I admit that organising student debates once a month in the Parachute Hall to be broadcast by the Polish Television was my idea. I am very grateful to Mr. Tomasz Sygut, the General Director of Polish Television for trusting me and deciding to organise these debates within the walls of the SGH Warsaw School of Economics. The assumption was to show the public that students know how to debate, that they can discuss in a substantive way on important and often difficult topics. It was also about showing to young people that even a difficult topic can be discussed in a rational way and without attacking each other. We may have different views and it is really good that we are different, but we should be able to convey these views, show our arguments and understand the arguments put forward by others. Thanks to this, such a debate makes sense and becomes substantive.
The topics that TVP chooses in close consultation with students are often to “stir up a hornet’s nest”. That’s what they are for. Firstly, we try to explore important topics for discussion, but above all, those issues that interest the young generation, today’s students, such as housing, consumerism, why Poles don’t want to have children, defence, refugees and migration. These aspects of life are important from the point of view of the economy and society.
Let me tell you that we, as a society, definitely talk too little to each other. We focus too little on factual arguments. We also don’t know how to listen to each other. What’s more, we can’t discuss anything with each other.
Why is that? I think that the approach should be changed from the earliest stages of education. There is too little debate in primary and secondary schools and it results from our education system. In Western European countries, not to mention the United States, children start holding discussions in their early school years. They prepare presentations, learn public speaking, rhetoric, logic and the art of negotiation.
We therefore need to change the education system. Knowledge is of course very important, but soft skills such as communication are also important.
Students from other universities have also been involved in the SGH debates. We did not want only SGH students to participate in them. We were in favour of diversity, which I strongly as the debate is fuller then and it shows different points of view. After all, each university deals with something different, educates in their own areas. Students of these universities have different horizons and views. We look some issues from different perspectives and it is fascinating. The debates are attended by representatives of Warsaw universities which are members of the Conference of Rectors of Warsaw Universities and economic universities associated in the Conference of Rectors of Economic universities.
The debates are scheduled until May 2025. I think that the cooperation with TVP is so good that in October we will submit new proposals.
Habilitated doctor PIOTR WACHOWIAK, Rector and Professor at SGH
