The publicly-funded IDEAS NCBR facility set up in 2021 by the National Center for Research and Development (NCBR) saw mass resignations when the then head Professor Piotr Sankowski, who initiated the idea of the center, was replaced without explanation in June 2024.
In response to questions from Polish researchers, including European Research Council (ERC) grant recipients, about the leadership change, the Ministry of Science defended the move saying it had been a “competitive and transparent qualification procedure.”
Poland’s deputy minister of science added that the institute’s losses in 2023 amounted to 28 million zlotys (€6.5 million), with minimal revenue.
But, pointing out that the center’s primary focus was on long-term AI research rather than profit generation, many within the scientific community were still angry with what they saw as being the government’s “bizarre” decision.
Talking to local media following his replacement, Sankowski said: “I believe in the mission of this institute, but please understand that all team leaders, experienced people, are outraged by the result of this competition.
“This whole situation is bizarre.”
Now, the Polish government says it will reappoint Sankowski as the head of a new research institute.
The Minister for Digitization, Krzysztof Gawkowski, announced on Thursday: “Together with [Science] Minister Dariusz Wieczorek and Professor Piotr Sankowski, we are discussing how to resolve the difficulties we’re facing. Today, we are working to calm the situation.
“The Polish government will support artificial intelligence and the researchers who study it.”
He added that three key ministries will take part in the project: the Ministry of Digitization, the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, and the Ministry of Defense.
The Minister of Science Dariusz Wieczorek said that all necessary legal and organizational frameworks for the institute would be finalized by the end of 2024 and that “We aim to have the institute fully operational by January 1, 2025.”
He went on to say that the government would also reform the NCBR as “the audits we conducted there show that this institution was operating poorly: there are no transparent procedures, no clear criteria, there is a question of selecting experts.
“There are a number of things that need to be fixed and I admit that when I receive reports on individual areas, there is really something to do there.”
