SWPS University facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
SWPS University

Polish: SWPS Uniwersytet Humanistycznospołeczny
Former names	Szkoła Wyższa Psychologii Społecznej
Type	Private
Established	1996
Founder	Piotr Voelkel, Andrzej Eliasz, Zbigniew Pietrasiński and Janusz Reykowski
Rector	Associate Professor Roman Cieślak, Ph.D.
Administrative staff	1000
Students	17,500
Location	Warsaw, Wrocław, Sopot, Poznań, Katowice , Poland
Campus	Urban
Colours	Black, White
Affiliations	EUA, Socrates-Erasmus
Website	swps.pl

SWPS University (Polish: Uniwersytet SWPS) is a private university in Poland. It was started in 1996 by three professors who taught psychology.

SWPS University is one of the biggest private universities in Poland. It has over 14,000 students. These students are studying for their first degrees, advanced degrees, or doctorates. More than 1,200 students come from over 60 different countries. The university has five main locations in big Polish cities. These cities include Warsaw, Wrocław, Sopot, Poznań, and Katowice.

The university used to be called the Warsaw School of Social Psychology. In 2015, it officially became a university under Polish law.

How the University is Run

In 2008, a Polish businessman named Piotr Voelkel became the main supporter of SWPS University. He leads an organization called the Institute for the Development of Education.

Before 2018, a group of people called a board of trustees managed the university. These people were chosen privately and met once a year. Now, a rector and a director general run the university. This change happened because of new laws about higher education in Poland.

Leaders of the University

The university has had two main leaders, called rectors:

• Andrzej Eliasz (from 1996 to 2016)
• Roman Cieślak (since 2016)

What Students Can Study

The main building of SWPS University in Warsaw.

SWPS University offers many different study programs. Students can choose from 15 programs taught completely in English. There are also over 30 programs taught in Polish, with more than 70 special topics.

The main subjects you can study are Psychology, Law, Languages, Literature, Culture, Media, Communication, Management, and Design. The Polish government's Ministry of Science and Higher Education has said that SWPS is a top school for Social Sciences programs in Poland.

University Departments

SWPS University has eleven departments, also called faculties. These departments can give out doctoral degrees in different subjects. For example, they can give doctorates in cultural studies, literature, law, and sociology in Warsaw. They also give doctorates in psychology in Warsaw, Wrocław, and Sopot.

The university can also give out higher post-doctoral degrees. These are in cultural studies (Warsaw) and psychology (Warsaw and Wrocław).

Here are some of the main departments and what they focus on:

• Warsaw: Psychology, Humanities, Social Sciences, Design, and Law.
• Sopot, Katowice, Kraków, Wrocław: Mainly Psychology.
• Wrocław: Also has a department for Law and Communication.
• Poznań: Focuses on Psychology and Law.

SWPS University in Poznan.

SWPS University in Sopot.

People Who Studied Here

Many interesting people have graduated from SWPS University. Some of them include:

• Daria Abramowicz, a sports psychologist.
• Ania, a singer.
• Katarzyna Cichopek, an actress and dancer.
• Żanna Słoniowska, a writer and journalist.

Helping the Community

SWPS University works with many groups to help the community. Teachers and students are encouraged to get involved. For example, the university has a Legal Clinic. This clinic gives free legal advice to people who don't have much money.

The university also helps local craftspeople in the Praga District of Warsaw. This is where the main campus is located. Much of the research done at SWPS helps solve real-world problems. This includes studies on how our brains work, how people make choices in business, and public policy. They also study health, aging, and how young people adapt to new situations.

SWPS works with many non-profit groups. It is the first university in Europe to get the Ashoka Journey to Changemaking Certificate. This shows their commitment to making positive changes in the world. They are also part of the Engaged Universities Forum, which helps Polish universities work towards the UN's Sustainable Development Goals.

University Rankings

• In 2019, SWPS University was ranked the second-best private university in Poland by Perspektywy.
• Times Higher Education (THE) ranked SWPS University among the top universities in the world in 2020.
• For Psychology, SWPS was ranked among the top 401+ by Times Higher Education in 2020.
• In the 2019 ARWU Global Ranking of Academic Subjects for Psychology, SWPS University was ranked between 201 and 300 globally.
• According to the American US News Ranking, SWPS is the top Psychology university in Poland and 308th in the World.

See also

In Spanish: Universidad de Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades para niños

• Collegium Da Vinci
• SWPS University Press