In the Golden Hall of the Kazimierzowski Palace, the Rector of the University of Warsaw, Prof. Alojzy Z. Nowak, together with the Vice-Rectors, Prof. Adam Niewiadomski and Prof. Maciej Raś met with Mikołaj Wolanin. The student from the UW’s Faculty of Law and Administration is the only representative of Poland, and the only European, recorded in the top ten of the Global Student Prize competition.

The Varkey Foundation and Chegg.org have announced the finalists of the Global Student Prize for the best students from around the world. In the top ten of the competition is Mikołaj Wolanin, a student of the UW’s Faculty of Law and Administration.

This year, around 11,000 students from more than 170 countries entered the competition. In July, the names of the 50 candidates who were accepted for the next stage of the competition were announced. The list included three participants from Poland, Mikołaj Wolanin among them.

“I sent my application via e-mail. First, I answered the attached questions, and then was qualified for the interview. I was selected for the top 50, which was already a great achievement. Now I have managed to be included in the top ten,” Mikołaj Wolanin said, adding, “The prize is about social activism and is the idea behind this competition.”

The meeting between the UW authorities and the student took place in the Golden Hall of the Kazimierzowski Palace. Prof. Alojzy Z. Nowak, the UW Rector, congratulated Mikołaj Wolanin on his success and presented him with a commemorative diploma. Congratulations were also expressed by the Vice-Rectors, Prof. Adam Niewiadomski and Prof. Maciej Raś.

“You are the only representative of Poland, and even Europe, among the finalists. This is a huge distinction. We are keeping our fingers crossed that you will become the winner,” Prof. Alojzy Z. Nowak, the UW Rector said during the meeting, adding: “For me as Rector it is a great joy and pride to have such an active and talented student at the University.”

About the awardee

Mikołaj Wolanin comes from Nowy Tomyśl near Poznań and is a fourth-year student at the Faculty of Law and Administration of the University of Warsaw, also studying Canon Law at Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University in Warsaw.

He is president and founder of the Fundacja na rzecz Praw Ucznia (ENG: Foundation for Pupil Rights) which was established in 2019, as well as chairman of the Main Committee of the Olimpiada Wiedzy o Prawach Ucznia (ENG: the Pupil Rights Knowledge Olympiad), representative of the Foundation at Child Rights Connect in Geneva and member of the Pupil Rights and Obligations Team at the Ministry of National Education.

In addition, he has 14 scientific publications to his credit, including two monographs (Pupil Rights and Pupil Responsibilities), as well as more than 30 conference papers, including at 12 international conferences.

In 2020, he was nominated for the International Children’s Peace Prize, and in 2023 he was one of the grand prize winners of the Mayor of Warsaw Award.

The winner of the Global Student Prize competition will be announced later in September. The grand prize winner will receive USD100,000. Last year, the grand prize was won by Nhial Deng, a South Sudanese refugee living in Kenya, in 2022 by Igor Klymenko from Ukraine and in 2021 by Jeremiah Thoronka from Sierra Leone.