Prof. Barbara Kudrycka, the Minister of Science and Higher Education, opened the National Centre for Science on March 4, 2011.

The National Centre for Science (NCN) will be responsible for the distribution of money for the most innovative projects in the field of basic research. This means that from now on it will be scientists, not politicians, who will distribute money for the development of science. To apply for a grant, research institutes, research teams and individual scientists have to take part in a transparent competition.

At the moment NCN's  budget amounts to 305 000 000 PLN. The centre is now building up a research strategy in the realm of basic research as well as determining key research disciplines that will contribute to the development of science and economy.

By creating NCN,  Poland joins the elite of the European countries such as Austria, Portugal, Sweden or Germany, which have similar, independent agencies managing public money for research. NCN will be managed by a council led by Prof. Michał Kryński and consisting of 24 eminent scientists.