Positive image of university and local government - common cause

Abstract

Introduction In this article the author discusses the issue of image of a non-public university in the context of the image of a local government, which functions on the territory where the university is located. The author discusses the mutual influence of both entities and the resulting benefits. In order to illustrate the subject the example of one of the richest and best-developing local governments in Poland – Community of Polkowice – which in 2002 decided to establish its own university together with the District (poviat) of Polkowice. The university is financed to a large extent, which is probably an exception in whole Poland1 with funds from the budget of local government. Lower Silesian University of Entrepreneurship and Technology in Pokowice (DWSPiT) has been functioning on the market of higher education for a decade. It has a significant contribution to the building of a positive image of local authorities and uniting the identity of the local community. Even though people from outside Polkowice also study at the university, it is often called a „local government’s university” or „local university”, alongside the division into public and non-public universities, according to which it was categorized2, according to the law. One of the things important for the potential students is the fact that the university is located in the region of Polkowice, which is developing fast and offers the possibility of studying, potential jobs and in the longer perspective also attractive living conditions. The goal of the article is to try to show, on the example of Polkowice and the Lower Silesian University of Entrepreneurship, the impact that a non-public university may have on strengthening the positive image of local government and to present the scope of cooperation between a university and local government and its image value for the university itself. The subject, due to the limitations imposed by the form of this article, will be limited to only the most important issues, according to the author. The development of free market economy after 1990 changed the approach to regions and education. People started to perceive both education and regions in commercial categories. At universities