Agricultural higher education in Poland is celebrating its 200th anniversary in 2016 – “From the Instytut Agronomiczny in Marymont (Institute of Agronomy) to the University of Life Sciences SGGW in Warsaw”. Many scientific and artistic events had been organized to celebrate this bicentennial. The ceremony in the Royal Theatre in the Old Orangery on 22 May has been a culmination of these colorful and rich celebrations and its crucial moment has been a ceremonial presentation of the commemorative medals. One of the group of prominent representatives of science and economy was Prof. Henryk Skarżyński – Director of the Institute of Physiology and Pathology of Hearing.  

The Rector of the Warsaw University of Life Sciences SGGW in Warsaw, Prof. dr hab. Alojzy Szymański underlined during the ceremony, Prof. Henryk Skarżyński has been awarded for initiating and implementing the program of hearing screening in children from the rural areas.
It should be mentioned that the Institute has been for several years conducting a program of population screening studies aimed at early detection of hearing disorders in children beginning school education in Poland. Screening programs between 2007 and 2016 in all rural communities and small towns, in Warsaw as well as in several countries of four continents have encompassed more than 1 million children. Also during the school year 2015/2016 there have been conducted hearing screenings as a subsequent all-Poland ‘Program of Hearing Screening in Children from Primary Schools Living in Rural Areas’ encompassing more than 140 000 children – mostly from the 1st grades of primary schools. This undertaking has been again conducted in cooperation with KRUS (Agricultural Social Insurance Fund) and Contribution Fund of Agricultural Social Insurance. Another example of activity in the field of screening tests are the examination of hearing, vision and speech conducted in the beginning of 21st century through the internet.

Multifaceted and interesting celebrations of the 200th anniversary of the agricultural higher education in Poland “From the Instytut Agronomiczny in Marymont (Institute of Agronomy) to the University of Life Sciences SGGW in Warsaw” were also on occasion for many conferences and seminars, scientific meetings and picnics for a wider public.

The University of Life Sciences SGGW in Warsaw is the oldest natural science academic institution. Its roots reach back to 1816, to the Institute of Agronomy in Marymont. With regard to veterinary sciences the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the SGGW is a direct successor of the veterinary school established in the vicinity of Warsaw in Buraków, on 17 July 1824, called Instytut Rządowy Weterynaryi (the National Institute of Veterinary Medicine). In 2016 it is exactly 200 years since the Instytut Agronomiczny had undertook agricultural education on two levels: academic for future land stewards, managers and sons of land owners and elementary to train qualified farmhands.