Conference Program

Full Program

Seventh Global International Studies Conference

International Relations in a World of Flux: Understanding Continuity, Change and Contestation

24-26 July 2024 University of Warsaw, Poland

We are pleased to announce the final program for the Seventh Global Conference of WISC, which will be held in Warsaw on 24-26 July 2024. The link to access the program is:

https://www.conftool.pro/wisc2024/sessions.php

For your convenience, a directory of confirmed participants is also available for consultation. You can browse the list here.

Download a PDF copy here!

Should you have any questions about your participation in our conference, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

We look forward to seeing you soon in Warsaw! 

Conference Fee

Conference Fee

EARLY BIRD Rate | 1 March-31 March, 2024

• Regular 120 EUR
• Students 80 EUR

STANDARD Rate | 1 April-12 May, 2024

• Regular 150 EUR
• Students 100 EUR

Accommodation

The University of Warsaw generously provides low-cost accommodations in the student dormitories. If you are interested in applying, this is essential information you need to consider.

• Every night costs 70 PLN (approximately 17 Euro) per person, paid (in cash or card) when you check in.
• You can book a place for one or more nights from July 23 to 27.
• There are two rooms in one apartment compartment. In one compartment there is a bathroom, kitchen and two rooms.
• Each room can accommodate two people. Unless you expressly indicate in the submission form the name of the person you want to share the room with, you will be allocated with another participant.
• Each participant can add a non-participant (significant other).

If you applied for a place, you will receive a confirmation by Wednesday, May 22.

Dormitory Pictures

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Additionally, you can stay in a hotel, a hostel, or an Airbnb apartment while visiting Warsaw. We recommend making reservations through the official hotel websites or Booking.com.

In Warsaw, prices range from business/tourist units to budget-friendly options (including a wide range of Airbnb units). We encourage you to become acquainted with the Warsaw hotel offering early to make a reservation and ensure that your stay is in a location that meets your expectations and is best suited to your needs.

Below, we have prepared a PDF file with a list of hotels, providing their standard, distance from the University of Warsaw, and the approximate price for a room per night.

The Faculty of Political Science and International Studies, University of Warsaw has a special arrangement with hotels under Accor Group. If the Participants wish to be accommodated in the following hotels, they simply have to write an email to the respective hotel with the reference to the WISC Conference in the subject line. The discounted rooms will be available from the 22nd July, 2024 until 27 July, 2024 (until the hotel is fully booked).

Softel Warsaw Victoria ***** (5 stars)
- 10% off the price of the day
Email for reservation - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Mercure Warszawa Grand **** (4 stars)
- 17% off the price of the day
Email for reservation - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Ibis Warszawa Stare Miasto *** (3 stars)
- 15% off the price of the day
Email for reservations - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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Hotels in Warsaw

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Transportation

The Faculty of Political Science and International Studies, University of Warsaw has signed a special agreement with LOT Polish Airlines, the public aviation company, regarding the discount on plane tickets for WISC Conference participants. Participants can get up to 16% discount (ECONOMY class) and up to 21% discount (PREMIUM ECONOMY and Business). To get a special price, participants have to you the following link (depending on a currency that you want to make payment on):

PLN:

https://www.lot.com/pl/en?destinationAirport=WAW&class=E&code=11R2023

EUR:

https://www.lot.com/it/en?destinationAirport=WAW&class=E&code=11R2023

 

USD:

https://www.lot.com/us/en?destinationAirport=WAW&class=E&code=11R2023

 

NOTE: The promotion code is automatically embedded in the link above. Just in case, you can simply put the following code manually: 11R2023

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How to get to Warsaw?

You can get to Warsaw in many ways. However, the most convenient choice will be to do it by train or plane.

• You can fly to Warsaw and arrive at Warsaw Chopin Airport or Warsaw Modlin Airport. The first is better connected to the city center (you can take the high-speed Urban Rapid Rail, also known as the S2 train line, which runs directly from the airport to the city center). A ticket for such a line costs one euro. A taxi or Uber ride from Chopin Airport to campus will take less than 30 minutes and cost approximately 10€. The same ride from Modlin takes about 40 minutes and costs around 22€.

• The train option will also be a great choice. The Central Railway Station is in the city center, next to the Palace of Culture and Science. It is located close to the main campus of the University of Warsaw. It takes 18 minutes by bus to reach the campus from the station. By taxi or uber, the time will be shorter and the price of such a ride is about EUR 4.

Chopin Airport → WISC 2024

Taxi

• Taxi corporation recommended by the airport – click here
• 30 minutes
• Approx. 10 euro
• You can take also Uber/Bolt (you have to take the stairs up [from arrivals to departures and than wait in Zones: Departures C/D/E)

Train+BUS

• Line no. S2
• From “Warszawa Lotnisko Chopina” to “Warszawa Śródmieście” stop (27 minutes) and then bus no. 128 or 175 from “Dworzec Centralny 01” stop to “Uniwersytet 02” stop. (17 minutes)
• Total time 44 minutes
• 1 euro

BUS

• No. 175
• From “Lotnisko Chopina – Przyloty 02” stop to “Uniwersytet 02” stop
• 37 minutes
• 1 euro

Central Railway Station → WISC 2024

Taxi

• 10 minutes
• Approx. 3/4 euro for Uber / Bolt

Bus

• No. 175 or 128
• From “Dworzec centralny 01” stop to “Uniwersytet 02” stop
• 15 minutes
• 1 euro

Electric Scooters

• You can choose from: Bolt, Lime, Dott, Blinkee and TIER
• 10 minutes
• 2 euros

City Bike “Veturillo”

• You have to visit the website and start a free account
• 10 minutes
• free of charge
• Bike stations are next to the Central Railway Station and University of Warsaw

Modlin Airport → WISC 2024

Taxi

• 60 minutes
• approx. 15-20 euro

Train+Bus:

• BUS KM+Train KM to Warsaw Central Railway Station
• BUS no. 175 or 128
• from “Dworzec centralny 01” stop to “Uniwersytet 02” stop
• 15 minutes
• 5 euros for train and 1 euro for bus

Getting around Warsaw

Warsaw is a well-connected city. We can move around using the extensive public transport network or by car. You can read more about public transport in Warsaw here.

Two modern metro lines (the "Nowy Świat – Uniwersytet” stop is right next to the main campus of the University of Warsaw), bus and tram lines will certainly help us to move around. If we want to travel a longer distance, e.g. to the Chopin airport, we can also use the Urban Rapid Rail (SKM). The same tickets are valid for each of the aforementioned means of transport. You can read more about the types of tickets, discounts, zones and where to buy them here.

You can also travel around Warsaw on bicycles. Veturilo is one of the largest urban bike systems in Europe. We can rent bikes using an application on the phone. Bikes are available at special stations, from where we can rent them and where we have to return them (but we do not have to return the bikes to the same station).

Electric scooters are another solution that Varsovians like to use. Warsaw has five rental companies: Bolt, Dott, Lime, Blinkee and TIER. The operation is like the case of bicycles – we pay according to the rental time using our phones. However, it is worth reading the rules for a given company well – scooters can be left in selected zones, so it is worth checking where you can leave the rented scooter before departure.

We highly recommend using Google maps and “Jak dojadę” app/website. They can be very useful while planning your trips around the city.

Warsaw: Tourist Attractions

Especially for WISC Conference participants, the University of Warsaw has signed an agreement with a leading agency organizing city tours to visit the most important attractions in Warsaw (and outside the City). All you need to do is go to the dedicated website (abpoland.com/tours/wisc-2024-tours), select the trip you are interested in and pay directly on the website. Please note: places are limited, so please decide as soon as possible. You can choose from:

• Full-day tour to Auschwitz and Krakow
• 3-hour Warsaw walking tour
• Guided tour of the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews
• Guided tour of the Warsaw Rising Museum
• Guided tour of the Chopin museum
•  Full-day tour to Gdańsk and Malbork

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Warsaw is a city of constant change. It’s not just its historic buildings, location, or importance in the region. Warsaw stands for its residents who want to participate in making decisions about their own city and to develop it. Warsaw is open, friendly, active, and diverse.

Warsaw is Poland’s capital city and its most important economic centre. It has a population of nearly 1.8 million and covers an area of 517 km2. It is composed of eighteen districts.

Along with its neighbouring municipalities, it forms the Warsaw Metropolis, which is one of Europe’s most rapidly developing areas. It features seventy municipalities, over 6000 km2 of area and about 3.1 million residents.

Warsaw is an important academic and scientific hub. Some of the country’s best universities, attracting students not just from Europe, are based here. The city occupies a prominent position among developing technological hubs. Its creative sector is on the rise, making Warsaw even more attractive to talented creators and artists.

Warsaw has a lot of green areas to offer and an incredibly well-developed public transport network. Green areas and forests cover more than 26% of the city’s total area. A unique natural asset are the Vistula’s wild river banks. The city has a rich and varied cuisine and an incredible restaurant base. It ranks among the top vegan-friendly cities.

Warsaw’s local government actively works to make the city inclusive to all. Everyone feels at home here, wherever they come from, whatever their religion or lifestyle might be. Warsaw is also a city developing in a dialogue with its residents, supporting NGOs and civil society.

In 2019 Warsaw was chosen the most disabled-friendly city in a competition organised by the European Commission.

Statistics (2020)

• Area: 517 sq. km.
• Population: 1 790 658 citizens
• Population density: 3 462 people / 1 sq. km.

Source: https://en.um.warszawa.pl/-/city-brand

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Warsaw Rising Museum

A unique place that helps visitors understand contemporary Warsaw. This interactive museum commemorates the largest underground combat operation in German-occupied Europe during World War II. The 1944 Warsaw Uprising changed forever the face of the Polish capital. The multimedia exhibition reflects the atmosphere of the Uprising, shows not only the military history of the 63 days of fighting and the everyday life of the civilian population, but also describes the post-war communist terror. ul. Grzybowska 79

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Fryderyk Chopin Museum

Fryderyk Chopin is one of the most famous Varsovians and a trip to his museum is a must on any visit to Warsaw. It is located in the historic Ostrogski Palace and is one of the most modern biographical museums in Europe. The exhibits and multimedia displays tell the story of the life and the work of the composer. ul. Okólnik 1

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Museum of King Jan III’s Palace at Wilanów

Wilanów Palace is the Baroque gem of Warsaw. The palace and garden remained unchanged despite annexations, wars and occupations. See the home of King Jan III Sobieski, the vanquisher of the Turks at Vienna, who in 1683 stopped their march through Europe. The ruler, who gained the nickname of the fearless Lion of Lechistan, lived in the palace with his beloved wife, Maria. ul. St. Kostki Potockiego 10/16

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POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews

An unusual museum in a unique location. One thousand years of history is told in a symbolic place in the center of Warsaw – in the pre-war district inhabited mainly by Jews, and during the war transformed by the Germans into a ghetto. The museum restores the memory of their rich culture and heritage. ul. Anielewicza 6

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Old Town

Warsaw’s Old Town is the jewel in the Polish capital’s crown. It delights visitors with its colourful tenement houses and the unique atmosphere of its narrow streets. It is no wonder that it has been entered on the UNESCO World Heritage list! Be sure to visit the Royal Castle. It was there that the Constitution of 3 May was passed – the first in Europe and the second in the world. In the former home of Polish rulers, you will see the royal apartments, paintings by Rembrandt and canvases by Bernardo Bellotto, also known as Canaletto.

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Vistula Boulevards

It is difficult to imagine a panorama of Warsaw without the Vistula – the river has had a huge impact on the development of the city, and today offers tourists and locals countless attractions. A kilometres-long riverside promenade is a great place for a walk, a bike ride, as well as a night of fun in one of the seasonal clubs operating here. Along the boulevards are gazebos with sun loungers, stone benches and seats made from tree branches. There is also a lookout point and a mini beach with wicker baskets. In such a place, there has to be a place for the symbol of the river and Warsaw – the Mermaid. Stop at the monument and take a photo.

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National Museum in Warsaw

The museum houses a magnificent collection of over 830,000 exhibits from all periods, from antiquity to the present. Masterpieces of Polish and world art are presented in themed galleries. In the Faras Gallery you can see the largest collection of Nubian artefacts in Europe from the eighth to the fourteenth centuries, including a unique collection of wall paintings. They come from the flooded Christian cathedral at Faras in Sudan and depict divinities, dignitaries and saints. Al. Jerozolimskie 3

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Royal Łazienki Museum

This vast garden is a favourite place for Varsovians where they go for long walks amid beautiful nature and architecture to rest from the hustle and bustle of the city. At the heart of the park is the summer residence of the last king of Poland – Stanisław August Poniatowski. The name of the complex comes from the seventeenth-century bathhouse of a Polish nobleman, rebuilt in the 18th century into a palace. Here, in the Palace on the Island, King Stanisław August Poniatowski hosted his famous Thursday dinners, to which he invited scholars and poets to discuss the issues of the day. Today it is a museum where you can admire paintings from the royal collections. ul. Agrykola 1

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Palace of Culture and Science

One of the highest and most recognisable building in Warsaw can be seen from almost every part of the capital. Where did it come from? It was opened in 1955 on the initiative of Joseph Stalin as a “gift of the Soviet people for the Poles”. Built by Russian workers, for a long time, it was considered to be a symbol of socialist power and the pride of People’s Poland – it was where conventions of the Polish United Workers’ Party took place. Since its very beginning, its monumental interiors have hosted numerous concerts, exhibitions, fairs and shows. pl. Defilad 1

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Venue

Description of the University of Warsaw (UW) and the Faculty of Political Science and International Studies.

Founded in 1816, the University of Warsaw stands as the largest and most esteemed academic institution in Poland. It consistently ranks among the top 3% globally according to THE, QS, and ARWU rankings. In the 2023 Shanghai’s Global Ranking of Academic Subjects, the university excels in 10 disciplines. Acknowledged with the "HR Excellence in Research" by the European Commission, the university houses 24 faculties, over 30 research units, and welcomes over 42,500 students across 100 diverse academic programs, including 37 programs taught in English.

The university holds the status of a research institution, producing around 6,500 publications annually. Researchers have secured 24 European Research Council grants.

In 2019, the University initiated the esteemed 4EU+ alliance with renowned European institutions, including Heidelberg University, Charles University, Sorbonne University, University of Copenhagen, and University of Milan. Additionally, the University collaborates with approximately 600 institutions through the Erasmus+ program.

With a dedicated staff of 7,800, the University operates across three campuses efficiently. Notably, six Nobel laureates, including Henryk Sienkiewicz, Menachem Begin, Czesław Miłosz, Joseph Rotblat, Leonid Hurwicz, and Olga Tokarczuk, have been part of the university.

The Faculty of Political Science and International Studies (WNPiSM), established in 1975, is among Central Europe's largest academic and research units in the fields of IR and Political Science. Enrolling over 3,500 students, it offers diverse programs, including 12 taught in Polish and 6 in English. Leading in various study fields, such as International Relations, the Faculty introduced 5 new programmes, including cybersecurity, in the 2023/2024 academic year. The faculty encompasses 16 Scientific Departments actively contributing to the University's research endeavors.

WNPiSM emphasizes quality teaching through over 190 internationally acclaimed academic staff members who balance teaching and research. The faculty's commitment to internationalization and growing significance in research is evident in numerous well-regarded publications.

International collaboration is a focal point for the faculty, boasting 212 Erasmus+ agreements and 36 bilateral agreements with universities worldwide. The modern Auditorium Building, operational since 2017, facilitates cutting-edge teaching and research. Situated in the heart of the historic central campus in Warsaw, along the Royal Route, it provides an excellent setting.

Click here to download a PDF copy of the Main Campus Map!

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Letter Request for Visa

WISC 2024: Letter Request for Visa

Dear Participants:

Some of you may need a letter to request your visa in preparation for your travel to attend our 7th Global WISC Conference in July. To process your letter, you must fill out the form in the following link.

https://forms.gle/8AXaDgvE2n8mY9ty9

The University of Warsaw will contact you directly with the letter. Please, plan accordingly, as scheduling appointments in Consulates and Embassies may take some days.

Looking forward to meeting you in Poland!