The Academy of Social and Media Culture in Toruń has announced a reimbursement plan for the development of the “Media Informatics” course. The news was confirmed by Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz, the Minister of Funds and Regional Policy, on a Saturday briefing. The university’s rector, Father Zdzisław Klafka, told a news agency that all program requirements had been satisfied.
Does AKSiM have to repay the financing?
The ministerial announcement clarified that there is a possibility of refund for the project. The formal details around the condition for repayment were described as a real anomaly in the admissions criteria, which previously required a certification from the pastor.
A statement from the ministry clarified that the project was part of a broader government program supporting science and higher education. The university participated as a beneficiary in this initiative and, according to officials, received approval to implement it. The program was reportedly rated highly and all stipulated conditions were reported as met.
Rector: ‘We have met all the conditions’
PAP reporters sought clarification from Toruń University, which is affiliated with the Warsaw Province’s Redemptorists. The university explained that the media informatics project originated from the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, and that the institution participated under the terms of that agreement. University leaders stated that permission to proceed was granted and that the project earned an excellent assessment. Father Dr. Zdzisław Klafka added that the ministry, under the leadership of Minister Jarosław Gowin, accepted the arrangement. He noted that a recruitment form requiring a letter from a pastor was part of the process but did not constitute a moral judgment against anyone with a different worldview.
According to Klafka, the issue may involve a repayment exceeding 100,000 PLN out of the 400,000 PLN allocated to the project. The amount in question was described as a potential refund related to the funds already received.
The College of Social and Media Culture in Toruń, which operates under Redemptorist leadership, was founded in 2001. In 2021 it gained the title of academy and since then has been known as the Academy of Social and Media Culture in Toruń.