The visit of the Minister of Education and Science, Przemysław Czarnek, to the United States has ended. The main goal was to learn about the problems and challenges faced by the Polish diaspora in the USA in education and science and to present the offer of the Ministry of Education and Science (MEiN) for Polish schools and scholars operating in the United States.

Minister Czarnek and the director-general of the Education Council of the US State of Illinois, Ernesto Matias, signed a declaration on cooperation in the field of professional development and teacher guidance.

The signatories agreed that the main goal of the cooperation program will be to create opportunities for the exchange of teaching staff enabling the professional development of teachers and participation in intercultural cooperation expanding their knowledge of the English language and American culture and creating the possibility of spreading the Polish language and culture in Illinois.

The head of MEiN also met with scientists from the Medical Colllege of Wisconsin. The meeting was attended by representatives of the Catholic University of Lublin, the Medical University of Wrocław, the Central Clinical Hospital of the Ministry of Interior and Administration in Warsaw, the National Center for Research and Development and KO-MED Clinical Centers. The talks concerned establishing cooperation between universities and the exchange of experience in the field of cancer research.

An important point of the minister’s visit was a meeting with Wisconsin senators and legislators to discuss the academic exchange and possibilities of tightening cooperation. It was emphasized that this is one of the key factors enabling the development of academic staff.

The head of the Ministry of Education also met with the Polish community and scientists of Polish origin and presented the National Education Commission’s medals to distinguished Polish educational activists. He also visited memorials related to Polish history.

Arkadiusz Słomczyński