Thirty-one scholarship holders received their diplomas upon completion of the two-semester Lane Kirkland Scholarship program. The ceremony took place at the University of Warsaw on June 25, 2026.
During the 2025–26 academic year, scholarship holders from ten countries pursued individual study programs in law, economics, management, social sciences, and public administration at Polish universities in four cities: Kraków, Lublin, Warsaw, and Wrocław. Among this year’s graduates of the Kirkland Program, the largest group consisted of citizens of Georgia (9 people), Armenia (5 people), and Belarus (5 people); the rest came from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Moldova, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan, and included academics, public and local government officials, economists, lawyers, and culture managers.
For over 26 years, the program has invited young professionals who have already achieved a certain level of professional success, who are seen as the most effective leaders of change and “catalysts” for modernization in their countries, in the fields they represent. Thanks to a 9-month academic stay and internships, those scholarships holders had the opportunity to learn about Poland’s experiences with the transformation process and European Union membership, as well as to establish valuable contacts in their respective fields.
This year’s graduates received congratulations from Jerzy Koźmiński, President of Polish-American Freedom Foundation, and Agata Wierzbowska-Miazga, President of the Leaders of Change Foundation. The ceremony was also attended by regional coordinators, academic advisors, and socio-cultural facilitators collaborating with the Kirkland Program.
Ambassador Jerzy Koźmiński, President of PAFF, emphasized in his speech the role of Poland in the process of successful transformation. “Poland’s experience shows that even very difficult starting points do not preclude the chance for success. The 1989 transformation demonstrates that well-prepared personnel, a clear vision of change and defined goals, courage, consistency, determination, and cooperation—including international cooperation—are the key to effective change,” he said.
The graduates attended a lecture on responsibility for human rights in a world marked by violence, delivered by Dr. Agnieszka Bieńczyk-Missala, a professor at the University of Warsaw, Vice Dean for International Cooperation and Head of the Department of Strategic Studies and International Security at the Faculty of Political Science and International Studies at the University of Warsaw.
The Lane Kirkland Scholarship Program has been in operation since 2000. It aims to share Poland’s experiences in political transformation and European integration with representatives from Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and the South Caucasus during a two-semester supplementary study program at selected Polish universities. Currently, the program is open to candidates from Ukraine, Belarus, as well as Moldova, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan. As part of individual educational programs, scholarship holders study, among other things, selected aspects of economics and management, public administration and business, law, social and political sciences, journalism, NGO management, and culture management. Since 2016, the program’s offer has been expanded to include a one-semester program for researchers —Kirkland Research.
Each year, approximately 40 scholarship holders participate in the program. Between 2000 and 2026, 1,145 people from 13 countries completed the program (1,084 Kirkland Program fellows and 61 Kirkland Research fellows), including: 582 from Ukraine, 201 from Belarus, 85 from Georgia, 69 from Russia, Armenia—59, Kazakhstan—37, Moldova—27, Kyrgyzstan—25, Azerbaijan—18, Uzbekistan—12, Lithuania—12, Slovakia—10, and Tajikistan—8 people.
