Section 4: Practical Information

Section 4: Practical Information

General information about Poland

Poland has an area of 120,728 square miles (312,684 square kilometers) and is inhabited by circa 40 mln people. It is located in the east-central portion of Europe and is bordered on the east by Russia, Lithuania, Belarus, and Ukraine, on the west by Germany, on the south by the Czech Republic and Slovakia, and on the north by the Baltic Sea. The most extensive physical feature of Poland is the great plain that covers the northern two thirds of the country. Above 60% of the population live in cities: the biggest urban and industrial area is the Upper Silesian conurbation. Warsaw is the largest Polish city (1,800,000) and is followed by Łódź (850,000) and Kraków (750,000) Other big cities are Wrocław, Poznań, Lublin, Szczecin and agglomertions of the “Tri-City” (Gdańsk-Sopot-Gdynia) and Katowice. In the north, along with the Coast of the Baltic Sea, known for its sandy beaches, is located the stripe of hilly Lake Districts with numberless post-glacial lakes. In Central Poland you can see the stripe of Central Lowlands, south of which the uplands with diversified landscapes are situated. The relatively young Carpathan Mountains lie in the very south of Poland and invite you with their six national parks. The most famous and highest Carpathan range is the Tatras, of alpine type, and the Pieniny Mountains with its unique gorge of the Dunajec River.

Climate

Poland has a moderate climate with both maritime and continental elements. This is due to humid Atlantic air which collides over its territory with dry air from the Eurasian interior. Generally, in northern and western Poland the climate is predominantly maritime, with gentle, humid winters and cool, rainy summers, while the eastern part of the country has distinctly continental climate with harsh winters and hotter, drier summers.

The hottest month is July and the coldest one is January. Below-zero temperatures occur from November to March ( even to – 25). The annual rainfall is 500 - 700 mm, of which snow constitutes only 5 - 20%. September is the beginning of an exceptionally fine spell known as "golden Polish summer". Poland is in the Central European time zone and is thus one hour ahead of standard GMT in the winter months and two hours ahead from April to October.

Costs & prices:

Currency - Złoty Polski (PLN)

Exemplary prices: PLN EUR

Baguette 1,4 0,3

Milk 2 0,4

Butter 2,5 0,5

Oranges 1 kg 5 1,1 Chocolate 2,5 0,5 Juice 1l 3 0,6 Simple meal 10 2,2 Dinner in restaurant 50 10,8 Pizza 20 4,3 Coffee in Cafe 5 1,1 Beer in supermarket 3 0,6 Beer in Pub 8 1,7 Cinema ticket 20 4,3 Entrance to theatre 35 7,5

Entrance to swimming pool 15 3,2 Entrance to swimming pool 15 3,2

Estimated cost of living per month:

§ Accommodation costs: 300 – 1000 PLN

§ Cost of living: 500 – 1000 PLN Visas

If You are a student from one of the EU member countries or a country with which the Republic of Poland concluded an agreement on the abolition of the visa obligation You do not need to worry at all about visas. To enter Poland , no other documentation except a passport is required. Visas are issued for a period not longer than three months.

Authorities competent to issue visas: • the Consul (outside the territory of Poland)

• the Voivode competent with respect to the place of residence of the apllicant (inside the country)

• the Commander-in-Chief of the Border Guards’ checkpoint Temporary residence permit

Taking up studies by a foreigner who has sufficient resources to cover the studies and maintenance costs without the need to use social allowances, confirmed by a certificate issued by the public or non-public university or college, allows to apply for the temporary residence permit. It is granted for the period of two years. It may be extended for the subsequent periods of two years each time.

4.2 Travelling to Wyższa Szkoła Zarządzania / The Polish Open University The university has three branches: in Warsaw, Cracow and Legnica.

4.2.1 The Mazowiecki Branch of WSZ/POU in Warsaw

a. In need, please contact Karolina Zwierzyńska, tel. +48 22 853 70 06 b. Arriving in Warsaw and the university premises

By Air:

Warsaw Airport OKĘCIE is accessible from most world airports. To get to the school building from the airport, take bus 182 and take off at the stop POSTĘPU. Then head for the shopping centre called Galeria Mokotów, the school entrance is in Rodziny Hiszpańskich St.

the Polish Airlies LOT:

Information and reservations, tel: 0801 30 09 52, 95 72 Information about arrivals, tel: +48 22 650 42 20

Information about departures, tel: +48 22 650 39 43 By Train:

The main railway station - Warszawa Centralna Information about timetable, tel: +48 229436

Information about international trains, tel: +4822 620 45 12

The most popular means of transport in Warsaw are buses and trams, whose well-planned nets allow you to reach any part of the city. There is also an underground line that connects the city centre with its southern part.

- Trams:

The most comfortable way to get from the centre to the school are trams 10, 17, 18. Take off at the stop CURTIS PLAZA, cross the street on your right, go down Domaniewska St as far as the ZEPTER building, the university is right behind it. - Buses:

Take off at the stop CURTIS PLAZA for bus 117, or the stop DOMANIEWSKA for buses 174 and 524.

After leaving bus 117 cross the street on your right and head for the ZEPTER building.

After leaving buses 174 or 524 go along Domaniewska St as far as the ZEPTER building

- Underground:

When in the centre, take the train going to Kabaty. Take off at the Wilanowska Station. Go along Domaniewska St as far as the ZEPTER building

- Transport tickets: § Regular daily: 7.20 PLN § Student’s daily: 3.60 PLN § Regular monthly: 65 PLN § Student’s monthly: 33 PLN - Taxi:

The cost from the city centre to the school premises is around 30 PLN. The average charge for taxi services is 5 PLN for the first km, and from 1.30 PLN to 2 PLN for every following.

If you want to travel by taxi, we recommend:

§ MPT Radio Taxi, tel: 919

§ Korpo - Taxi, tel: 96 24

§ Halo Taxi, tel: 96 23 c. Warsaw

Warsaw is located in the very heart of the country and close to the geometrical centre of Europe. A city which was almost completely destroyed during the II World War is today a busy metropolis. There are few places with equally interesting history and relicts of the past, places where the past intertwines with the present giving the city a unique, cosmopolitan character. Warsaw, Poland's capital for the past four centuries, is the largest city of the country. This lively metropolis is the seat of the central government and the most important administrative, business and cultural centre of Poland. Thanks to its central location Warsaw can be easily reached by foreign guests and Poles alike. One of the most modern airports in Europe - Okęcie - has direct connections with numerous cities on all continents. The fast and comfortable EuroCity trains run between Warsaw and Berlin, Vienna, Prague and Moscow. The unique character and attractiveness of Warsaw make a visit here one of the highlights of every tourist's trip to Poland. Here everyone can find something interesting. Warsaw's historical monuments and mementoes from the past have been appreciated by UNESCO and the Old Town has been entered in the list of World Cultural Heritage. The most important monuments are located in the Old Town and along the Royal Route, which runs from the Royal Castle, via Krakowskie Przedmieście, Nowy Świat and Aleje Ujazdowskie to the Royal Palace in Wilanów on the outskirts of the city. The most beautiful of the parks - Łazienki - the summer residence of the last Polish king - Stanisław August Poniatowski - is the favourite place for walks of the inhabitants of Warsaw as well as tourists. On Sundays from May until October concerts of Chopin's music take place by the Chopin's monument in the beautiful scenery of Łazienki Park. One should not forget the other attractions of the city. Warsaw is much more than just a collection of historical monuments. It is also the cultural capital of the country. There are over fifty museums here and over fifty galleries, as well as over thirty professional theatres. Owing to the important role of the National Philharmonic, Warsaw is the main music centre of the country. Many international festivals and competitions take place here every year, such as the renowned Fryderyk Chopin International Piano Competition, the "Warsaw Autumn" International Modern Music Festival, International "Jazz Jamboree" Jazz Festival and the Warsaw Summer Jazz Days.

- general information:

§ area - 512 km sq.

§ population - 1,630,000 inhabitants

§ the whole municipal area - 2.5 mln inhabitants

§ population density - 3,300 people per one km sq.

§ average monthly income (2001) - 3,190 PLN

§ administrative division - 18 districts: Białołęka, Targówek, Rembertów, Wawer, Wilanów, Ursynów, Ursus, Bemowo, Bielany, Praga Południe, Praga Północ, Mokotów, Śródmieście, Ochota, Wesoła, Wola, Żoliborz

- culture and entertainment

There are many places in Warsaw allowing you to spend your free time pleasantly. Here are some of them:

Theatres, i.e.:

Teatr Narodowy (1 Teatralny Square, tel. +48 22 692 02 00)

Teatr Muzyczny Roma (49 Nowogrodzka St, tel.: +48 22 621 80 37) Studio Buffo (6 Konopnickiej St, tel.: +48 22 622 63 93)

Teatr Współczesny (13 Mokotowska St, tel.: +48 22 825 07 25) Rampa (20 Kołowa St, tel.:+48 22 679 50 51)

Cinemas, i.e.:

Cinema City (12 C Wołoska St, in Galeria Mokotów, tel.: +48 22 702 65 01) Silver Screen (17 Puławska St, tel.: +48 22 852 81 11)

Luna (28 Marszałkowska St, tel.: +48 22 621 78 28) Museums/Galleries, i.e.:

Narodowe (3 Al. Jerozolimskie, tel.: +48 22 621 10 31)

Zamek Królewski - the Royal Castle (4 Zamkowy Square, tel.: +48 22 657 21 70) Łazienki Królweskie (1 Agrykola St, tel.: +48 22 621 62 41)

Galeria Sztuki Współczesnej - the Contemporary Art. Gallery “Zachęta” (3 Małachowskiego Square, tel.: +48 22 827 58 54)

Swimming pools, i.e.: Warszawianka in Mokotów Potocka in Żoliborz

4.2.2 The Małopolski Branch of WSZ/POU in Cracow

a. In need, please contact Maja Jaworska, tel +48 12 638 57 33 b. Arriving in Cracow and the university premises

Wyższa Szkoła Zarządzania / The Polish Open University in Cracow is located at Głowackiego St 12.

By Air:

You can come to Cracow by air directly from Frankfurt, London, Paris, Rome, Vienna and Zurich. The John Paul II airport which has recently been renovated is only 15 km. away from Cracow.

from Balice airport take bus 208 to Bronowice Nowe, and then trams 4, 8 or 13. Get off at the 4th stop – Podchorążych Str. (Akademia Pedagogiczna)

By Train:

The railway station receives trains from Austria, The Czech Republic, Germany, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Ukraine and Hungary. There are several trains leaving for Warsaw, too. The journey takes about 2.5 hours.

from the railway station take trams 4, 13 or 24 and get off on Podchorążych Str. (Akademia Pedagogiczna).

By Bus:

from the bus station take trams 4, 13 or 24 and get off on Podchorążych Str. (Akademia Pedagogiczna).

How to travel around the city:

The city has got a wide variety of means of transport offering 24 hour service. ticket fares: • regular daily: 2,40 PLN • student’s daily: 1,20 PLN • regular monthly: 80,00 PLN • student’s monthly: 40,00 PLN By taxi:

Taxi drivers charge about 12,00 – 16,00 PLN from the city center to the school premises. This price includes 5,50 PLN for the first kilometer and 2,00 PLN for each next.

If you want to travel by taxi, we recommend: • Radio Taxi Barbakan 9661

• Taxi Grosik 96 69 c. Cracow

The city atmosphere is determined by its past – legends, traditions with its magnificent monuments, and the present times.

You can visit Wawel – the place where Poland’s greatest kings lived and were elected, Mariacki Church with its world famous altar made by Wit Stwosz, Rynek Główny the biggest in Europe, Kazimierz – a unique district of Cracow which used to be a separate town, and the oldest university in Poland – Jagiellonian University with its famous Collegium Maius.

Old traditions and customs are still alive among the city dwellers- Rękawka, Emaus, harce Lajkonika, the elections of Kurkowy King. You can take a Sunday walk and feel the history at the same time at Kopiec Kościuszki, Kopiec Piłsudskiego, Kopiec Kraka or Kopiec Wandy.

Cracow is admired and loved by both its inhabitints and tourists who come here, fall in love with it and leave only to come back again soon. Wieliczka – a world famous salt mine and Wadowice – the hometown of the Pope make Cracow even more attractive. Not far from the city there is also Oświęcim with concentration camps of the III World War – a painful souvenir of the past. Tourists can visit Zakopane and the Tatra Mountains which can be easily seen from Cracow on a sunny day.

Culture and entertainment:

Kabaret: Formacja Chatelet (os. Krakowiaków 11/22, +48 12 643 54 78), The Lambs Cellar (Rynek Gł.), The Loch Camelot ( Św. Tomasza St 17, tel.: +48 12 4210123), Cinemas: Apollo (Św. Tomasza St 11a, tel.: +48 12 421-89-50), ARS: Reduta (Św. Jana St 6, tel.: + 48 12 421-41-99), Sztuka (Św. Jana St 6, tel.: + 48 12 4214199), Multikino (DobregoPasterza128)

12 633 61 60

Ice Skating Rink: Krakowianka (Siedleckiego St 7, Tel.: +48 12 421 1317) Swimming Pools: Clepardia (Pachońskiego St 28 a, tel.: +48 12 415 96 72), Krakowianka (Bulwarowa St 1, tel.: +48 12 644b 1421), Novotel-Bronowice (A. Krajowej St 11, tel.: + 48 12 637 5044 ext. 0041), Aquapark Park Wodny (Dobrego Pasterza St 126, tel.: +48 12 616 3102)

4.2.3 The Dolnośląski Branch of WSZ/POU in Legnica

a. In need, please contact Beata Szymańska, tel. +48 76 856 07 33 b. Arriving in Legnica and the university premises

Wyższa Szkoła Zarządzania / The Polish Open University in Legnica is located at Łukasińskiego St 25.

By Air:

The nearest airport (Wrocław – Strachowice airport) is in Wrocław which is about 60 km from Legnica. Info tel. 071/358 11 00.

To get to the city center take bus 406 (the journey takes about 20 mins.) and then take a bus or train to Legnica.

It is a 10 minute walk from the bus and railway stations in Legnica to the school premises.

important telephones:

- PKP (railway station) Legnica, Kolejowa St 4 - tel. - (076) 866 90 11

- tel. info - (076) 94 36 -PKS (buses)

- bus station PKS Legnica, Kolejowa St 3 - Tel. - (076) 852 27 56

- Tel. info - (076) 93 16

- MPK (Municipal Communications Office in Legnica, 59-220 Legnica, Domejki St 2) - Tel. - (076) 7223400

- Fax - (076) 7223410

how to travel around the city:

The city has got a wide variety of means of transport offering 24 hour service. You can also take private mini-buses to travel outside the city.

ticket fares:

• regular daily: 2,00 PLN • student’s daily: 1,00 PLN

• regular monthly (all lines): 90,00 PLN • student’s monthly (all lines): 45,00 PLN taxis:

The average taxi charge is 5,00 PLN for the first kilometre and 2,00 PLN for each next.

If you want to travel by taxi, we recommend: Radio Taxi – 9628

Halo Taxi - 9624 c. Legnica

Legnica is situated between Kaczawa and Czarna Woda Rivers and it has got over 100 000 inhabitants. The city is considered as one of the warmest in Poland – average temperature is about 8,5 centigrades. Legnica is one of the biggest cities in Dolny Śląsk area, and so it is the administrative, economic, cultural and educational center. All important international roads cross Legnica – motorway A 4 (east - west) and the national road number 3 bridging northern Poland with the south of Europe. Legnica has got branches of several banks. Creating Legnicka Specjalna Strefa Ekonomiczna in 1997 had a tremendous influence on the development of this area. general information:

Legnica in 2001: • area - 56,29 km2 • population - 109 030 Culture and entertainment:

Theatr: Teatr im. Heleny Modrzejewskiej Legnica ul. Rynek 39 tel.+48 76 856 08 61 Cinemas: Ognisko tel. +48 76 862 28 33, Piast tel. +48 76 862 63 73 Museums: Muzeum Miedzi, ul. Partyzantów 3 tel. +48 76 862 49 49

4.3 Important information Accommodation

The University provides advice and assistance in search for accommodation for students.

Health and Insurance

Students are advised to obtain health insurance in their home country before arrival. If you have the ISIC or Euro<26, insurance is included in the card, it is not necessary then to buy another one unless you wish to increase its scope and value. Students having a student’s card issued by the host university are usually allowed to consult doctors at academic medical care centres. According to state health regulations, foreigners must pay for medical consultations, whose costs will be regained from the health insurance company. Apart from academic and public medical care system there is also a well-developed private sector. WSZ/POU may assist in gaining an insurance covering accidents.

Study Facilities a. Library

The collection of books available in the university library contains the books published both in Polish and English. Furthermore, students have access to EBSCO data base (full-text base of current issues of over 10,000 newspapers and periodicals published in English)

b. Computers

Students are unlimitedly allowed to use school computers and the Internet. Each student has an e-mail account on the server.

c. Polish language courses

The University provides Polish language courses for foreigners. Student Support

a. Information Centre

The first contact with WSZ/POU is made through the Information Centre. The Centre employees (students of the University) will explain all the details concerning studies as well as help to complete all documents required for the enrolment. Furthermore, while studying, they will gladly assist in solving students’ problems.

b. Students’ Government

The Students’ Government is responsible for organising students’ life - social event and gatherings, discounts in student’s clubs, theatres, etc.

c. MBA Club

The MBA Club associates the graduates from MBA studies. It helps social and business contacts to continue, which may be beneficial in future career development. d. Career Bureau

The Career Bureau is involved in organising student’s work placement and it assists in finding jobs.

4.4 Other Practical Information Banks

In Poland the banking system operates as in Europe and it is possible to open an account in many banks.

Emergency Telephones

Police 997

Ambulance 999 Fire Brigade 998

Embassies and Consulates in Warsaw:

Austria 34 Gagarina St, tel. 841 00 81 Finland 4/8 Chopina St, tel. 629 40 91 France 1 Piękna St, tel. 623 84 01

Germany 30 Dąbrowiecka St, tel. 617 30 11 Italy 9 Wrońskiego St, tel. 629 78 61 Russia 49 Belwederska St, tel. 621 34 71 Spain 4 Myśliwiecka St, tel. 622 43 05 Sweden 3 Bagatela St, tel. 844 72 78 The United Kingdom 1 Aleja Róż St, tel. 628 10 01