On November 22-24, 2017 the Kirkland Program scholarship holders had their meeting. The participants of 18th round, who are studying in several academic centers in Poland, met in Poznań to learn about good practice in work of local government and supporting civil society in Poland.
The opening meeting took place in Collegium Minus at Adam Mickiewicz University, where the scholarship holders were welcomed by Prof. Ryszard Naskręcki, Vice-President for Research and International Cooperation, Eliza Kania of the City Development Department of Poznań City Council and Witold Horowski, the Honorary Consul of Ukraine in Poznań. The inaugural address, titled “Online Aggression as the Social Problem”, was given by Prof. Jacek Pyżalski. The lecture served as a basis for a discussion on cyberbullying which occurs in various areas of life.
Kirkland Program scholarship holders listened also to lectures on Polish experiences from the political transformation. Prof. Paweł Churski spoke about economic changes and their impact on regional challenges, while Prof. Krzysztof Podemski presented issues related to transformation impact on society from 1989 to 2017. An important element of the Kirklanders’ visit to Poznań were meetings at the Office of the Marshal, such as that on local government reform in Poland.
They had also an opportunity to learn about activities of Better World Association, an organization involved in social assistance, education and promotion of volunteering, as well as popularization of international and social solidarity, human rights and sustainable development.
Arman Begoyan from Armenia and Uladzimir Anhleski from Belarus, program alumni, shared their experiences gained during stay in Poland as the scholarship holders; the discussion was about usefulness of acquired knowledge and contacts established in Poland in alumni’s professional career.
The participants of the meeting had also a chance to sightsee Poznań and learn about history of that city from the lecture on so-called “Poznań June 1956” given by Prof. Stanisław Jankowiak, and from visits to Museum of the Poznań June 1956 or the Poznań Bambers’ Museum.
Traditionally, the meeting made an opportunity for informal conversations, experience sharing and contacts enhancing by the program participants studying in different academic centers all over Poland.
The objective of Lane Kirkland Scholarship Program, launched in 2000, is to share Polish experiences in transformation and European integration with representatives of the countries in the Region. That is done during two-semester complementary studies at Polish universities, and since 2016 the offer has been extended with Kirkland Research Program – one-semester course for researchers.
The program is currently addressed to candidates from Ukraine, Russia, Belarus as well as Moldova, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Kirgizstan. Under individual study programs, the scholarship holders study selected aspects of economics and management, public administration and business, law, social and political sciences. Since the first round, the courses at Polish universities have been completed by 742 people from 11 countries.
