Warsaw court convicts six private university officials in Collegium Humanum bribery case

First convictions in accreditation corruption case

On 24 September 2026, the Regional Court in Warsaw delivered the first convictions stemming from the investigation surrounding Collegium Humanum and accreditation corruption. Six former rectors and vice-rectors of private higher education institutions were convicted of corruption offenses after pleading guilty and accepting agreed penalties under Article 335 § 2 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. The non-final rulings include suspended prison terms, professional bans, and fines reaching up to 500,000 PLN per defendant. The Silesian Branch of the National Prosecutor's Office submitted the plea bargain motions together with the initial indictment filed in November 2025.

The court, considering the applications submitted under Article 335 § 2 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, found that the circumstances of committing these crimes leave no doubt, and the attitude of the defendants, who pleaded guilty, clearly indicates that the objectives of the criminal proceedings will be achieved without conducting a full trial.

Scale of bribes and targeted institutions

Investigators established that the convicted administrators paid financial kickbacks to public officials at the Polish Accreditation Committee (PKA) to secure favorable decisions and administrative approvals for their institutions. Rafał K. and Marek G. handed over 650,000 PLN to obtain positive accreditation decisions, including outcomes for the University of Applied Sciences in Wrocław (Akademia Nauk Stosowanych we Wrocławiu). Izabela B. transferred 200,000 PLN in cooperation with other individuals regarding the Higher School of Internal Security in Łódź (Wyższa Szkoła Bezpieczeństwa Wewnętrznego w Łodzi). Waldemar U. gave 155,628 PLN for decisions benefiting the Academy of Applied Sciences of the Association of General Knowledge in Szczecin (Akademia Nauk Stosowanych Towarzystwa Wiedzy Powszechnej w Szczecinie), while Marek W. paid 100,000 PLN on behalf of the Higher School of Managerial Staff in Konin (Wyższa Szkoła Kadr Menadżerskich w Koninie).

Sentences and administrative bans

The court imposed varied penalties based on the individual agreements reached with prosecutors. Izabela B. and Marta G. each received a one-year prison sentence suspended for a three-year probation period. Izabela B. was also fined 30,000 PLN (250 daily rates of 120 PLN) and received a three-year ban on holding managerial roles in higher education institutions, including rector, vice-rector, or dean. Marta G. received a fine of 3,000 PLN (150 daily rates of 20 PLN), was placed under probation supervision, and was ordered to forfeit 75,000 PLN in illicit gains. Marek G. and Rafał K. received the largest financial penalties, each ordered to pay 500,000 PLN (500 daily rates of 1,000 PLN) alongside a two-year ban from positions in higher education and the school education system, excluding pre-schools. Waldemar U. received a 50,000 PLN fine and Marek W. a 52,800 PLN fine, with both barred from managerial university posts for two years.

Broader investigation and network connections

While the six convicted administrators were not directly employed by Collegium Humanum, their cases emerged during the broader inquiry into the private university. The prosecution linked the defendants to Artur G., the former director of the office and secretary of the social sciences team at the Polish Accreditation Committee. Prosecutors accuse Artur G. of accepting more than 900,000 PLN from Collegium Humanum leadership in exchange for favorable rulings on new branches and study programs, alongside over 2 million PLN from other university representatives between 2016 and 2024. The broader Collegium Humanum case began after the Central Anticorruption Bureau arrested former rector Paweł Cz. in February 2024 on nearly 100 charges, including running an organized criminal group and falsifying diplomas. The first indictment in November 2025 encompassed 29 individuals facing 67 criminal counts.