CBnD KUL at the 5th Congress of European Studies
From September 16 to 18, 2026, representatives of The Center for the Study of Diplomacy at the John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin participated in the 5th Congress of European Studies "Europe in Times of Upheaval", which took place at the Faculty of Political Science and Journalism of Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań.
The Congress is one of the most important scientific events dedicated to contemporary Europe and European integration. This year's edition brought together researchers, educators, and practitioners representing, among others, political science, law, economics, sociology, history, philosophy, and international relations. The program included dozens of thematic panels devoted to, among others, security policy, EU enlargement and eastern policy, differentiated integration, migration, technological transformation, and the future of the European project.
Active participation in the Congress was taken by representatives of The Center for the Study of Diplomacy at KUL:
▪️ Dr. hab. Beata Piskorska, prof. KUL, Vice-Rector for Students and Internationalization and head of CBnD KUL, was the organizer of the panel "The European Union's External Relations and Contemporary Diplomacy: Challenges and Directions of Development". The panel was devoted, among others, to the role of EU diplomacy in the enlargement process, eastern policy, and the importance of security factors and geopolitics for the future of European integration. Within the panel, she delivered a speech entitled "Education as an Instrument of the European Union's Foreign Policy: Between Soft Power and Educational Diplomacy".
▪️ Mgr Michał Wójcik presented a paper titled "Citizen Diplomacy as an Instrument Supporting the European Union Enlargement Process – Poland's Experiences in Eastern Policy", addressing the significance of civic activity and the work of non-governmental organizations in Poland's relations with Eastern Partnership countries.
▪️ Mgr Mateusz Błaszczak presented a paper "Managing the European Union Accession Process under Geopolitical Tensions: Between Accelerated Sectoral Integration and Enlargement Stagnation", devoted to the challenges facing the EU accession process regarding selected candidate countries.
The participation of the Center's representatives in the Congress was an opportunity to present research on contemporary diplomacy, the European Union's foreign policy, and eastern policy, as well as to exchange experiences and establish contacts with representatives of Polish and foreign academic centers.
The 5th Congress of European Studies was organized by the Faculty of Political Science and Journalism of Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, the Polish Association for European Studies, and the Center for European Research and Education. This year's sessions were held under the slogan "Europe in Times of Upheaval", referring to the dynamic changes occurring both within the European Union itself and in its international environment.
We warmly congratulate the Congress organizers and thank them for the opportunity to participate actively.
