It only takes 30 minutes from the center of Warsaw to arrive in Podkowa Lesna on the campus of Europe’s first education institute that trains experts in Bible lands tourism. That’s a biweekly journey for several hundred students who have enrolled and are pursuing a three-year college course, mastering knowledge about the present-day countries described in the Old and New Testament.
“What was a dream a few years ago can be explained today by rather impressive statistics,” says professor Bernard Kozirog, principal of the Seventh-day Adventist College of Theology and Humanities (ACTH). “We are marveling ourselves how the interest has grown throughout the country.”
But the Institute of Tourism in the Bible Lands is only one of several faculties, though the most popular, Kozirog explains. The 2003/2004 academic year was attended by 1,030 students enrolled in classes offered by the school’s six faculties. These include theology, the church’s ministerial course, tourism of Bible lands, religious education, health promotion and foreign languages. Such level of enrollment also guarantees sustainability of the school, according to school officials.
Commenting on the schools success, Orville Woolford, education director of the Adventist Church in the Trans-European region, says that in enrollment, the Polish school is the largest Adventist college in Europe.
The college is fully accredited by the state, and is also enjoying a growing interest in cooperation from the country’s premier universities. “Since we offer only BA-level diplomas, our graduates continue graduate studies in other schools. Today, our diplomas are recognized by 21 universities and other academic institutions, including the University of Warsaw and Jagiellonian University of Krakow,” Kozirog explains. “Our students have also been welcomed by several of Poland’s Catholic universities, which offer graduate studies in related subjects.”
Explaining the phenomenon, Pastor Pawel Lazar, president of the Polish Seventh-day Adventist Church, says that “demographically we are in very good shape. We are offering an interesting and attractive menu of subjects and fill the existing gap and interest.”
The school’s profile particularly attracts “those who are interested in tourism,” Kozirog says. “Today, it’s cheaper to go to Egypt than spend a vacation in Poland. And the Poles are religious people. The connection with the Bible lands establishes us in an area that is attractive also to tourism agencies.” The school’s program includes formal lectures, but also has at least four study excursions conducted annually to the countries of the Bible. “Students are required to include at least one such Bible land tour as part of their study program. And of course they enjoy having a hands-on experience,” Kozirog adds.
In an interview with Adventist News Network, Kozirog said that this branch of the school was researched as to viability and potential interest. He mentioned a survey conducted by tourist offices in Poland that indicated a steady interest of the population to visit the countries of popular pilgrimages, including Italy and Israel, as well as the Middle East. He said that four years ago the Institute of Foreign Languages was the largest faculty administered by the college. “Now, we attract individuals interested in becoming tourist guides, but many continue their studies in related topics,” Kozirog commented.
Only a small group of students use the school’s dormitory, and most only attend biweekly weekend lectures and consultations. The school’s success appears to be based not only on distance learning, but also because ACTH intentionally created satellite campuses in several cities. Currently, besides the school’s main campus in Podkowa Lesna, near Warsaw, there are four other centers: in Krakow, Lublin, Nysa and Tychy. The school announced establishing two more campuses in Gdansk and Poznan in the fall.
“Naturally, the Bible and theological subjects are taught by Adventist theologians, but some of the non-theological courses have been taught by many of the country’s best educators. Just like our students, they are recruited from other centers,” Kozirog explains. Currently, the college has 74 faculty members of which 26 hold doctorate degrees.
Speaking at the graduation in Podkowa Lesna on June 27, Kozirog announced progress in plans to offer Master of Arts degrees. He said it appears that the condition for a professorship quorum will be achieved within two years, and explained that such are the conditions established by the State Accrediting Committee of the Ministry of Education. In November, the school’s plans also include inaugurating a new library, which will house 60,000 volumes.
The school has announced that, beginning in October, the Institute of Health Promotion will offer a course that the school hopes will attract students of nursing and related subjects.
“This new Institute will offer a BA diploma course meeting a need created by a state requirement for nurses in our country. The new curriculum has been discussed with the Ministry of Education, which supplied us with a required study program,” says Dr Anna Slonecka-Polok, director of the new Institute. She adds that the program will receive appropriate adjustment to include “our own health interests as Seventh-day Adventists, conscious of lifestyle, and will offer general public health courses recommended by Loma Linda University from California, the Adventist Church’s premier health education institution.” Slonecka-Polok told Adventist News Network that already 80 candidates indicated interest in the new course, though not all details have been formally announced. “It appears to us that we will have no problem in attracting a good group of students. It seems that our reputation is becoming known, and information travels fast.”
The college offers opportunities to discuss religion. “Students react differently to the knowledge shared with them about the Old and New Testament. But we do not aim to force particular religious views on any of our students,” explains Amadeusz Citlak, director of the Institute of Tourism in the Bible Lands. “Our lectures must be of the highest quality and offer specific, expert knowledge which will be used in the tourism profession.”
The school’s principal explains that “being evangelistic is always a challenge. This is something that we have to work on, and both the students and the faculty are aware of this.”
“There is plenty of interest in the Bible,” Kozirog adds. “The other day one of the students came to me and said, ‘I am disappointed that my school year ended.’ They enjoy a good Christian atmosphere, which as Adventists we are interested in providing. Some of the students are requesting baptism.”
Graduation ceremonies for this academic year have taken place in the college’s five satellite campuses, reported Adventist Information Agency in Warsaw. A group of 408 graduates received their diplomas and several dozen more will complete their examinations in September. Speaking at the graduation in Podkowa Lesna, Andrzej Mielczarek, education director for the Adventist Church in Poland, appealed to the graduates, specialists of tourism in the Bible lands, to spread the message of reconciliation between God and men, and with all people, especially in Poland and in the Holy Land where conflicts still abound.
According to Kozirog, the college is preparing itself to process its programs through the church’s International Board of Education. This will begin by preparing a self-study and receiving a team sent by the Adventist Accrediting Association (AAA) during the coming academic year. The team will compile a report for consideration by AAA. Kozirog expresses hope that the ACTH will receive a status of an Adventist senior college. “We are busy with our new challenges and growth. The international accreditation is on top of our agenda and we hope to be ready when the team from our world headquarters arrives in Poland,” Kozirog adds.
