Poland had 1,382 university vacancies in early October — RMF24

At the beginning of October 2026, Poland's Academic Job Offers Database listed 1,382 advertisements for academic and research positions. Polish public and private universities are experiencing staff shortages, most noticeable in smaller academic centers, RMF24 reports.

Salaries lag behind business

According to Grupa Progres, the average offered monthly salary for a lecturer is 7,399 zlotys gross, or just under 89,000 zlotys per year. The pay range in such offers is from 7,095 to 7,879 zlotys gross per month.

Universities find it difficult to compete with private companies, primarily in technical fields and IT. Janusz Szczerba, head of the Higher Education and Science Council of the ZNP trade union, noted that large cities, including Warsaw, Krakow and Wroclaw, have more opportunities to attract young researchers thanks to doctoral schools and access to grants. At the same time, even there young specialists often choose better-paid jobs in business.

Problems of regional universities

The most difficult situation has developed at universities in small cities. Due to the lack of doctoral schools and limited access to grants, more than half of academic lecturers at such institutions are people of pre-retirement age.

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According to ZNP, the greatest staff shortages concern technical sciences — mechanics, energy engineering and computer science — as well as natural sciences, economics and law. A research career from obtaining a doctoral degree to becoming a professor can take 12–15 years, while a comparable level of earnings in the private sector can be reached within a few years.

Competitions without candidates

Universities are also more cautious about reopening vacant positions. In 2026, the Wroclaw University of Economics conducted nine competitions for academic teaching positions, two of which ended without employment due to the lack of suitable candidates.

According to Poland's Central Statistical Office, at the end of 2024 the average age of an academic lecturer was 49, and women accounted for almost half of the staff. Low pay and a heavy workload contribute to young researchers leaving university jobs. As a result, educational institutions are increasing the size of study groups, which, according to the source, affects the quality of education.