Marta is on the Education Pathway at the University of Warwick. Her research topic is “Widening Participation and Social Justice in Higher Education: An International Comparison”. From April to June 2023, she undertook an Overseas Institutional Visit at the University of Warsaw in Poland.

Marta’s visit was to the Education Policy and Social Research on Education Unit in the Department of Education. She attended team meetings and took part in many informal conversations about the research and activities conducted by the Unit, as well as her own project. She gave a formal presentation about her research and received detailed feedback and advice about the Polish Higher Education system. Marta also gave a number of short presentations to students about her research. She joined a research trip on a project, where she had sole responsibility for administering Mathematics Abilities tests in a school. Marta was able to attend a number of classes, day events and seminars, giving numerous opportunities for networking and enriching her understanding of the Central and Eastern European education context.

Marta comments: “The benefits of the visit have been numerous…I gained wider, international perspectives personally and I hope that I was able to contribute to raising the profile of international, comparative, collaborative research both in my home and host institutions…The visit has without a doubt had a positive impact both on my PhD research and future career. I have developed my knowledge of the Polish education system, particularly Higher Education, including an increased understanding of its political and sociological context. I have gained career-related skills and have extended my perspectives and developed links internationally. I believe that this knowledge, understanding, skills and experiences will have a significant influence on the quality of my PhD as well as my career trajectory.”