Teaching Archival Science in Poland: Historical and Contemporary Contexts and Current Challenges

Abstract

This chapter examines the historical development and contemporary challenges of teaching archival science in Poland, with a primary focus on Nicolaus Copernicus University (NCU) in Toruń as the leading center. Archival education traces its roots to the interwar period and post-World War II university programs integrated with history studies, evolving into independent bachelor's and master's degrees in "Archival Science and Records Management" launched at NCU in 2006-2007, following the Bologna Process and a national model of professional competencies developed in 2009. Today, NCU offers the standalone archival program emphasizing modules in archives, records management, history, law, digital systems, and practical training - including mandatory internships, archival tours, and emerging micro-credentials. Despite free public higher education and growing interdisciplinarity, key challenges persist: recruitment hurdles with "ghost students" and high dropout rates, the COVID-19 shift to hybrid teaching, and the lack of formal recognition for archival science as an autonomous discipline, forcing scholars into history frameworks that constrain research on contemporary issues. Drawing on the authors' direct involvement in curriculum design and NCU's programs, the analysis highlights student demands for more practical skills and "future competencies" (e.g., ICT, critical thinking), as revealed in graduate surveys. It advocates modernizing curricula through practitioner involvement, program flexibility, and promotion of archival careers amid labor market shifts, while preserving NCU's long tradition of excellence to ensure relevance in a digital, multifaceted archival landscape.