Under the 25th round of Kirkland Program, 37 students coming from 10 countries of Eastern Europe, South Caucasus and Central Asia have started their studies in Poland. The 25th jubilee round of that initiative was inaugurated in historical premises of Collegium Maius at Jagiellonian University.
Scholarship holders and guests, including tutors as well as program coordinators and animators, were welcomed by Jagiellonian University vice rector for didactics Prof. Dr. Paweł Laidler, the Polish-American Freedom Foundation Program Director Dr. Agnieszka Mazur, and the Leaders of Change Foundation President Agata Wierzbowska-Miazga.
In their addresses, the speakers emphasized the importance of Kirkland Program idea and objective which is sharing Polish experience in political transformation and integration with European Union, the significance of social engagement, and the possibility to follow Polish experience in development of democracy, economy and civil society.
The opening lecture on Poland in NATO and European Union was given by Dr. Magdalena Góra, a professor at the Institute of European Studies of Jagiellonian University. She presented the historical background of Polish road to NATO and EU membership. The lecture given in the year of 25th anniversary of joining NATO and 20th anniversary of joining EU by Poland was an inspiration for the scholarship holders who asked many questions about the situation of their countries in the context of their efforts undertaken to open the road to their membership.
During the ten-day orientation stage in Kraków, aimed at preparing the scholarship holders in cultural and language context for their year-long stay in Poland, the Kirklanders will have Polish classes, lectures on protection of intellectual property, and intercultural workshops. However, the main topic of the orientation stage is Polish experience in political transformation and integration with EU.
The objective of Lane Kirkland Scholarship Program, launched in 2000, is to share Polish experiences in transformation with the representatives of the countries in the Region. It is done during the two-semester supplementary studies at Polish universities. Since 2016 the academics can also study at one-semester courses under Kirkland Research Program. At present, the program is addressed to candidates from Ukraine, and Belarus, as well as Moldova, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan. Under the eye of individual tutors, the Kirkland scholarship holders study selected aspects of economy and management, public administration and business, law, and social and political sciences. Polish-American Freedom Foundation is the founder of the Program, and the Leaders of Change Foundation is its manager.
This-year’s group of scholarship holders is composed of 34 participants of Kirkland Program and 3 academics of Kirkland Research path. There are 8 participants from Armenia, 9 from Ukraine, 7 from Belarus, 4 from Georgia, 3 from Uzbekistan, 2 from Kazakhstan, 1 from Azerbaijan, 1 from Kyrgyzstan, 1 from Moldova, and 1person from Tajikistan.
Each year, the program has about 45 scholarship holders. Over the years 2000-2024, the program has been completed by 1,073 people coming from 13 countries (1,020 Kirkland Program scholarship holders and 53 Kirkland Research scholarship holders), including: 571 from Ukraine, 189 from Belarus, 71 from Georgia, 69 from Russia, 45 from Armenia, 33 from Kazakhstan, 25 from Moldova, 20 from Kyrgyzstan, 15 from Azerbaijan, 12 from Lithuania, 10 from Slovakia, as well as 7 from Uzbekistan, and 6 from Tajikistan.
