"Towarzystwo Wiedzy Powszechnej" - The Universal Education Society (TWP) is a social educational movement targeted especially at development of adult education. It is a non-governmental organization, whose focus for the last 55 years has been persistent education of youth and adults. The Society is a member of International Council for Adult Education of the European Bureau for Adult Education.

 

In the period from 1950 to 1984, the Society undertook the following types of activities: lectures, universal universities, educational studies, knowledge and thought clubs, and TV-theatre lovers' clubs. 

 

In the 1980'ies the following courses were launched and started to develop dynamically: foreign language courses, vocational courses, and courses for consolidation of knowledge.

 

In the 1990'ies educational operations became more institutional in form and schools of secondary, post-secondary, and higher education emerged. 

 

TWP underwent the abovementioned transformation in the Zachodniopomorskie Region.
TWP Centre for Persistent Education came into being, which took over the course activities of our Branch. 

 

In 1992, our part-time school of general secondary education and technical school of vocational education for adults started to operate. In the following years, new schools were established: extramural school of general secondary education, college of post-secondary vocational education, and college of post-secondary studies in information technology. Our schools were granted the public school status. 

 

By decision by the Provincial Court of April 29th 1993, TWP Branch in Szczecin was the first in Poland to obtain legal personality. 

 

In 1997 we opened Higher School of Humanities of Universal Education Society (TWP WSH), extending our educational offer as regards a complete cycle of education ending on higher school level.

 

In 1997 Pedagogium publishing house was created under the auspices of TWP Regional Branch (OR TWP) that issues scientific journals, textbooks, and printed courses for the use by our schools and also by our Regional Branch.       
In summary it may be stated that the last fifteen years have been the evolutionary road to transformation of our statute, educational programmes, and economic policy: 

• from a mass organization affiliating in the past period several thousands of members to an elitist Society engaging several hundred people with genuine passion for adult education;
• from an organization engaged in universal activities to an organization pursuing multi-directional educational goals: schools of higher education, schools of secondary and post-secondary education, specialist courses, popular science conferences;
• from an organization sponsored in 80% from state budget to an organization fully financially independent;
• from an organization that by the 1980'ies owned neither any location nor didactic base to an organization owing its own office space, two facilities - didactic - administrative equipped with modern computer, audiovisual, and didactic devices, as well as office appliances for the use by the School.