IQS legislation
IQS Act
The Act on the Integrated Qualifications System entered into force on 15 January 2016. The Act sets out the basic legal framework for the new arrangements governing qualifications in Poland.
Below is the consolidated text of the IQS Act.
Act on the Integrated Qualifications System
Tasks of the minister responsible for school education, acting as Minister-Coordinator of the IQS, and of the minister responsible for a given branch of government administration – selected provisions of the Act on the Branches of Government Administration.
The annex contains selected provisions of the Act on the Branches of Government Administration concerning the role of the relevant minister in including qualifications falling within that branch in the Integrated Qualifications System. It also contains the provision assigning the role of Minister-Coordinator of the IQS to the minister responsible for school education.
Selected provisions of the Act on the Branches of Government Administration
Order of the Prime Minister on the Interministerial Team for Lifelong Learning and the Integrated Qualifications System
Lifelong learning policy is a responsibility of the government as a whole and is implemented, within their respective areas of responsibility, by individual members of the Council of Ministers. These activities are coordinated by the Interministerial Team for Lifelong Learning and the Integrated Qualifications System.
Order of the Prime Minister of 12 May 2016 on the Interministerial Team
REGULATIONS
Regulations issued under the IQS Act
- Regulation of the Minister of Education of 30 January 2025 on expert teams for the inclusion of qualifications in the Integrated Qualifications System.
Regulation of the Minister of Education of 30 January 2025 on expert teams - Regulation of the Minister of Education of 22 January 2024 on the scope of information collected in the Integrated Qualifications Register on partial qualifications awarded after completion of postgraduate studies.
Regulation on information collected in the IQR on partial qualifications awarded after completion of postgraduate studies
Explanatory memorandum to the above Regulation
Notice relating to the above Regulation - Regulation of the Minister of Education of 10 January 2024 amending the Regulation on the rules of procedure of the committee assessing applications for entry on the list of entities authorised to perform external quality assurance functions, the model agreement with an entity entrusted with external quality assurance functions, and the method for determining remuneration under that agreement
Regulation of the Ministry of Education on external quality assurance bodies
Explanatory memorandum to the Regulation on external quality assurance bodies - Regulation of the Minister of Education of 10 October 2016 on the rules of procedure of the committee assessing applications for entry on the list of entities authorised to perform external quality assurance functions, the model agreement with an entity entrusted with external quality assurance functions, and the method for determining remuneration under that agreement
Regulation of the Ministry of Education on external quality assurance bodies - Regulation of the Minister of National Education of 31 July 2019 on the models of graphic symbols indicating the levels of the Polish Qualifications Framework assigned to full and partial qualifications included in the Integrated Qualifications System and the corresponding levels of the European Qualifications Framework
Regulation on PQF graphic symbols - Regulation of the Minister of Science and Higher Education of 14 November 2018 on second-stage learning outcome descriptors for qualifications at levels 6–8 of the Polish Qualifications Framework.
Regulation on PQF level 6–8 descriptors - Regulation of the Minister of National Education of 21 June 2017 on the Sectoral Qualifications Framework for the sport sector
Regulation of 21 June 2017 on the Sectoral Qualifications Framework for the sport sector
Explanatory memorandum to the Regulation of 21 June 2017 on the Sectoral Qualifications Framework for the sport sector - Regulation of the Minister of National Education of 18 May 2017 on the Sectoral Qualifications Framework for the tourism sector
Regulation of 18 May 2017 on the Sectoral Qualifications Framework for the tourism sector
Explanatory memorandum to the Regulation of 18 May 2017 on the Sectoral Qualifications Framework for the tourism sector - Regulation of the Minister of National Education of 16 January 2017 on the levels of the Polish Qualifications Framework for full qualifications awarded up to 15 January 2016.
Regulation on PQF levels for full qualifications awarded up to 15 January 2016
Explanatory memorandum to the Regulation on PQF levels for qualifications awarded up to 15 January 2016 - Regulation of the Minister of National Education of 19 August 2016 on the requirements to be met by experts appointed to an expert team, the procedure for appointing experts, and the procedure for comparing learning outcomes required for qualifications with the level descriptors of the Polish Qualifications Framework
Regulation on the requirements to be met by experts
Explanatory memorandum to the Regulation on experts - Regulation of the Minister of National Education of 3 August 2016 on the scope of information collected in the Integrated Qualifications Register on qualifications awarded after completion of postgraduate studies
Regulation on the scope of information collected in the IQR
Explanatory memorandum to the Regulation on the scope of information collected in the IQR on qualifications awarded after postgraduate studies - Regulation of the Minister of National Education and the Minister of Science and Higher Education of 17 June 2016 on the second-stage descriptor of the Polish Qualifications Framework typical of qualifications obtained after achieving a full qualification at level 5
Regulation on the PQF level 5 descriptor
Explanatory memorandum to the Regulation on the PQF level 5 descriptor - Regulation of the Minister of National Education of 13 April 2016 on second-stage descriptors of the Polish Qualifications Framework typical of qualifications of a vocational nature – levels 1–8
Regulation on PQF level 1–8 descriptors
Explanatory memorandum to the Regulation on PQF level 1–8 descriptors - Regulation of the Minister of National Education of 13 April 2016 on second-stage descriptors of the Polish Qualifications Framework typical of qualifications of a general nature – levels 1–4
Regulation on PQF level 1–4 descriptors
Explanatory memorandum to the Regulation on PQF level 1–4 descriptors - Regulation of the Minister of National Education of 12 April 2016 on the technical requirements to be met by the application used to transmit information to the Integrated Qualifications Register
Regulation on technical requirements relating to the IQR
Explanatory memorandum to the Regulation on technical requirements
Regulations issued under the Act on the Education System, as amended by the IQS Act
- Regulation of the Minister of National Education of 13 March 2017 on the classification of occupations in vocational education, which entered into force on 1 September 2017.
Regulation on the classification of occupations in vocational education
Explanatory memorandum to the Regulation on the classification of occupations in vocational education - Regulation of the Minister of National Education of 13 December 2016 on the classification of occupations in vocational education
Regulation on the classification of occupations in vocational education
Explanatory memorandum to the Regulation on the classification of occupations in vocational education
Regulations issued under the Crafts Act, as amended by the IQS Act
- Regulation of the Minister of National Education of 10 January 2017 on the journeyman examination, master craftsman examination and verification examination conducted by examination boards of chambers of crafts.
Regulation on the journeyman examination, master craftsman examination and verification examination
Explanatory memorandum to the Regulation on the journeyman examination, master craftsman examination and verification examination
Regulations issued under the Law on Higher Education and Science
- Regulation of the Minister of Science and Higher Education of 6 March 2019 on data processed in the POL-on Integrated Information System for Higher Education and Science
Regulation of the Minister of Science and Higher Education on data processed in the POL-on Integrated Information System for Higher Education and Science
Orders of the Minister-Coordinator of the IQS
Order of the Minister of National Education of 13 July 2016 appointing members of the Stakeholder Council of the Integrated Qualifications System.
Order No 35 appointing members of the Stakeholder Council of the Integrated Qualifications System
Order of the Minister of National Education of 8 February 2017 amending the Order appointing members of the Stakeholder Council.
Order No 6 amending the Order appointing members of the IQS Stakeholder Council
Find out more about the work of the Stakeholder Council here
Recommendations of the European Parliament and of the Council on the European Qualifications Framework for lifelong learning
The European Qualifications Framework is intended to make it easier to compare qualifications obtained at different times, in different places and through different forms of learning, to improve the alignment of qualifications with labour market needs and, as a result, to increase worker mobility and promote and facilitate lifelong learning. The publication of this Recommendation provided a strong impetus for work on qualifications systems in many countries, including Poland.
Council Recommendation of 2017
Recommendation of the European Parliament and of the Council of 2008
Council Recommendation on the validation of non-formal and informal learning
The Recommendation proposes that systems for the validation of non-formal and informal learning should be established by 2018 in all countries that commit to implementing it.
Council Recommendation on validation of 2012
Notice concerning the Interministerial Team for Lifelong Learning and the IQS
Notice of the Prime Minister of 31 October 2023 announcing the consolidated text of the Prime Minister’s Order on the Interministerial Team for Lifelong Learning and the Integrated Qualifications System.
Notice concerning the Interministerial Team