Polish higher education provides a particular example of a system that, until very recently, has been largely reform-resistant as it has a long-standing tradition of bottom-up 'academic self-governance' at both the system and the institutional levels. This article explores the process of the structural reforms of the higher education system, commonly known as 'Law 2.0' (the original term being "Ustawa 2.0") which proceeded between 2016 and 2018. By doing so, it examines in detail the process of policy formation that has been often advertised as a 'reform different than others' due to paying special attention to mechanisms of engaging various stakeholders (mostly internal) and an intellectual contribution from the academic community. This study is conceptual by nature but empirically focused. The paper claims that the major reasons for failure were a radical shift in policy process and a departure from the well-entrenched patterns of policy formation and the highly politically sensitive nature of the content of the reform.