Between academic freedom and corporation. Apparent actions in Polish Academia

This article critically examines the current state of Polish academia, influenced by a shift from a traditional academic ethos toward a corporative one (Sztompka, 2015). We focus on how key values such as academic freedom and university autonomy are increasingly undermined by neoliberal changes in higher education. Political pressures remain evident. Using Jan Lutyński’s (1977) concept of “apparent actions,” we analyze how universities simulate advocacy of scholarly values—such as the safeguarding of academic freedom and ensuring quality—while pursuing bureaucratic and managerial objectives. We specifically analyze two components: the fetishization of points in institutional and individual evaluation, and the implementation of learning outcomes. These practices mirror private-sector audit culture and are often modeled on better-funded Anglo-Saxon systems. This shift has led to the marginalization of academia’s edifying mission. Teaching, is deprioritized in favor of research metrics, often assessed based on international, English-language publications. We argue that these developments create the illusion of progress while eroding the core values of higher education.