On May 15–16, 2025, the IX Ukrainian-Polish Scientific Forum on the topic “Responsible Global Leadership of the European Union: Challenges and Opportunities” took place in a hybrid format. The event was jointly organized by Lviv Polytechnic National University and the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn within the framework of the Erasmus+ Jean Monnet module EU_LEAD project. This year’s forum was held under the patronage of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Poland, the Embassy of Ukraine in the Republic of Poland, the Marshal of the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship Marcin Kuchciński, the Rector of the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn Jerzy Przyborowski, and enjoyed broad media support.
The official opening of the forum was attended by: Vice-Rector for Scientific Work and International Cooperation of the UWM Prof. Jakub Sawicki, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to Poland Vasyl Bodnar, Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Poland Andrzej Szeptycki, Dean of the Institute of Social Sciences of UWM Joanna Ostrouch-Kamińska, Director of the Institute of Social and Humanitarian Sciences at Lviv Polytechnic Assoc. Prof. Zoriana Kunch, Director of the Institute of Political Science at UWM Prof. Arkadiusz Żukowski, Honorary Head of the Olsztyn branch of the Association of Ukrainians in Poland Stepan Mighus, leader of the Polish national minority in Lviv and journalist of Halytskyi Kurier Artur Żak, and also the cooperation coordinators between UWM and LPNU – Prof. Yaruna Turchyn (LPNU), Honorary Professor of UWM, EU_LEAD project coordinator and Prof. Teresa Astramowicz-Leyk, member of the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship Assembly, Honorary Professor of LPNU, and member of the LPNU Supervisory Board. The participants not only gave welcome speeches but also summarized the achievements of the previous scientific forums and other accomplishments that have become a logical continuation of a decade-long fruitful cooperation between the two universities.
During the first day of the scientific event, a ceremonial awarding took place: the title “Friend of the Faculty of Social Sciences of the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn” was conferred on Senator of the Republic of Poland (Marshal of the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship in 2014–2023) Dr. Gustaw Marek Brzezin for his significant contribution to the development of the university, including his long-standing support for Ukrainian-Polish scientific forums and other cooperation formats between the academic communities of UWM and LPNU.
A roundtable was also held on the topic “Polish and Ukrainian Societies Facing the War”, during which renowned scholars presented their research on the threats and consequences of the Russian-Ukrainian war in various societal spheres. Notable speakers included: Yevhen Mahda (National Technical University of Ukraine “Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute”), Wacław Radziwinowicz (correspondent for Gazeta Wyborcza in Moscow, 1997–2015), and Iryna Matyash (East European Studies, University of Warsaw).
The second day of the forum featured five thematic panels:
- “The Future of Ukraine and Europe: Reconstruction, Humanitarian Aid, European Integration”
- “Human Rights and Democracy in the Actions of the EU”
- “Security of Europe and the World: New Roles of the EU and Its Allies”
- “Diplomacy, Technology, and Society: New Expressions of International Crises”
- “Partnership, Society, and Climate Change: Poland, Ukraine, and the European Union Facing New Challenges”
The discussions focused primarily on the role of the European Union in today’s world, EU enlargement policy, the promotion and development of democratic values and human rights, adherence to international law, disinformation, humanitarian aid challenges, migration, environmental protection and climate change, development of scientific and digital potential, food security, and social protection. Many presentations also addressed the future of European integration in the context of current global challenges, including those related to security caused by Russian aggression against Ukraine.
The forum drew significant interest from the academic community, as Russia’s full-scale aggression against Ukraine and the democratic world at large has created well-grounded prerequisites for a review of the European and EU agendas, particularly regarding new approaches to the situation in Eastern Europe—chiefly the introduction of accelerated mechanisms for Ukraine’s EU membership, the development of effective tools to counter Russia’s imperialist policies, its crimes against humanity, and violations of international law.
In total, the forum gathered 115 participants representing 56 academic institutions from Ukraine, Poland, and Albania, as well as state authorities, diplomatic missions, and public organizations. Notably, many Ukrainian and Polish students actively participated, presenting their vision for the development of the EU, its role in overcoming global crises, and its enlargement policy.
The EU_LEAD team extends sincere gratitude to the scientific committee of the event, the rectorates and administrations of Lviv Polytechnic National University and the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, representatives of diplomatic missions, national minority centers, regional and local authorities, as well as the numerous forum participants who joined from Kyiv, Cherkasy, Zhytomyr, Ostroh, Lviv, Lutsk, Kharkiv, Khmelnytskyi, Poltava, Poznań, Warsaw, Gdańsk, Lublin, Olsztyn, Radom, Bydgoszcz, Rzeszów, Kraków, Wrocław, Toruń, Katowice, Kielce.
More detailed information about the project is available at the following link.
