On 9th March, the Ministry of Science and Higher Education organised another meeting in the series “Ministerial Forum for Academic Debate”. This time, the discussions focused on safety in the academic environment. The event was attended by Robert Grey, the UW Chancellor. Representatives of the UW were also appointed to the ministerial Team for Equality and Prevention of Undesirable Phenomena in Academia.
The “Ministerial Forum for Academic Debate” brought together representatives of the academic community. The meeting focused on the multidimensional role of security, covering issues of physical and information security, as well as civic education and social resilience.
Participants discussed such issues as the involvement of higher education and research institutions in security activities. The importance of involving as many researchers and academic teachers as possible in security-related initiatives was emphasised.
The meeting was attended by representatives of the university management responsible for security and the organisation of educational units. The University of Warsaw was represented by Robert Grey, the UW Chancellor, and Sławomir Obliński, Acting Director of Security at the UW.
“Today, the safety of the academic community is much more than just physical protection. It also includes cybersecurity, counteracting undesirable phenomena, and building the resilience of public institutions. We are delighted that the expertise of the University of Warsaw can support the work of the newly established Team for Equality and Prevention of Undesirable Phenomena in Academia, which will work to promote a safe and responsible academic environment,” emphasises Robert Grey, the UW Chancellor.
A safe and equal academic environment
On 6th March, a ministerial Team for Equality and Prevention of Undesirable Phenomena in Academia was established, whose task is to reduce discrimination and mobbing and to strengthen safety in the academic community.
The task of the new auxiliary body to the Minister of Science and Higher Education is to develop solutions that strengthen the prevention of discrimination and mobbing and protect dignity and safety in higher education and science.
In the coming months, the Team will conduct an in-depth analysis of the activities of universities and institutes, review regulations and develop recommendations and a catalogue of good practices. Anti-discrimination recommendations will support the creation of a space based on the principles of equality, respect for dignity and safety, serving both employees and students.
Representatives of the University of Warsaw in the Team:
- Prof. Małgorzata Barzycka-Banaszczyk (Faculty of Law and Administration) – author of numerous academic publications on labour law; author of the textbook Prawo pracy (Labour Law); chair of the University of Warsaw Commission on Mobbing and Other Undesirable Behaviour; chair of the University of Warsaw Disciplinary Appeals Commission for Students and Doctoral Candidates; coordinator of the Labour Law Section at the Law Clinic of the UW’s Faculty of Law and Administration;
- Dr Anna Cybulko (Faculty of Law and Administration) – psychologist and lawyer, academic ombudsman at the University of Warsaw in 2011–2024, responsible for the creation and implementation of anti-mobbing and anti-discrimination procedures; chair of the Academic Safety and Equality Network (ASBiR); author of texts, opinions and expert reports on mobbing, discrimination and sexual harassment; member of the European Equality Law Network, representing Poland in the area of gender equality law;
- Dr Barbara Godlewska-Bujok (Faculty of Management) – lawyer specialising in labour and employment law; deputy chair of the Labour Protection Council at the Sejm of the Republic of Poland (12th term);
- Prof. Karolina Krasuska (Institute of the Americas and Europe) – founder of the Gender/Sexuality Laboratory (2016) and the Gender and Sexuality second-cycle programme (2025); author of dozens of feminist research papers in cultural studies and literary studies, winner of numerous Polish and international grants and awards;
- Magdalena Miksa – academic spokesperson for student and employee affairs at the University of Warsaw, lawyer, certified trainer and mediator; since 2018, she has been associated with the UW, where she served as deputy academic spokesperson for student affairs and coordinator for counteracting mobbing; she specialises in issues related to conflict resolution, anti-bullying and building a culture of dialogue; she conducts student and staff mediation, as well as training in anti-bullying, communication in difficult situations and conflict management.
The team also includes representatives of other universities, Polish Academy of Sciences institutes, and experts dealing with equality and counteracting mobbing and undesirable phenomena in the academic community.
