Although electronic public administration services are often perceived as solutions intended mainly for adults, in practice they are increasingly becoming part of students’ everyday lives. Many formal matters that until recently required a personal visit to an office or the use of paper documents can now be handled remotely or approved electronically. These platforms cover various areas such as education and administrative matters, mobility, taxation, and healthcare. Students have access to several tools that facilitate action in different situations:
● Internet Patient Account (IKP) – provides access to e-prescriptions, medical consultation history, and referrals; allows users to check issued certificates and quickly authorize another person to collect documentation or prescriptions.
● mObywatel – enables identity confirmation using a digital document, for example during a visit to an office, voting, or ticket inspection. It also includes the digital student ID (mLegitymacja), which after recent changes is the primary form of confirming student status and entitlement to discounts.
● Electronic Platform of Public Administration Services (ePUAP) – allows users to submit an application for a new document, report a change of address after moving to another city, and receive official decisions without appearing in person.
● Trusted Profile (Profil Zaufany) – serves as an electronic identity confirmation. It enables signing documents in digital form, filing tax returns using the Twój e-PIT service, submitting corrections of personal data, and downloading required certificates.
Efficient use of these solutions shortens the time needed to complete formalities and simplifies procedures that previously required physical presence at an institution and the submission of paper documents. This offers greater convenience and supports independent management of personal matters—from identity confirmation and organization of residence, through financial issues, to access to medical documentation. As a result, contact with public administration becomes simpler and less burdensome.
Terms used for public administration applications often sound official and may seem inaccessible, causing some students to perceive them as an element of bureaucracy to be postponed until a later stage of life. In reality, however, contact with administrative solutions in digital form occurs much earlier, often even before the start of classes. Already in the first semester of studies, students enter a digital document circulation system, although it operates under different names and in a different environment.
Systems used at universities, such as USOS, Virtual University platforms, or online dean’s office portals, function as a kind of “first e-office” for students. Their operation is similar to that of state administrative platforms, and a significant part of matters related to the course of studies is handled there. Through these services, students enroll in courses, choose class groups, register for exam sessions, and submit applications concerning dormitory accommodation, financial aid, or scholarships. Most universities also use the APD system (Archive of Diploma Theses). This is the space where diploma theses are submitted, required declarations are approved, plagiarism reports are reviewed, and the acceptance process by the academic supervisor and reviewer is tracked.
Daily use of these tools shapes competencies that are later required when using public services: logging into a personal account, confirming identity, completing online forms, and receiving official decisions electronically instead of on paper. The period of study therefore allows students to learn the principles of electronic document circulation before there is a real need to interact with state institutions.
Using e-administration systems is directly linked to another important skill: the ability to freely manage electronic documentation. Contemporary information exchange in academic and professional environments increasingly relies on digital files, which is why knowledge of different formats—especially PDF—has become a basic working tool. The PDF format, originally intended mainly for reading, has evolved into an operational format—it enables editing, merging with other files, conversion, filling in forms, and even replacing a paper document with a scan made using a smartphone, which requires a certain level of technical proficiency.
Working with files also includes an issue often remembered only when a problem arises: file naming. A document’s name is not merely a detail but an important piece of information both at university and later in professional life. At the beginning, many users save files randomly, using names such as “scan1” or “document.pdf.” It quickly becomes clear, however, that such naming makes work more difficult for everyone involved in document circulation—lecturers, administrative offices, examination boards, supervisors, and the authors themselves. A clearly labeled document, for example “Nowak_application” or “Request_group_change_Kowalski,” can be easily found, forwarded, or placed in the correct folder. This is a small habit developed while submitting applications and semester settlements that later significantly facilitates work in the professional environment, where document circulation is often even more intensive.
Creating a file is only the first stage; equally important is how it will be used later. Many matters can now be handled without printing documents, and a qualified electronic signature effectively replaces a handwritten signature in contacts with institutions. Documents are increasingly stored in the cloud, on shared drives such as Dropbox, OneDrive, or Google Drive. Files can be stored there temporarily or permanently, shared with different users, reused after some time, or attached to subsequent formal procedures. Such solutions facilitate their transfer, editing, and restoration of backup copies in the event of loss of the original version.
In this type of information flow, not only the content of the file matters, but also the scope of access, storage location, and the ability to find it quickly. Folder organization, setting appropriate access rights, and ensuring confidentiality cease to be additional activities and become part of everyday work with files. Students acquire these habits during their studies and then transfer them to professional environments and contacts with public institutions.
Efficient use of digital tools facilitates everyday activities because it reduces the need to strictly adapt to specific administrative procedures and rigid deadlines. Many administrative tasks can now be started or completed online, at any time and regardless of location. This is particularly important for students who study, work in a hybrid mode, or frequently change locations. Electronic calendars, project management applications, and well-organized folders on virtual drives help organize documents and schedules and reduce the risk of losing important files, emails, or attachments saved on different devices.
Such competencies are valued in recruitment processes. Employers assume that an applicant can work with documents stored online, public administration platforms, and basic office software without the need for detailed introductory training. In many organizations, training does not cover basic activities such as applying an electronic signature, obtaining required certificates, or completing digital forms, especially since the initial employment period is already associated with learning numerous internal procedures. The importance of these competencies also becomes evident later, when handling documents, information, and systems in which public tenders, commissions, or procurement processes are published, such as the e-Procurement platform (e-Zamówienia). The earlier digital tools are mastered, the less time and effort formalities will require once real professional responsibility appears.
Although the benefits of developing digital competencies are already clear, it should be remembered that they do not develop automatically. Their growth should not be limited to a one-time creation of a Trusted Profile or seeking support only in problematic situations. Administrative platforms can be explored earlier, for example by analyzing the Gov.pl portal, reviewing the range of matters that can be handled, and familiarizing oneself with the course of individual procedures. Many institutions and universities also provide short instructions and explanatory materials on how these services operate.
Regular use of e-administration applications quickly leads to another topic: cybersecurity. Using strong passwords and being cautious with suspicious messages is a good starting point. Additional protective mechanisms, such as multi-factor authentication, regular system updates, monitoring privacy settings, and careful data sharing, significantly increase the user’s level of security. Over time, awareness of potential threats begins to work automatically, similarly to habits related to securing one’s home.
Another area concerns online work organization. Order in files and proper naming make activities easier, but it is collaborative document editing that truly shows how much processes can be improved. Instead of sending multiple successive versions of attachments, comments, suggested changes, and shared links to cloud-stored documents are now used. Teamwork also involves choosing the appropriate form of communication—sometimes a short message is sufficient, while in other situations an email or a paper document is required. Such practices appear during the completion of course projects and contact with the university, and later prove to be the foundation of cooperation in offices and enterprises.
Although young adults have been using the digital space for many years, many tools—especially those related to formalities and public institutions—still remain outside their everyday scope of use. The difference between intuitive use of technology and conscious use of e-administration platforms, electronic signatures, or digital document circulation systems can be greater than expected. The period of study is a good moment to reduce this gap and thus avoid stress and difficulties that often arise at the beginning of professional work. Every action leading to greater digital independence improves the quality of everyday functioning by reducing the number of situations in which technology becomes an obstacle rather than a tool that facilitates tasks. The earlier such awareness appears, the easier it will be to function later in conditions where more and more matters must be handled online.
Sources:
● Oferent.com – tender and commission platform
● Digital competencies of students in statistics – kompetencjecyfrowe.gov.pl
● mObywatel – Ministry of Digital Affairs
● From July, student IDs by default in mObywatel – Ministry of Digital Affairs – Gov.pl Portal
● Handle official matters online via ePUAP – Gov.pl
● About IKP | pacjent.gov.pl – Ministry of Health
● Trusted Profile – Ministry of Digital Affairs – Gov.pl Portal
Article prepared in cooperation with a service partner
Author: Weronika Szeligowska
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