by three psychology professors, Andrzej Eliasz, Zbigniew Pietrasiński and Janusz Reykowski.

SWPS University is one of the largest private universities in Poland which had, as of 2024, over 16,000 undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral level students, including over 1,100 international students from more than 80 countries. The university has six campuses, located in major Polish cities, including Warsaw, Wrocław, Sopot, Poznań,Katowice and Kraków.^[3]

The institution was formerly known as the Warsaw School of Social Psychology (Szkoła Wyższa Psychologii Społecznej, SWPS). It was granted university status under Polish law in 2015.^[4]

Administration

In 2008, the position of SWPS University founder was transferred to the Institute for the Development of Education (Instytut Rozwoju Edukacji) and its president, Polish businessman and philanthropist Piotr Voelkel.^[5] Before 2018, SWPS University was administered by a privately appointed board of trustees. Trustees served four-year terms and met annually. Andrzej Eliasz was chairman of the board of trustees. Other members included Jan Strelau (former chairman of the board of trustees), Michał Jan Boni (Member of the European Parliament), Magdalena Dziewguć (Google for Work), Robert Firmhofer (director of Copernicus Science Centre), Aleksander Kutela (Onet.pl S.A.), Przemysław Schmidt, Ewa Voelkel-Krokowicz.^[6] As of 2018, in compliance with the new higher education law in Poland, the governing body of SWPS University consists of rector and director general.

Rectors

1. Andrzej Eliasz (from 1996 to 2016)
2. Roman Cieślak (since 2016)^[7]

Academics

SWPS University offers 18 undergraduate and graduate programs taught entirely in English and over 30 undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral study programs, with over 70 specializations, in Polish. The main study areas are Psychology, Law, Languages, Literature and Culture Studies, Media and Communication, Management, and Design.^[8] The University has been ranked by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education as the leading higher education institution offering Social Sciences program in Poland.

Faculties

Twelve faculties of SWPS University have the authority to grant doctoral degrees in the following disciplines: cultural studies, literature studies, law, and sociology (in Warsaw) as well as psychology (in Warsaw, Wrocław, and Sopot). The university also has the authority to grant post-doctoral degrees (habilitacja) in cultural studies (Warsaw) and psychology (Warsaw and Wrocław).

Faculties of SWPS University^[9] !Locations!Faculties!Subjects

Warsaw	Warsaw Faculty of Psychology	Psychology
	Warsaw Faculty of Humanities	Humanities
	Warsaw Faculty of Social Sciences	Social Sciences
	Faculty of Design in Warsaw	Design
	Warsaw Faculty of Law	Law
Kraków	Kraków Faculty of Interdisciplinary Studies	Interdisciplinary Studies
	Kraków Faculty of Psychology	Psychology
Sopot	Sopot Faculty of Psychology
Katowice	Katowice Faculty of Psychology
Wrocław	Wrocław Faculty of Psychology
	Wrocław Faculty of Law and Communication	Law and Communication
Poznań	Poznań Faculty of Psychology and Law	Psychology and Law

Notable staff

• Jan Strelau, doctor honoris causa^[10]
• Shevah Weiss, doctor honoris causa^[11]
• Robert Cialdini, doctor honoris causa^[12]
• Philip Zimbardo, doctor honoris causa^[13]
• Małgorzata Kossut, head of the Department of Psychophysiology of Cognitive Processes
• Jerzy Adam Kowalski, Institute of Culture Science
• Tomasz Witkowski, founder of the Klub Sceptyków Polskich
• Roman Laskowski, professor of the Jagiellonian University and University of Gothenburg
• Piotr Waglowski, researcher of communication processes in the paradigm of social constructionism
• Andrzej Nowak, director and founder of the Institut of Social Psychology of Internet and Communication
• Jerzy Szacki, one of the most prominent representatives of the Warsaw School of the History of Ideas
• Dariusz Doliński, president of the Psychological Sciences Committee in the Polish Science Academy
• Bogdan Wojciszke
• Klaus Bachmann, associate professor at the Institute of Political Science.

Notable alumni

• Daria Abramowicz, sports psychologist
• Ania, singer
• Agnieszka Brustman, chess master
• Tomasz Kamusella, historian
• Żanna Słoniowska, novelist and journalist

Social engagement

SWPS University collaborates with various local and national organizations nurturing the idea of social engagement of its faculty and students. SWPS has a Legal Clinic which offers free legal advice for low-income individuals. The University also supports local craftsmen running their small businesses in the Praga District of Warsaw where the University main campus is located. Much of the research output is devoted to social, business and political issues such as neuroscience, behavioral insights for economy and public policy, health and nutrition, ageing, youth adaptation, or facing EU challenges from Horizon Europe (e.g. migrations, human & technology relations in the digital world). SWPS cooperates with various NGOs and institutions devoted to social causes, are the first European campus with the Ashoka Journey to Changemaking Certificate, and are member of newly-established Engaged Universities Forum, grouping 7 Polish Universities around the UN SDGs.

Rankings

• SWPS University is ranked the second best private higher education institution in Poland according to Perspektywy 2019 Polish University ranking.^[15]
• SWPS University is ranked 1001+ in the 2020 World University Rankings by Times Higher Education (THE)^{[16] [17]} In the 2020 Times Higher Education World University Rankings, SWPS is ranked 401+ in Psychology ^[18] and 401-500 in Social Sciences by subject.^[19]
• In ARWU Global Ranking of Academic Subjects 2019 for Psychology SWPS University is ranked 201-300.^[20]
• According to the American US News Ranking – 1st Psychology in Poland and 308 in the World.
• Silver Medal for SWPS University's Researchers at Euroinvent 2023.
• SWPS University Receives THE World University Rankings Award 2023.
• SWPS University in THE World University Rankings 2025^[21]
• SWPS University in Shanghai GRAS 2024^[22] - SWPS University was ranked second in Poland in the Psychology category in the prestigious Shanghai Global Ranking of Academic Subjects.

See also

• Collegium Da Vinci
• SWPS University Press

External links

• • The SWPS Students Association
• Website of The Warsaw Library

52.2483°N 21.0669°W

Notes and References

1. Web site: Rector's speech - Inauguration of the academic year 2024/2025 = 2024-10-07 . SWPS University website .
2. Web site: QS World University Rankings-Emerging Europe & Central Asia . 15 January 2023.
3. Web site: University profile. www.studyinpoland.pl. en-gb. 2017-10-14.
4. Web site: SWPS Uniwersytet Humanistycznospołeczny - Ministerstwo Nauki i Szkolnictwa Wyższego. www.npc.pl. Net P.C.. www.nauka.gov.pl. pl. 2017-10-14.
5. Web site: Instytut Rozwoju Edukacji NIP 5213462069 KRS 0000291897 REGON 141190936 krs-pobierz.pl. krs-pobierz.pl. pl. 2018-06-07.
6. Web site: Rada Powiernicza. Piasecka. Karolina. www.swps.pl. pl-pl. 2018-06-07.
7. Web site: Ustawa 2.0, rektor SWPS: Ustawa o szkolnictwie wyższym daje szanse aktywnym uczelniom - sejm-rząd Społeczeństwo. PTWP. www.parlamentarny.pl. pl. 2017-10-15.
8. Web site: Ruszyła rekrutacja na rok akademicki 2019/20 - Uniwersytet SWPS.
9. Web site: Sienkiewicz . Anna . Organizational Structure . 2023-05-28 . english.swps.pl . en-gb.
10. Web site: Profesor Jan Strelau doktorem honoris causa Uniwersytetu SWPS. Sławski. Rafał. www.swps.pl. pl-pl. 2017-10-15.
11. Web site: Honorary Degrees and Recognition Committee. Piasecka. Karolina. english.swps.pl. en-gb. 2017-10-15.
12. Web site: Profesor Cialdini doktorem honoris causa SWPS. Piasecka. Karolina. swps.pl. pl-pl. 2017-10-15.
13. Web site: Profesor Jan Strelau doktorem honoris causa Uniwersytetu SWPS. Pluta. Ewa. swps.pl. pl-pl. 2017-10-15.
14. Web site: SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities. 16 June 2021.
15. Web site: Ranking Uczelni Niepublicznych - Ranking Szkół Wyższych PERSPEKTYWY 2019. www.perspektywy.pl. pl-pl. 2019-08-21.
16. Web site: SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities. 2019-09-09. Times Higher Education (THE). en. 2020-01-02.
17. Web site: World University Rankings 2020. Times Higher Education (THE). 20 August 2019. en. 2020-01-02.
18. Web site: World University Rankings 2020 by subject: Psychology. 14 November 2019.
19. Web site: World University Rankings 2020 by subject: Social sciences. 29 October 2019.
20. Web site: 2021 Global Ranking of Academic Subjects . 2024-04-04 . www.shanghairanking.com.
21. Web site: Miszewska . Magdalena . 2024-10-11 . SWPS University in THE World University Rankings 2025 . 2024-11-27 . english.swps.pl . en-gb.
22. Web site: Miszewska . Magdalena . 2024-11-15 . SWPS University in Shanghai GRAS 2024 . 2024-11-27 . english.swps.pl . en-gb.