Abstract
The aim of this article is to analyse the legal status of the Polish Academy of Arts and Sciences, an entity operating within the system of higher education and science. The study explores the Academy’s origins, its legal form and role it plays within the system of higher education and science, and its rights and obligations under the law. The findings presented in the paper allow for drawing conclusions on the legal status of the Academy, in particular recognising that it is a legal person functioning in the legal form of a (registered) association, and at the same time an organisation directly included by the legislator in the category of entities of the system of higher education and science. The study indicates the reasons justifying the Academy’s inclusion in the catalogue of entities of this system, primarily its exceptional achievements in the field of scientific activities and popularising their results, as well as the universality of undertaken activities, tradition and reputation within the scientific community.