The Polish Academy of Sciences (PAN) (www.pan.pl) is a state scientific institution founded in 1952. From the very beginning, it has functioned as a learned society acting through an elected corporation of top scholars and research organizations, via its numerous scientific establishments. It has also become a major scientific advisory body through its scientific committees. PAN as a research center is currently comprised of 79 research establishments (institutes and research centers, research stations, botanical gardens and other research units) and auxiliary scientific units (archives, libraries, museums, and foreign PAN stations). The research activity of the Academy is financed mainly from the State budget via the Ministry of Science and Higher Education.