On 29 September, Civitas University inaugurated the 2025/2026 academic year at the Palace of Culture and Science – the first inauguration under the university’s new name. The ceremony brought together distinguished guests, students, and the academic community to celebrate the beginning of a new chapter in our history.
The ceremony was attended by representatives of state authorities, diplomats, delegations from partner universities, representatives of the City of Warsaw, cultural institutions, social organizations, and the entire Civitas University community. A special welcome was extended to first-year students, who took their solemn academic oath during the event.
The Guest of Honor was the Mayor of Warsaw, Rafał Trzaskowski, a long-time lecturer at our university. Speeches were also delivered by Minister Karolina Zioło-Pużuk, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, Rector Professor Stanisław Mocek, and Paweł Zygarłowski, President of the Management Board of the Merito Higher Education Development Center. The highlight of the inauguration was the keynote lecture delivered by Ambassador Piotr Łukasiewicz, Chargé d’Affaires of the Republic of Poland in Ukraine, diplomat, and security expert, titled “Youth in the Shadow of Geopolitics: The War We Do Not See.”
On stage, Civitas University was represented by Professor Jadwiga Koralewicz, Honorary President; Professor Stanisław Mocek, Rector; Roma Równiak, Chancellor; Dr. Paulina Piasecka, Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs; Professor Michał Szostak, Vice-Rector for Scientific Research, and Dr. Anna Kuczyńska, Vice-Rector for Student Affairs.
As part of the ceremony, traditional awards and distinctions were presented. The WNUK Award, established in memory of Professor Edmund Wnuk-Lipiński, was granted this year to Professor Andrzej Friszke for 28 years of continuous teaching and for his contribution to the popularization of contemporary history. Professor Friszke also received a distinction for outstanding teaching achievements.
The CIVITAS Awards were presented to students for exceptional activity in seven categories:
Artistic Soul – Lizaveta Krupiankova
Born Olympian – Natalia Dubyk and Nikodem Ćwikła
Student Initiative – Civitas University Sociology Club (the award was accepted on behalf of the club by Vice-Chair Natalia Skorupa)
Life of the Party – Lizaveta Krupiankova and Wiktoria Wiśniewska
Student Activist – Lizaveta Krupiankova
Helping Hand – Amelia Fuks and Kajetan Adamski
Academic Talent – Wojciech Brzeziński
The new academic year at Civitas University has been officially opened. We believe it will be a time of intensive learning, research, and development, as well as new inspirations and experiences for our entire community.
Photos courtesy of Krystian Szczęsny