Szymon Hołownia, the leader of Poland 2050 and Speaker of the Sejm, announced that he is considering legal action against Collegium Humanum over alleged unlawful handling of his personal data. He stressed that he never spent any time at the university, did not attend classes, and asserted that he was a victim, not the perpetrator.
Newsweek reported that Hołownia studied at Collegium Humanum, a claim he denied. He acknowledged he had applied to psychology there but did not enroll in or pursue the program.
Hołownia suggested that he would likely be justified in pursuing legal action for improper handling of his personal information. If it turned out he did not undertake the studies, did not sign a contract, and did not pay, yet the university claimed otherwise and traded his data, that would be illegal. He argued this matter should be reviewed by the Public Prosecution Service and the Office for Personal Data Protection.
At a Thursday press conference, Hołownia reiterated that he had never visited Collegium Humanum, saying he did not spend a single minute there, did not take any classes, did not write a thesis, did not participate in projects, and did not sign a study contract.
He added that he did not pay for any tests and that no one at the university could confirm his presence.
The marshal explained that he intended to study psychology at Collegium Humanum and not pursue an MBA, noting that he did not study there for the same reason he did not complete his studies at SWPS.
The workload, he said, was overwhelming. He also stated that like thousands of others, he fell victim to the university in a way that should be examined and clarified.
I am the victim of this situation, not the perpetrator, Hołownia stressed again, underscoring his belief that the episode reflected broader questions about the university and its practices.
I thought it would be possible to study and graduate there normally, but it turned out that the institution has a questionable reputation, he said, framing the matter as part of a larger pattern of concern surrounding Collegium Humanum.
Hołownia opined that Tomasz Siemoniak, the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Administration and a coordinator of security services, had not taken steps by the services in this case. He claimed to have provided information to Siemoniak, who checked it and found no such activity. While expressing trust in Siemoniak, Hołownia also warned that events sometimes unfold beyond one’s control and hinted at possible political motives behind the situation, while explicitly stopping short of accusing Donald Tusk or other governing-coalition politicians.
Asked whether the accusations implied that he had completed studies without paying or attending classes, Hołownia dismissed them as lies and slander, arguing about what benefit such rumors could bring him given that he did not obtain a diploma and has only secondary education.
Hołownia reaffirmed his confidence in Justice Minister Adam Bodnar and in Minister Siemoniak, though he expressed reservations about the Public Prosecution Service as an institution, citing past issues and suggesting a gap between leadership and operational performance.
He warned that these are dirty games that tend to end badly, noting that receipts and evidence eventually emerge, though he admitted that providing proof in this case would be difficult.
When pressed about what could prove he was not present, Hołownia challenged the idea of proving a counterfactual, saying that a photo, recording, or other incontrovertible evidence would be required. He suggested that even a doctored entry in the university system would require corroboration through documents or knowledge exchange that would indicate intent and action rather than a random alteration.
During the briefing, Hołownia also commented on Newsweek’s report that Michał Kobosko, a Vice President of Poland 2050 and a Member of the European Parliament, had considered studying at Collegium Humanum and had negotiated with the rector, Paweł Cz. He said he never told Kobosko that all studies would be free, but he did help him obtain the necessary documents, and Kobosko reportedly did not pursue these studies.
Hołownia recounted the sequence of events, noting that Kobosko had told him of his interest in studying at the university. He said he completed the necessary forms for Kobosko and handed them over, while he could not recall any online procedures. He also claimed he never logged into any university systems and that his involvement with Collegium Humanum lasted only as long as the admissions paperwork, after which he found himself facing a troubling situation with another party, whom he described as a fraudster.
Over the past year Hołownia often stated that he had applied for admission to Collegium Humanum and was drawn into the matter because media questions and concerns about fake MBAs caused his name to appear in the discussion as well.
The marshal noted that media reports had already linked his name to Collegium Humanum. He said he learned of the scandal during an on-the-record interview with Onet, though he could not recall the university’s name at the time. He added that questions arose about his relationship with the university and with his close associate Kobosko, leading them to issue clarifying statements.
He suggested that Mr. Czarnecki had prepared documents to support leads and potential compromises, an assertion he attributed to his own observations of the case.
When asked whether he was surprised that no one from the university had contacted him after his name appeared on the student list, Hołownia admitted he was not surprised. He explained that he had fulfilled his duties and had no interest in the university’s paperwork.
“I did not pay any money, so I had no loss from what happened. I did not start it; I pursued other things,” he concluded.
Newsweek article
Newsweek reported that former Collegium Humanum employees recalled seeing Hołownia’s name on the student list and that his grades and documents were entered into the university’s IT system. According to informants, Hołownia never truly studied and would have earned a master’s degree based on credits and grades he previously earned at SWPS, aided by the former rector Paweł Cz.
CBA officials have been examining irregularities at Collegium Humanum since February. Journalists from Newsweek uncovered that the private university offered fast-track courses that could lead to an MBA. Such diplomas supposedly facilitated access to supervisory boards of ministries, including Finance. The credibility of Collegium Humanum’s documents was alleged to rely on foreign universities, which were not authorized to offer MBA programs. Graduates of Collegium Humanum reportedly included politicians, presidents, state finance executives, secret service officers, and military leaders.
Since February, approximately thirty people have been detained in connection with the Collegium Humanum case. Among those who have faced scrutiny are former PiS MP Karol Karski and Wrocław Mayor Jacek Sutryk.
tkwl/PAP
Citation: wPolityce
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Citation: wPolityce