Poland’s IMU adhering Organization is the Polish Academia of Sciences. Poland’s ICMI Representative is appointed by the Committee of Mathematical Sciences of the Polish Academy of Sciences (Komitet Nauk Matematycznych PAN); this is always a person active both in teaching practice and research in mathematics education.
• Polish Mathematical Society (Polskie Towarzystwo Matematyczne, PTM) — founded in 1919; the leading organization of mathematicians and mathematics educators. It promotes mathematical culture, supports education and outreach, organises contests, conferences and professional development, and publishes journals.
• Association of Mathematics Teachers (Stowarzyszenie Nauczycieli Matematyki, SNM) — established in 1991 as the first independent association of mathematics teachers in Poland. It advances innovative teaching, active student engagement and the use of technology; it organizes conferences and workshops and has regional branches.
A pioneer of the field in Poland was Prof. Anna Zofia Krygowska (1904–1988), initiator of research and first editor-in-chief of Didactica Mathematicae. Research is conducted primarily at universities. Key centres include Kraków and Poznań. The lack of a separate formal research discipline for mathematics education complicates academic careers in this area.
Examples of university units engaged in research (selected):
• Pedagogical University of Kraków (Uniwersytet Pedagogiczny im. KEN, UKEN) — Chair of Mathematics Education (Katedra Dydaktyki Matematyki),
• Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin (UMCS) — Chair of the Teaching of Mathematics and Computer Science (Katedra Nauczania Matematyki i Informatyki), Institute of Mathematics,
• University of Gdańsk — Department of Mathematics Education (Zakład Dydaktyki Matematyki),
• Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań (UAM) — Faculty Centre for the Didactics of Mathematics and Computer Science (Wydziałowe Centrum Dydaktyki Matematyki i Informatyki),
• University of Wrocław — Laboratory of Mathematics Education (Pracownia Dydaktyki Matematyki),
• University of Silesia — Laboratory of Mathematics Education (Pracownia Dydaktyki Matematyki),
The Educational Research Institute (Instytut Badań Edukacyjnych, IBE) plays a key role in analysing the education system and research on the teaching and learning of mathematics — coordinating international studies (TIMSS, PISA), analysing examination results and supporting education policy.
• Didactica Mathematicae (PTM),
• Annales UP. Studia ad Didacticam Mathematicae Pertinentia (UKEN),
• Mathematical Education of Children (Matematyczna Edukacja Dzieci) — a scholarly–methodological journal for pre-school and grades 1–3,
• Book series “Contemporary Issues in Teaching Mathematics" (Współczesne problemy nauczania matematyki”) — thematic volumes on current challenges (e.g., reasoning and proof, technologies, teacher education).
• Post-conference monograph series after CME (Contemporary Mathematics Education),
In addition to scholarly publications, there are practical and popularizing journals aimed at teachers and students: Matematyka w Szkole , Matematyka, and Delta.
Cyclical conferences and post-conference publications
• School of Mathematics Education (Szkoła Dydaktyki Matematyki, SDM) — nationwide meetings of mathematics educators and teachers (talks, workshops, panels).
• Mathematical Transgressions (“Transgresje”) — a conference focused on crossing the boundaries of traditional approaches to the teaching of mathematics (interdisciplinary).
• Contemporary Mathematics Education (CME) — international conference,
• National Conferences/Congresses of SNM — the largest forum of mathematics teachers in Poland (hundreds of workshops, lectures, poster sessions).
Mathematics teachers are required to hold appropriate higher-education degrees and pedagogical qualifications; since 2016, teacher education has been delivered by accredited universities.
• Grades 1–3: a unified five-year master’s program in pre-school and early-school education.
• Grades 4–8 and upper-secondary schools: a master’s program in mathematics (teacher specialization) or a 3+2 pathway combining mathematics, psychology, pedagogy and didactics.
Those without prior pedagogical preparation may obtain qualifications via postgraduate programs. Teachers’ professional development is supported by in-service training, SNM activities, and the career advancement system under the Teacher’s Charter.
• The Polish education system is overseen by the Ministry of National Education (Ministerstwo Edukacji Narodowej).
• Teacher education is supervised by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education (Ministerstwo Nauki i Szkolnictwa Wyższego).
Qualification/teacher-education standards are available here.
The Polish mathematics curricula are available in Polish only as pdf files: