Operation of Student Mountaineering Guide Associations in Poland In Poland, there are twelve student mountaineer guide associations. Eleven of them gather mountaineer guides (for the Tatra, Beskid and Sudety Mountains). The first associations were established in the mid-1950s, together with the development of mass tourism among students. Their main objective was then to service the wide range of student camps and tours, as well as to popularise and encourage tourism in the student society. Presently, with the change of the tourist model and large individualisation of tourism, as well as socio-economic transformations in Poland, there occurred changes in the associations' operation. The majority of student associations operates within the structures of Polskie Towarzystwo Turystyczno Kra-joznawczego {Polish Tourist Society). Members of such associations may include students and graduates of universities and activists of the student society, who have passed the required exams. The present objective of the associations is to propagate the mountaineering and general tourism among students, as well as to train new guides. The activities of these organisations are mainly based on the community work of the members. The associations organise tours and trips participated not only by university students, but also by secondary-school students; they run their own accommodation bases and conduct publishing activities. They also hold many lectures, transparency shows, trips abroad, and a number of tourist and social events. Members also participate in servicing tourist trips organised by travel agents.