At a press conference held on 14 February, the Minister of Science, Dariusz Wieczorek, announced his decision to increase the 2024 NCN budget by 200 million zlotys.
“We know that the NCN has had serious problems with funding in recent years. I'd like to tell you that I have decided to increase its research-funding budget by 200 million zlotys”, Dariusz Wieczorek said. He also stressed that the “decision had already been announced and agreed on with the Minister of Finance during the budget presentation”.
Press conference at the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, featuring Minister Dariusz Wieczorek, Deputy Minister Maciej Gdula, and NCN Director Krzysztof Jóźwiak. Photo by Anna Korzekwa-Józefowicz
The Minister affirmed that he would also press for higher subsidies in the coming years. “We want to persuade the Polish government and the Minister of Finance to continue increasing the NCN grant year after year”, he added.
Dr hab. Maciej Gdula, Deputy Minister of Science, who was also present at the press conference, hailed the NCN budget increase and the announcement of pay rises for researchers as a moment of “historic change”. “This opens up an entirely new chapter in the treatment of research”, he said.
The additional 200 million will come from the budget of the Ministry of Science.
“This is a very good decision. We will use these resources to fund many valuable projects”, Prof. Krzysztof Jóźwiak, NCN Director, commented on the plan.
Asked how the extra sum would be allocated between different NCN calls, the director said that they still needed “more time for analysis”. “I can also promise we will be able to launch many projects that have ended up on waiting lists in previous calls”, he asserted.
At the press conference, Prof. Krzysztof Jóźwiak also thanked researchers who have supported the NCN for many months and repeatedly appealed for its budget to be increased. He also mentioned the grassroots social media initiative, #NCNtoTlen, within the framework of which researchers describe research projects they have been able to pursue thanks to NCN funding. “We see that as really important support”, he said.