The internationalisation of research and learning processes is currently one of the priorities of the Institute of Political Science’s activities. Numerous initiatives in this area have been undertaken at the Institute for several years. This includes:

• Development of educational offer in English;
• Implementation of mobility programmes for students and research and teaching staff (Erasmus+, CEEPUS, bilateral agreements and others);
• Support for international research projects and publications and international contacts of the Institute’s staff;
• Increasing the Institute’s international visibility.

Scientific cooperation

In support of the Institute’s international research endeavours, publications and international contacts of its staff, an Institute programme of translation and proofreading support has been launched for staff wishing to publish abroad, particularly in reputable journals and publishers. The Institute also pays a membership fee to the European Consortium for Political Research (ECPR), which enables staff and students to participate in ECPR-organised events (conferences, summer schools) on preferential terms.

As part of increasing the Institute’s international visibility, activities have been carried out in recent years to promote the Institute of Political Science as a leading centre for political science research in the region and across the continent. Important elements of this strategy included hosting the annual conference of the Central European Political Science Association (CEPSA) in 2017, but most importantly hosting the annual conference of the European Consortium for Political Research (ECPR) in September 2019 in Wrocław. The ECPR conference is the largest political science event in Europe (more than 1,500 participants), with not only researchers from the continent, but also from other parts of the world. The Institute of Political Science was highly praised for its organisation of the event, both by the ECPR authorities and by the conference participants.

These activities have resulted in recent years in publications by the Institute’s staff in leading European and world scientific journals, as well as in participation in significant (according to both scientific value and budget criteria) international projects. Increasingly, the Institute’s staff also belong to more or less institutionalised international research groups.

Relationships created on a bilateral basis are deepened through initiatives such as:

• Summer School on Democracy, organised annually since 2013, with the support of CEEPUS and Erasmus+ agencies, with the participation of students and lecturers from partner universities;
• Visits by foreign lecturers, e.g. as part of the City of Wrocław programme “Visiting professors” (Wrocław Academic Centre) or in cooperation with Academia Europea – Wroclaw Hub.

An element of the internationalisation strategy is also the publication by the Institute of Political Science (since 2013) of a journal in English – the Polish Political Science Review (PPSR).

Teaching cooperation

The internationalisation of teaching processes is implemented primarily on the basis of the Institute’s existing offer of studies in English. The Institute of Political Science has been offering studies in English in the field of Political Science – at Master’s level since 2008/2009, and at Bachelor’s level since the summer semester of the academic year 2012/2013. A double degree programme is also conducted at Master’s level in cooperation with the Georgian Institute of Public Affairs from Tbilisi (Georgia).

As part of the active implementation of mobility programmes for students and research and teaching staff, activities are carried out in connection with the mobility of own students and staff, as well as with the admission of students and staff from partner universities. Institute of Political Science is one of the most active units at the University of Wrocław in this respect, receiving several dozen students and several dozen staff from foreign universities every year.

For the Erasmus+ programme, the Institute of Political Science currently has more than 60 agreements with universities from EU member states and several associated countries. In addition, we are a member of two academic networks within the CEEPUS programme.