On Thursday, 27 November, Warsaw’s Voivodeship Administrative Court rejected Małgorzata Manowska’s appeal over the decision to deny her a professorship, citing an “absolute precedent.”
Court Decision
On Thursday, 27 November, the Voivodeship Administrative Court in Warsaw dismissed Małgorzata Manowska’s appeal, which had been lodged after the Scientific Excellence Council denied her request to the President for a professorship.
Reasoning Behind Denial
The Council declared that the Supreme Court President’s scholarly output does not exhibit outstanding distinction, and that her achievements could not be deemed “standing out above average.”
Impact of Non‑Disclosure
The judgment was delivered behind closed doors, with no press present. According to Gazeta Wyborcza, the court refused the newspaper access to the full case file and Manowska’s appeal. Justice secretary Małgorzata Jarecka explained that, because the session was non‑public, the reasoning will only be disclosed after any formal justification is prepared. The ruling is not yet final; Manowska may take the case to the Supreme Administrative Court.
Professor Selection Process
In Poland, the President confers the title of professor, but candidates must first satisfy statutory criteria and submit an application to the Scientific Excellence Council. Council members are elected through electronic voting by those holding a habilitation doctorate or the title of professor.
Voting Controversy
For Manowska, five randomly chosen reviewers and a discipline‑specific team assessed her application. Three reviews were positive and two negative. The Council’s V Social Sciences team voted 16 against, 13 in favour, and two abstained. A joint investigation by Gazeta Wyborcza and OKO.press revealed that the Council Presidium forwarded the application to the President twice—two separate votes—raising accusations of an “absolute precedent.”