Collegium Humanum (C.H.) – Warsaw Management University – an international, private university with its seat in
Warsaw and branches in
Rzeszów,
Poznań, the
Czech Republic (
Prague,
Frýdek-Místek),
Slovakia (
Bratislava) and
Uzbekistan (
Andijan). As of March 2024, Collegium Humanum is under compulsory governmental administration due to various academic fraud and corruption charges.
History
The university was established in 2018 by the decision of the Minister of Science and Higher Education at the request of the Institute of International Studies and Education Humanum Sp. z o.o. with its seat in Warsaw and was then entered into the Register of Private Universities of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education under the number of 383.[2][3]
In 2020, Collegium Humanum received the “Pro Masovia” Commemorative Medal for its particular contribution to the economic, social and cultural development of the wider
Mazovia Region.[5]
Since 2020, Collegium Humanum has been a signatory to PRME (the Principles for Responsible Management Education),[6][7] an international forum of leading business universities from around the world operating under the auspices of the United Nations, whose aims are to shape global attitudes of social responsibility among future leaders across business, politics and other dimensions of public life.
Postgraduate studies of Executive
Master of Business Administration (MBA) taught at Collegium Humanum have secured a Professional Class ranking in the MBA Programme Rating prepared by the MBA SEM Forum 2020.[8][9]
In 2023, the university received a positive assessment from the Polish Accreditation Committee (PKA) for its psychology program.[12][13] Various C.H. studies were denied recognition by Austrian authorities.[14] In March 2024, a former PKA director was arrested for corruption. He had granted favourable reviews for studies at C.H., while receiving almost 500,000 Złoty and securing jobs for his wife and a sister from C.H.[15][16]
On February 29, 2024, Prof. Ilona Makowska was appointed as the Provost of Collegium Humanum. Previously, she has served as the Deputy Vice-Rector for Education Quality at the
University of Zielona Góra, Vice-Rector of the
University of Security in Poznań, and Dean of the
WSB Faculty Merito in Bydgoszcz.[17] The new provost is said to calm down uproar among students amidst severely hampered academic educational activities. Most proceedings require consent of the governmental caretaker now.[18] Makowska stepped down in April and was succeeded by Paweł Poszytek.
As of mid-March 2024, collegium Humanum is under compulsory administration by the authorities.[19]
Fraud charges and investigations since 2022
In 2022, the Polish
Newsweek started to publish reports on Collegium Humanum functioning as a
degree mill.[20] The C.H. sued the magazine multiple times,[21][22] prompting Newsweek to seek redress.[23]
While first investigations started in late 2022,[24] large scale prosecution by
CBA took place in February 2024, with seven management cadres, among them provost Paweł Czarnecki, being arrested as a suspect
criminal association. The provost faces 30 charges.[25]
Among the graduates of C.H. are hundreds of public servants and politicians, many of them being aligned to the
PiS party, which ruled Poland until
late 2023 and the
PO party, which has been part of the governing coalition since December 2023.
Due to a legal change in 2017, candidates for board membership in
public sector companies had to come up with a
MBA, in many cases issued by the newly established C.H within just a few month period of enrollment and for a fraction of the usual cost.[26][27][28][29] In 2018,
accreditation rules for
postgraduate studies had been eased significantly, doing away with the compulsory review process.[30] In late March 2024, the council for public companies ruled that C.H. MBA titles are no longer perceived as a form of qualification.[31]
The Ministry for Higher Education is working on an examination process, with illicit degrees possibly being annuled.[32][33] In
Wrocław and
Poznań, key figures within the PO party dominated city authorities hold C.H. degrees.[34][35]
Collegium Humanum is reported to have functioned in an international network of private educational institutions of dubious repute,[36][37] while maintaining branches in Austria[38] as well as in several
post-communist countries, among them Czechia, Slovakia[39] and Uzbekistan.[40]
The university also awarded numerous distinctions to well-known figures in show business such as the singer
Doda and Irena Santor. Additionally, the university honored controversial politician
Tomasz Misiak with a Medal of Success, who is known for his involvement in numerous scandals[41] and had faced criminal charges[42][43] in Wrocław. Misiak was actively involved in the university's life and remained associated with the institution by giving lectures, interviews, and speeches on its behalf.[44][45][46]
Bachelor's and Master's degree programmes
Headquarters in Warsaw
first-cycle studies (Bachelor's) in Management
first-cycle studies (Bachelor's) in Finance and Accounting
second-cycle studies (Master's) in Management
second-cycle studies (Master's) in Finance and Accounting
uniform Master's studies in Psychology
uniform Master's studies in Law
uniform Master's studies in Preschool and Early School Education
Branch in Poznań
first-cycle studies (Bachelor's) in Management
second-cycle studies (Master's) in Management
uniform Master's studies in Psychology
Branch in Rzeszów
uniform Master's studies in Psychology
first-cycle studies (Bachelor's) in Pedagogy
second-cycle studies (Master's) in Pedagogy
Branch in Prague (the Czech Republic)
first-cycle studies (Bachelor's) in Management
second-cycle studies (Master's) in Management
Branch in Frýdek-Místek (the Czech Republic)
first-cycle studies (Bachelor's) in Pedagogy
second-cycle studies (Master's) in Pedagogy
first-cycle studies (Bachelor's) in Social Work
second-cycle studies (Master's) in Social Work
Branch in Bratislava (Slovakia)
first-cycle studies (Bachelor's) in Management
second-cycle studies (Master's) in Management
Branch in Andijan (Uzbekistan)
first-cycle studies (Bachelor's) in Management
second-cycle studies (Master's) in Management
Postgraduate studies
Executive Master of Business Administration (MBA)
Executive Master of Business Administration (MBA) – Healthcare Management
Executive Master of Business Administration (MBA) – IT Management
Executive Master of Business Administration (MBA) – Tourism Management
Executive Master of Business Administration (MBA) – Agribusiness Management
Executive Master of Business Administration (MBA) – Security Management
Master of Laws (LL.M.) – Law in Business
Doctor of Business Administration (DBA)
Internet Marketing (e-Marketing and e-Commerce)
Psychotraumatology
Control and Audit
HR, Finance and Payroll
Health Educator
Monitoring of Clinical Trials
Personal Data Protection Inspector (DPO)
Publishing
The university publishes the following scientific journals:
International Social and Humanities Studies – Humanum
ISSN1898-8431, 7 points on the ranking list of journals awarded by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education (List B No. 992),
European Social and Humanities Studies – Prosopon
ISSN1730-0266, 6 points on the ranking list of journals awarded by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education (List B No. 1356),
International Humanities Studies – Society and Education
ISSN1898-0171, 7 points on the ranking list of journals awarded by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education (List B No. 1667),
Language and Communication
ISSN2084-5111, 5 points on the ranking list of journals awarded by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education (List B No. 1000).