INSTITUTE ARTES LIBERALES FOUNDATION

COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS AND SCIENCES (CLASS) AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WARSAW: 1. COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS AND SCIENCES (ABRIDGED AS CLASS) AT THE FACULTY OF "ARTES LIBERALES" (W"AL") OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WARSAW FUNCTIONS AS A UNIQUE BUT REGULAR LIBERAL ARTS CURRICULUM IN THE POLISH SYSTEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION. IT FUNCTIONS ON BOTH LEVELS: B.A. AND M.A. AND SUPPORTS FUNCTIONING PHD CURRICULUM. CLASS IS TARGETED TOWARDS DEVELOPING THE IDEA OF THE VERY UNITY OF LEARNING AND TEACHING. IN 2023, THERE WERE IN TOTAL: 151 BA AND 71 MA STUDENTS. IN TOTAL 165 COURSES (4485H) COURSES TOOK PLACE IN THE ACADEMIC YEAR 2022/23. IN THE REPORTING PERIOD NEW COURSES AND PROJECTS CONTINUED TO DEVELOP: FRONTIERS OF SCIENCE THE COURSE (INTRODUCED THANKS TO THE COOPERATION WITH THE COLUMBIA COLLEGE IN NEW YORK) SERVES AS A GENERAL INTRODUCTION TO SCIENTIFIC THINKING AND HABITS OF MIND AND PROCEEDS THROUGH A SERIES OF MODULES (INCLUDING LECTURES AND SEMINARS) CONDUCTED BY WORLD-RENOWNED PROFESSORS OF VARIOUS DISCIPLINES (E.G. THEORETICAL PHYSICS, NEUROSCIENCE, GEOLOGY, BIOLOGY) AND INTERDISCIPLINARY-INCLINED INSTRUCTORS. FOLLOWING THE DECISION OF THE COLLEGIUM ARTES LIBERALES AUTHORITIES, THE COURSE FRONTIERS OF SCIENCE MANDATORY IN THE ARTES LIBERALES PROGRAM STARTING FROM THE 2023/24 ACADEMIC YEAR WITH THREE GROUPS WILL BE HELD AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW SYLLABUS AND COURSE MATERIALS HAS BEGUN. IN DECEMBER 2023, THE FRONTIERS OF SCIENCE GRANT RECEIVED FROM THE POLISH MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND HIGHER EDUCATION ALSO FACILITATED UNDERGRADUATE THESIS WRITING WORKSHOPS, CONDUCTED BY DR. SUE MENDELSOHN AND DR. AARON RITZENBERG FROM THE COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY WRITING CENTER. THE WORKSHOPS WERE ATTENDED BY 20 THIRD-YEAR ARTES LIBERALES UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS. FRONTIERS OF HUMANITIES A SIMILAR COURSE IN THE HUMANITIES ENTITLED FRONTIERS OF HUMANITIES WAS INTRODUCED AT THE CLASS IN 2022. (FOH). AMONG THE LEARNING OUTCOMES AIMED TO BE ACHIEVED THROUGH THE SEMINAR, A SIGNIFICANT FOCUS IS PLACED ON THE ABILITY TO INDEPENDENTLY DESIGN AND CONDUCT INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH ON SELECTED CULTURAL TEXTS. CLASS ALSO BECAME A PARTICULARLY GOOD PLACE TO HOLD DEBATES ON IMPORTANT PROBLEMS OF THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD AS WELL AS THOSE OF SPECIAL IMPORTANCE OF THE REGION OF THE EASTERN EUROPE. IN 2023, COORDINATORS OF THE "FRONTIERS OF HUMANITIES" ANALYZED THE OUTCOMES OF THE PILOT "FRONTIERS OF HUMANITIES" COURSE, CONDUCTED IN TWO CYCLES DURING THE ACADEMIC YEARS 2021/2022 AND 2022/2023. THIS REVIEW OF EXPERIENCES AND KEY ASPECTS OF SYLLABUS IMPLEMENTATION ACROSS FOUR STUDENT GROUPS AIMED TO ASSESS THE ALIGNMENT OF ACHIEVED OBJECTIVES WITH THE PREVIOUSLY DEVELOPED COURSE CONCEPT, AS WELL AS TO IDENTIFY CHALLENGES THAT MAY ARISE IN THE NEXT PHASE OF IMPLEMENTATION, THIS TIME AS A MANDATORY COURSE FOR FIRST-YEAR ARTES LIBERALES STUDENTS (WINTER SEMESTER, ACADEMIC YEAR 2023/2024). THEY EVALUATED THE TOPICS COVERED IN EACH SESSION, THE BALANCE BETWEEN THE LECTURE AND WORKSHOP PORTIONS OF EACH CLASS, AND THE LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY OF READING ASSIGNMENTS. IN OCTOBER 2023, THE NEXT CYCLE OF FOH BEGAN, NOW AS A MANDATORY COURSE FOR THREE GROUPS OF FIRST-YEAR ARTES LIBERALS STUDENTS. AS PART OF THE CLASSES AT THE CLASS, THEMATIC BLOCKS OF CLASSES WERE CARRIED OUT, AMONG OTHERS: "ROMANTICISM: EUROPEANNESS AND CULTURAL BORDERLANDS. HERITAGE STUDIES RESEARCH AND TEACHING". IT IS A PROJECT INVOLVING HERITAGE STUDIES RESEARCH, WITH STRONG EMPHASIS ON THE COLLABORATION OF DIFFERENT GENERATIONS OF RESEARCHERS, PHD STUDENTS AND GRADUATE STUDENTS. THE PROJECT IS PART OF A WIDER RESEARCH PROGRAM - ROMANTIC LABORATORY, IT COMBINES TEACHING WITH STRICTLY RESEARCH PROJECTS, AND ENABLES STUDENTS TO WRITE BA, MA AND DOCTORAL THESES/DISSERTATIONS ON ROMANTIC HERITAGE IN CONTEMPORARY POLISH AND EUROPEAN CULTURE. A THREE-YEAR CYCLE OF CLASSES, RESEARCH AND STUDIES ON ROMANTICISM IS REALIZED ENDED IN THE REPORTING PERIOD. THE THREE-YEAR ROMANTICISM PROGRAM FACILITATED THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PROJECT FOR FURTHER ROMANTICISM RESEARCH. AS A RESULT, THE TEAM PREPARED A GRANT APPLICATION TO THE POLISH NATIONAL SCIENCE CENTRE, SUBMITTED IN THE 2023. PROJECT TITLE: "EDITORIAL-TEXTOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL-CULTURAL MONOGRAPH OF JULIUSZ SOWACKI'S FANTAZY: A NEW INTERPRETATION AND EDITION OF THE DRAMA AS A BASIS FOR A NEW PROBLEMATIZATION OF ROMANTICISM" PROJECT SUBMITTED, PROJECT LEADER: PROF. MARIA KALINOWSKA. THE APPLICATION WAS PREPARED BY PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS (INDEPENDENT RESEARCHERS, JUNIOR SCHOLARS, DOCTORAL CANDIDATES, AND STUDENTS). PARTICIPATION WAS PLANNED TO INCLUDE NEARLY ALL INDIVIDUALS WHO CONTRIBUTED TO THE PROGRAM (FROM VARIOUS RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS). DURING THE ACADEMIC YEAR 2022/2023, SECOND-YEAR UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS IN THE ARTES LIBERALES PROGRAM WERE REQUIRED TO COMPLETE A NEW COURSE ENTITLED STUDENT TEAM PROJECTS WITH THE AIM OF DEVELOPING TEAMWORK COMPETENCIES. THE CONCEPT OF STUDENT TEAM PROJECTS ASSUMES FULL AUTONOMY FOR THE STUDENTS. THEY FORM THEIR OWN TEAMS, SELECT THE PROJECT TOPIC, AND CHOOSE A SUPERVISOR THEMSELVES. THE PROJECT'S SUBJECT MATTER CAN BE SCIENTIFIC, ARTISTIC, OR RELATE TO SOCIAL ISSUES (COMMUNITY PROJECT). THE PROGRAM OF MINI-GRANTS FOR FIRST- AND SECOND-CYCLE STUDENTS OF CLASS TOOK PLACE IN 2023 AS WELL. STUDENTS WERE GIVEN THE POSSIBILITY TO APPLY FOR INDIVIDUAL AND TEAM GRANTS, WHICH COULD BE USED FOR THE FOLLOWING: RESEARCH TRIPS, E.G. FIELD STUDIES; PRELIMINARY RESEARCH; CONSULTATION TRIPS; PARTICIPATION IN CONFERENCES (TRAVEL COSTS, CONFERENCE FEES); ORGANIZATION OF CONFERENCES; IMPLEMENTATION OF TEAM PROJECTS; ORGANIZATION OF ARTISTIC EVENTS PRESENTING THE WORK OF THE COLLEGE'S STUDENTS (BESIDES THE LIBERAL ARTS FESTIVAL); PURCHASE OF BOOKS UNAVAILABLE AT POLISH LIBRARIES AND IN DIGITAL REPOSITORIES. 2. IN 2023 FIAL CONTINUED TO SUPPORT ANTHROPOZOOLOGY STUDIES, BA LEVEL ANTHROPOZOOLOGY IS AN INNOVATIVE PROGRAM OF INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES LAUNCHED IN THE ACADEMIC YEAR 2017/18, WHICH COMBINES HUMANITIES WITH SOCIAL SCIENCES, ESPECIALLY ZOOPSYCHOLOGY AND BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES, ZOOLOGY, ETHOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES. IT IS COORDINATED BY THE FACULTY OF "ARTES LIBERALES" IN COOPERATION WITH THE FACULTY OF BIOLOGY AND THE FACULTY OF PSYCHOLOGY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WARSAW. THIS INTERDISCIPLINARY PERSPECTIVE REQUIRES COLLABORATION WITH PROFESSORS FROM DIFFERENT FIELDS FROM OTHER DEPARTMENTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WARSAW (FOR EXAMPLE ARCHEOZOOLOGISTS), AS WELL AS SPECIALISTS FROM OTHER UNIVERSITIES AND INSTITUTIONS (SOCIOLOGISTS, SOCIAL ACTIVISTS, ENVIRONMENTALISTS, VETERINARIANS, SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH INSTITUTES, ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS AND ANIMAL SHELTERS, VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS DEALING WITH PARTICULAR PROBLEMS OF HUMAN-ANIMAL RELATIONS ETC.). THIS CURRICULUM ANTHROZOOLOGY HAS NO EQUIVALENTS ELSEWHERE IN POLAND. FIAL SUPPORTED THE DEVELOPMENT OF SEVERAL COURSES IN THE PART WHERE IT GOES BEYOND A STANDARD COURSE OF STUDIES AT THE UNIVERSITY, AMONG THEM: CONFERENCES, VISITING THEMATIC EXHIBITIONS BY STUDENTS, FIELD WORKSHOPS. 3. IN 2023 FIAL ALSO SUPPORTED FINANCIALLY AND ORGANIZATIONALLY RESEARCH AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS, INCLUDING ARTISTIC, BIOCULTURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECTS BEING RUN IN CLOSE COOPERATION WITH CLASS: TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIALIZATION PROJECT THE MAIN TASK OF THE PROJECT IS TO LOOK FOR A NEW WAY OF THINKING ABOUT TECHNOLOGY THAT DOES NOT POSE A THREAT TO OUR HUMAN CONDITION, ON THE CONTRARY ONE THAT FAVORS IT, AND EVEN ENABLES MODERN FORMS OF SOCIALIZATION. THE PROJECT ALSO HAS A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF TEACHING AT THE CLASS AND DOCTORAL STUDIES "NATURE-CULTURE". IN 2023 A VERY SUCCESSFUL CONFERENCE TITLED "THE LOSS AND RECOVERY OF THE WORLD" WAS HELD. TWO BOOKS WERE PUBLISHED: - REGIMES OF CAPITAL IN THE POST-DIGITAL AGE (EDITED BY SZYMON WRBEL, KRZYSZTOF SKONIECZNY) AVAILABLE ONROUTLEDGE - IMAGES BETWEEN SERIES AND STREAM (EDITED BY SZYMON WRBEL, ADAM CICHO) AVAILABLE ON UNIVERSITAS

TRANSDISCIPLINARY DOCTORAL STUDIES 1. INTERDISCIPLINARY PHD STUDIES "NATURE-CULTURE" IN 2018 A NEW EXPERIMENTAL PHD CURRICULUM, BINDING HUMANITIES, SOCIAL AND NATURE SCIENCE, ENTITLED "NATURE-CULTURE" HAS BEEN LAUNCHED AND ENROLLMENT PROCEDURES WERE EXECUTED. FIAL PROVIDES FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR THE PROGRAM IN ORDER TO GIVE THE PHD STUDENTS THE BEST POSSIBLE CONDITIONS FOR RESEARCH AND LEARNING, AMONG OTHER THINGS BY AWARDING EXTRA RESEARCH GRANTS TO PHD STUDENTS AND CO-FINANCING GROUP SEMINARS (BRINGING TOGETHER PHD STUDENTS AND ACADEMIC TEACHERS) THAT ARE NOT A PART OF REGULAR PHD STUDIES AT UW. THE PROGRAM HAS CONCLUDED WITH A GREAT SUCCESS IN 2023 AND DOCTORAL DEFENSES ARE UNDERWAY. BY THE END OF 2023, THIRTEEN OF THE SEVENTEEN DOCTORAL CANDIDATES IN THE INTERDISCIPLINARY DOCTORAL STUDIES PROGRAM HAVE COMPLETED THEIR DEFENSES IN THE FOLLOWING DISCIPLINES: LITERARY STUDIES SOCIOLOGICAL SCIENCES BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES PSYCHOLOGY CULTURAL AND RELIGIOUS STUDIES ETHNOLOGY AND CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY THREE REMAINING CANDIDATES HAVE NOT YET SUBMITTED THEIR DISSERTATIONS BUT HAVE BEEN GRANTED AN EXTENSION TO COMPLETE THEIR STUDIES BY SEPTEMBER 2024. 2. INTEGRATION SEMINAR FOR PHD STUDENTS AND YOUNG STAFF MEMBERS (TEACHING AND RESEARCH INNOVATION) AN INNOVATIVE COURSE FOR PHD STUDENTS AND YOUNG RESEARCH FACULTY WAS ORGANIZED AIMED AT INTEGRATING AS WELL AS ESTABLISHING AND DEEPENING THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE STAFF AND PHD STUDENTS FROM ALL THE YEARS OF PHD STUDIES CONDUCTED BY THE FACULTY OF "ARTES LIBERALES". THE SEMINAR IS BASED ON A WORK-IN-PROGRESS FORMAT, WHICH ALLOWS FOR DISCUSSIONS AND CONSULTATIONS ON SCIENTIFIC PROJECTS AT DIFFERENT STAGES OF COMPLETION. THIS PROPOSAL IS COMPATIBLE WITH THE IDEA OF INTER- AND TRANSDISCIPLINARY WORKSHOPS ENABLING PARTICIPANTS TO IMPROVE AND GIVE MORE DEPTH TO THE PROJECTS UNDER DISCUSSION, AND ALSO CONTRIBUTING TO THE FORMATION AND INTENSIFICATION OF TIES BETWEEN RESEARCHERS FROM DIFFERENT DISCIPLINES AND DIFFERENT PHD STUDY PROGRAMS, WHO CURRENTLY HAVE LIMITED POSSIBILITIES OF GETTING TO KNOW ONE ANOTHER AND EXCHANGING EXPERIENCES. IT THUS RESPONDS TO THE SIMILAR NEEDS OF THE FACULTY'S YOUNG STAFF MEMBERS WISHING TO PURSUE THEIR PROJECTS IN THE TEAMS CURRENTLY BEING PROMOTED IN THE UNIVERSITY OF WARSAW'S GRANT ALLOCATION POLICY. IN THE LONGER TERM, THE SEMINAR WILL THUS AIM TO FACILITATE THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT OF NEW SCIENTIFIC AND ORGANIZATIONAL UNDERTAKINGS, BASED ON THE POTENTIAL OF INTER- AND TRANSDISCIPLINARY COLLABORATION INVOLVING BOTH STAFF MEMBERS AND PHD STUDENTS. THE THIRD EDITION OF THE SEMINAR LASTED BETWEEN DECEMBER 2022 AND APRIL 2023. IN 2023, THE SEMINAR WAS HELD FOUR TIMES, ACCORDING TO THE PLAN ESTABLISHED IN 2022. DUE TO LOW INTEREST IN PARTICIPATION, IT WAS DECIDED THAT THE SEMINAR WOULD NOT BE CONTINUED.