Poland: Investment Plan for Europe - EIB finances modernisation of the Poznań Medical University

• Direct EUR 27.3 million loan supported by EFSI guarantee
• Loan helps to build a medical simulations centre and research laboratories and to update two hospital wards
• Project prepared with the help of the European Investment Advisory Hub

The European Investment Bank (EIB) has agreed to provide PLN 114.77 million (some EUR 27.3 million) to finance an increase in Poznań Medical University’s capacity to provide education, research and health services. This transaction is guaranteed by the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI), being the central pillar of the Investment Plan for Europe. The EFSI support makes it possible to conclude the loan without a guarantee from the Republic of Poland. This is the second EIB loan provided directly to a Polish university. The first, worth PLN 100 million, was signed in April this year with Warsaw Medical University.

The EIB loan will finance the design, construction and equipping of a new state-of-the-art medical simulations centre at the university. The investment also covers the construction of the new site of the Faculty of Pharmacy and its Centre for Innovative Pharmaceutical Technologies containing certified research laboratories. The loan will furthermore enable the extension and rehabilitation of two university hospitals: the emergency ward at Heliodor Święcicki University Hospital and the ophthalmology ward along with the genetic diseases unit at the University Hospital of the Lord’s Transfiguration.

This project benefited from advisory support from the European Investment Advisory Hub, which helped Poznań Medical University to structure the investment and its future revenue generation and accelerated the project's implementation.

EIB Vice-President Vazil Hudák commented: “This innovative operation supported by the EIB and the Investment Plan for Europe will increase the quality of education and RDI in Poznań, the fifth most populated Polish city. It will improve the provision of healthcare services for citizens, which in Poland is still below the OECD and EU averages in various aspects, such as the long waiting time to seek specialists and one of the lowest ratios of medical professionals per inhabitants.”

European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Vytenis Andriukaitis said: "As a former cardiac surgeon, I can whole-heartedly understand the importance of research and advancement in medical science to ensure high quality care and services. I am happy to see that Poznań will greatly benefit in these domains, thanks in part to a loan guarantee from the European Fund for Strategic Investments. Investing in this project is investing in the people of Poland, and Europe”.

Minister of Investment and Economic Development Jerzy Kwieciński commented: "According to statistics, Poland ranks on the 5th place in the EU in terms of approved value of support from the Juncker Plan. We have 29 already approved investments, worth almost 32 billion PLN.  The contracts have already been signed for 21 of them. It means that we will sign at least eight more contracts. However, let’s not forget, that these are only statistics. It is important to see that money is flowing to Poland, but is far more crucial how to spend it. Investment, made by the Poznań Medical University includes everything that makes it a good project: patient’s safety, innovation and the prospect of better education for future doctors. We are looking forward to having more such investment”.

Rector of Poznań Medical University Andrzej Tykarski stated: "I feel ecstatic having learnt that our University has been granted an immense loan from the European Investment Bank. Not only will it enable our Institution to finally realise the necessary strategic investments, we have desired to carry out for so long, but also help us grow into a modern centre for education, focused around scientific research, as well as clinical and academic education. Moreover, the Hospital Emergency Department and new clinical departments will act as very important to guarantee health safety among residents of our city. All the above investment measures will simply enable Poznan University of Medical Sciences to finally compete with the leading European education centres”.