On June 6, the reporting and election forum for delegates of 91 scientific institutes was held in Warsaw. Prof. Henryk Skarżyński, MD, PhD, dr. h.c. multi, Director of the Institute of Physiology and Pathology of Hearing, was elected a new Chairman for the 11th term of office of the Main Council of Research Institutes (RGIB). All delegates at the forum voted unanimously for his candidacy in a secret ballot.

So far, Prof. Henryk Skarżyński has acted as the Deputy Chairman of the RGIB. The Council represents as many as 91 Research Institutes in Poland that conduct research works for the economy, infrastructure, environment, agriculture, medicine and broadly defined security and humanities. Some institutes fulfil essential tasks and responsibilities of public services, and numerous solutions created in research laboratories serve the country’s science, security and defence.

The Main Council of Research Institutes represents the research community’s interests at home and abroad. It is engaged in economic and social policy, particularly science and innovation.

The Council’s task is to submit its opinions and demands to the state administration authorities, aimed at solving everyday problems for the institutes, as well as for the scientific development, improvement of innovativeness and effectiveness of economy, development of research staff, especially young scientists.

– I am honored to represent the entire research community, belong to such a large group of scientific centers, and act for its benefit, thus influencing the development of Polish science worldwide. During my term of office, I would like to focus on the maximum use of the Polish research institutes’ potential and on successful cooperation with the government, universities and colleges, scientific associations and non-government organizations. I would like to best implement Poland’s scientific and innovation policy – said Prof. Henryk Skarżyński.

Prof. Henryk Skarżyński is a world-renowned otosurgeon and outstanding specialist in otorhinolaryngology, pediatric otolaryngology, audiology and phoniatrics. Among other things, 30 years ago, he was the first in Poland to perform cochlear implant surgeries to treat deafness in children and adults. 25 years ago, he was the first to start a program to preserve the so-called residual hearing and the structure of the inner ear. 20 years ago, he performed the first in the world surgery for partial deafness, extending the indications and giving a chance, not to tens of thousands but to tens of millions of potential patients worldwide. He has introduced over 150 new clinical solutions into everyday medical practice, which has contributed to developing the field of hearing implants, otosurgery and audiology in Poland and worldwide. He popularized the “Polish School of Otology” in science and medicine worldwide. Professor has conducted extensive educational activities for students and doctors worldwide. He has performed over 1300 demonstration surgeries for over 8000 thousand professors, head doctors and other specialists at the World Hearing Center in Kajetany near Warsaw and in dozens of countries on 4 continents. He has received numerous academic titles, including the Honorary Professor at universities in Provo, USA, in Kishinev, Moldova, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, doctor honoris causa of Maria Grzegorzewska Academy of Special Education in Warsaw, the University of Warsaw, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, and since May this year also of Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University in Warsaw. Professor has been awarded, among others, the Commander’s, Officer’s and Knight’s Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta by the President of the Republic of Poland, high state decorations by the King of Belgium, the Presidents of Georgia and Ukraine, Pope Francis, the Presidium of the Polish Academy of Sciences, the Primate of Poland, the Order of the Smile, the  ECCE HOMO Order, and more than 350 other international and national distinctions and awards.

He is the author and co-author of 4486 publications, 60 monographs and 3912 congress and conference papers, mostly in foreign languages. He was the main organizer of the departmental Institute of Physiology and Pathology of Hearing. Since 1996 he has been its director and organizer of the construction and management of the World Hearing Center, where the most significant number of hearing improvement surgeries in the world has been performed for almost 20 years. He has performed almost 220 thousand surgical procedures.

He will assume the Main Council’s Chairman duties on June 27, after the establishment and appointment of the Presidium of the Council.