It was a year of significant achievements, important meetings and agreements, but also difficult experiences. Here is a recap of the most important events of the last 12 months at the University of Warsaw.
January
On 8th January, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the leader of the Belarusian opposition, visited the University of Warsaw. In the Ballroom of the Tyszkiewicz-Potocki Palace, she gave a speech in which she thanked the university for its support for the Belarusian people. Two days later, a press conference was held with the participation of Prof. Alojzy Z. Nowak, the UW Rector, before the departure of the Polish Academic Team for the Turin Winter World University Games.
In January, the University of Warsaw was an academic partner of AI House and Polish Business Hub, which took place during the World Economic Forum in Davos.
On 27th January, a meeting was held at the University of Warsaw during which representatives of the university and medical institutions discussed a model of integrated education for civilian and military doctors – so that they would be prepared to operate in a dynamically changing geopolitical environment.
February
In 2025, the University of Warsaw maintained its leading position in Poland among scientific institutions that are beneficiaries of the European Union’s “Horizon Europe” framework programme. According to data from February, researchers from the UW participated in 89 projects (and in the following months, this number exceeded 100), and the amount of funding for the UW was over 44.4 million euros (and in the following months, this number exceeded 53 million euros).
On 10th February, an agreement was concluded between the Military Medical Institute – National Research Institute (WIM) and six leading medical and academic centres, including the University of Warsaw, the Holy Cross Cancer Centre, the Independent Public Clinical Hospital No. 4 in Lublin, the Independent Public Clinical Hospital No. 1 in Lublin, the University Children’s Hospital in Lublin and the Medical University of Lublin. The agreement concerns cooperation in the development of robotic surgery, artificial intelligence and telemedicine, with an emphasis on innovative technologies in medicine, scientific research and education.
The University of Warsaw has launched a new website (bezpieczenstwo.uw.edu.pl) where you can find out what to do in an emergency: fire, accident, contamination or finding a suspicious object. The university also has an emergency telephone number: (22 55) 22 112.
March
In March 1968, dramatic events took place at the University of Warsaw – student protests and their brutal pacification by the security apparatus of the Polish People’s Republic. On the 57th anniversary of those tragic days, a ceremony was held at the University’s Main Campus on Krakowskie Przedmieście to lay flowers under a plaque commemorating the events of March 1968.
On 21st March, at the University of Warsaw, a meeting was held between Prof. Alojzy Z. Nowak, the Rector of the University of Warsaw, and Dr Marcin Kulasek, the Minister of Science and Higher Education. The discussions concerned the development of the university and cooperation in the field of scientific research and education.
The Medical Diagnostics and Forensic Genetics Laboratory at the University of Warsaw obtained the first accreditation for a medical laboratory in the history of the university. On 24th March, Prof. Alojzy Z. Nowak, the UW Rector, received the certificate from Lucyna Olborska, Director of the Polish Centre for Accreditation.
April
On 4th April, the University of Warsaw hosted a seminar entitled 4EU+ Leading the Way: Shaping the Future of a Transnational European University in a Changing Global Landscape. On the initiative of Prof. Alojzy Z. Nowak, the UW Rector, university welcomed representatives of seven other European universities that are members of the 4EU+ Alliance.
The Minister of Science and Higher Education appointed a Team to develop assumptions for a new model of evaluation of the quality of scientific activity. The group of experts includes Prof. Ewa Krogulec, the UW Vice-Rector for Development, and Prof. Marcin Pałys, Chairman of the General Council for Science and Higher Education and former Rector of the University of Warsaw.
Poland’s potential in the field of artificial intelligence-based technologies was the subject of a debate held on 8th April at the University of Warsaw. One of the participants in the discussion was Christopher Lehane, responsible for OpenAI’s global relations.
From 22nd to 26th April, the Polish Pavilion at the Expo 2025 World Exhibition in Osaka hosted Polish Science and Education Days, during which universities and research institutions presented their scientific achievements and educational offerings. The UW was represented by, among others, Vice-Rectors Prof. Sambor Grucza and Prof. Zygmunt Lalak.
May
On the afternoon of 7th May, the University of Warsaw community was struck by a terrible tragedy. Our colleague, a UW employee, was brutally murdered. 8th May was declared a day of mourning at the university, and additional psychological support was organised for members of the community in the following days. Prof. Alojzy Z. Nowak, the UW Rector, and Dr Marcin Kulasek, Minister of Science and Higher Education, laid flowers at the site of the tragic event on the University’s Main Campus. A ceremony was held to commemorate the deceased employee, and a press briefing was organised by the UW’s crisis management team and Dr Kulasek. From 12th May, a letter with words of support and wishes for a speedy recovery for Tomasz, the university security guard who risked his life to rescue our colleague on 7th May, was available for signing in the Auditorium Maximum on the UW’s Main Campus. The UW’s Security Guard also organised a fundraiser for him.
On 18th May, a farewell vigil was held on the initiative of the UW Students’ Council. Małgorzata’s funeral took place on 19th May. On 13th May, Prof. Alojzy Z. Nowak, Rector of the University of Warsaw, submitted a request to the President of Poland to award a decoration to the tragically deceased Małgorzata Dynak, victim of the brutal attack on 7th May. The Gold Cross of Merit was awarded posthumously to Małgorzata by President Andrzej Duda for her services to the local community. The award was presented to her immediate family on behalf of the President by Minister Andrzej Dera, the Secretary of State in the Chancellery of the President of the Republic of Poland during the funeral ceremony.
In the following months, the University introduced a number of new measures to ensure the safety of the UW academic community.
June
The UW’s Student Hall of Residence no. 7 at Sulimy 4 was honoured with the Architectural Award of the President of the City of Warsaw. The distinction in the 11th edition of the competition was awarded in the “residential architecture” category. Student Hall of Residence no. 7 was also awarded in the “Accessibility Leader” competition.
“Together for a secure Europe.” This was the motto of the Central and Eastern European Security Forum held at the University of Warsaw. On 16th and 17th June, European and American experts in geopolitics, economics and cybersecurity debated at the university’s Main Campus.
In June, Prof. Dominika Zgid and Prof. Joanna Mizielińska were awarded prestigious Advanced European Research Council (ERC) grants. The projects they will carry out at the University of Warsaw concern modelling disorder in crystalline materials and LGBTIQ* families in Central and Eastern Europe.
On 17th June, the opening ceremony of the UW’s Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology Research Station took place in Paphos, Cyprus. The event coincided with the 60th anniversary of the presence of Polish archaeologists in New Paphos, one of the most important archaeological sites in Cyprus, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The University of Warsaw took first place in the 26th edition of the Perspektywy University Ranking. 16 fields of study offered at the University of Warsaw were recognised as the best in Poland.
On 25th June, the UW Senate adopted “The University of Warsaw Rector’s Annual Report 2024”. The document is a comprehensive source of information on individual groups of the academic community, educational offer, research activities, relations with the socio-economic environment, finances and investments. It also contains a calendar of the most important events in the past year.
July
On 1st July, the Office for Security Affairs began operating at the University of Warsaw – a specialised unit responsible for coordinating all activities related to the protection of people and property on the university premises.
On 15th July, a press conference was held before the Polish national team left for Germany to participate in the 32nd FISU World University Games. The event was attended by Prof. Alojzy Z. Nowak, Rector of the University of Warsaw and President of the University Sports Association.
On 31st July, the University of Warsaw adopted the Open Science Policy (OSP). The document sets out the rules for open access to the results of research conducted at the university, including publications and research data.
August
“You have shown your love for the University, for fighting Warsaw, and fighting Poland. It is an honour to meet you again. We are incredibly proud of you,” said Prof. Alojzy Z. Nowak, the UW Rector, addressing the Heroes of the events of 81 years ago. On 1st August, a ceremony commemorating the anniversary of the Warsaw Uprising was held at the UW’s Main Campus.
Respect for the historical transport layout while transforming it into a pedestrian-friendly area are the features of the winning design for the development of the University of Warsaw campus on Krakowskie Przedmieście. The architectural and urban planning competition was decided on 18th August. Among the submitted works, the jury gave the highest marks to the joint project of the studios “Pracownia Architektoniczna 1997 sp. z o.o.” and “Gąska Wojcieszak Pracownia Architektoniczna sp. z o.o.”.
On 5th August, at around 1:00 a.m., the titan arum (Amorphophallus titanum) began blooming in the University of Warsaw Botanical Garden. This is the second time in last few years – this time the plant is older and has a significantly larger inflorescence than before.
On 29th August, Karol Nawrocki, President of the Republic of Poland, met with Rectors of Polish universities and representatives of science and business at the University of Warsaw. At the Centre of New Technologies on the Ochota Campus, the President signed a draft bill on the Breakthrough Technology Development Fund.
September
Prof. Alojzy Z. Nowak, the Rector of the University of Warsaw, appointed Dr Krzysztof Nierzwicki as Director of the University of Warsaw Library. His term of office began on 1st September and will last for five years.
On 4th September, the three-day 34th Economic Forum in Karpacz came to an end. The University of Warsaw was the main academic partner of the event.
Prof. Alojzy Z. Nowak, the UW Rector, received an honorary doctorate from the Catholic University of Santa Maria in Arequipa (Peru). The ceremony awarding the honorary title took place on 9th September.
The new building of the UW’s Faculty of Psychology, located on Banacha Street, has six floors and an area of almost 26,600 m2. The building includes an auditorium for over 380 people, seminar rooms, lecture halls, computer rooms, group work rooms and research laboratories. There is a garden on the roof and an observation deck. It will be used by approximately 2,000 people, mainly students, doctoral candidates and employees of the UW’s Faculty of Psychology. On 23rd September, the official opening of the new building of the University of Warsaw took place on the university campus in Ochota.
Prof. Alojzy Z. Nowak, the Rector of the University of Warsaw, appointed Magdalena Miksa as academic ombudsman. Her term of office will last until the end of August 2028.
In 2025, the Astronomical Observatory of the UW celebrated its 200th anniversary. In September, the UW hosted the 42nd Meeting of the Polish Astronomical Society, the largest Polish conference devoted to space research. During the opening ceremony, prestigious awards granted by the Polish Astronomical Society (PTA) were presented. The winners were recognised in the following categories: scientific achievements, popularisation of astronomy, and young astronomer. The most important award granted by the PTA is the Bohdan Paczyński Medal. It was awarded to Prof. Marcin Kubiak, Prof. Michał Szymański and Prof. Andrzej Udalski – scientists associated with the OGLE project and the Astronomical Observatory UW.
October
“You are the best of the best. I would like to congratulate you and thank you for choosing the University of Warsaw. It is an open, democratic and tolerant university. We will do everything in our power to support you in achieving your dreams,” said Prof. Alojzy Z. Nowak, the UW Rector, addressing the newly selected students and doctoral candidates. On 1st October, the offical inauguration of the 2025/2026 academic year took place.
On 5th October, the University of Warsaw Library hosted the final gala of the 29th edition of the Nike Literary Award. The winner was Dr Eliza Kącka from the UW’s Faculty of Polish Studies, honoured for her book “Wczoraj byłaś zła na zielono”. The researcher also received the Readers’ Award.
Hate has no place at the University of Warsaw. Developing recommendations for counteracting hate and a rapid response procedure is the primary task of the newly appointed Rector’s Team. The first meeting took place on 7th October.
The Cyber Defence Forces Command signed the first agreement on cooperation with Polish universities as part of the Cyber LEGION programme. The agreement was signed on behalf of the University of Warsaw by Prof. Alojzy Z. Nowak, the UW Rector.
Prof. Łucja Kowalewska from the Faculty of Biology and Prof. Maciej Stolarski from the Faculty of Psychology were awarded the National Science Centre Prize. The jury recognised the researchers’ achievements, which have a real impact on global science.
November
Prof. Anna Matysiak from the UW’s Faculty of Economic Sciences was awarded the Foundation for Polish Science Prize 2025 in the field of humanities and social sciences. The award, considered the most important scientific award in Poland, was granted for identifying key market characteristics and working conditions affecting fertility.
The University of Warsaw launched the Weigl TOP200 programme, implemented by the National Agency for Academic Exchange (NAWA) in cooperation with the National Science Centre (NCN) and the National Centre for Research and Development (NCBR).
A Laboratory of Media Studies, specialised television, radio and photography studios, functional teaching and lecture rooms, as well as common areas, courtyards and recreational terraces – these are the features of the new University of Warsaw building at 2/4 Bednarska Street, which will be the main building for the Faculty of Journalism, Information and Book Studies. On 14 November, a ceremonial signing of the founding act and the laying of the cornerstone took place at the construction site.
The School of Literary Translation Masters, exercises at the National Museum, engagement of students in geographical research projects, reforms of political science teaching programmes, and innovative methods of early school education. This year’s UW Rector’s Teaching Award went to five University employees.
On 20th November, during a birthday concert at the University of Warsaw Library, the university community celebrated the 209th anniversary of the founding of the University of Warsaw.
On 27th November, during the Annual Meeting of 4EU+, Prof. Alojzy Z. Nowak, the UW Rector, handed over the presidency of the Alliance to Prof. Audrey Leuba, Rector of the University of Geneva.
December
Why do empires collapse? How to solve the reachability problem in infinite-state systems? In what ways does mathematics allow us to describe the structure of a graph? During the following years, these questions will be explored by three researchers from the University of Warsaw. On 9th December, Prof. Maria Nowak, Prof. Wojciech Czerwiński and Prof. Michał Pilipczuk joined the group of recipients of the prestigious ERC Consolidator Grants.
From 12th to 14th December, Prof. Alojzy Z. Nowak, the UW Rector, participated in the international conference “The 11th International Workshop on New Structural Economics” and accompanying scientific events devoted to contemporary economic, political and military turbulence and the role of the state in the economy. The visit took place at the invitation of Peking University.
The University of Warsaw was the venue for the final meeting of the technological and scientific tour “IGNIS – Poland Reaches for the Stars”, organised by the Ministry of Development and Technology, the Ministry of Science and Higher Education and the Polish Space Agency in cooperation with the European Space Agency. The event was an opportunity to discuss Polish space research and modern orbital technologies. Its main point was a meeting with Dr Eng. Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski, the second Pole in history to travel into outer space.
