Social and academic pathologies under the magnifying glass of experts - multidisciplinary conference

On 9-11 April this year, the Sanguszkos Palace in Tarnów hosted a scientific conference entitled 'The Sanguszkos'. "Manifestations of pathology in a multifaceted view".organised by the Business School in Nowy Sącz. The event brought together representatives of various fields of science and practicewho jointly debated the complexity of pathological phenomena in the modern world. The meeting was chaired by the organiser, Professor Tadeusz Mędzelowski.

21 papers were presented during the conference. The speakers also included professors from the Institute of Criminology and Internal Security at the Higher School of Vocational Training, who presented an interdisciplinary perspective on the topic addressed during the meeting. The conference will result in a joint book publication, which will summarise the most important conclusions of the speeches and become a valuable source of knowledge for the scientific community and those interested in the issues of contemporary social pathologies.

Reflections on contemporary social and academic challenges

Speakers at the conference analysed phenomena ranging from problems with a global social dimension to challenges faced by Polish higher education.

Prof. Maria Szyszkowska in her paper "The source of pathological processes" pointed to the loss of human relationships in a world dominated by the pursuit of material goods. She also touched on war as a tool used by global corporations to make profits.

Prof. Piotr Skudrzyk in his speech "What is the treatment for social pathologies?" addressed the perception of the enemy during armed conflicts, referring to the issue of chivalry and moral responsibility in the context of Russia's wartime aggression.

In turn, Prof Robert Borkowski in his paper "Leprosy in the grove of Akademos - some remarks on the pathologies of Polish science". discussed in detail the challenges affecting domestic higher education - from economic problems to teaching burnout to pathological phenomena in the scientific field.

The conference was not only a space for the exchange of ideas, but also a stimulus for further joint reflection - both in academia and in public debate.

Article by Prof. Stanisław Kowalkowski soon to be published in prestigious journal

We are pleased to announce that our academic lecturer, Prof. Dr. Stanisław Kowalkowski, has written an article titled 'The importance of the project. Analysis of the performance properties of coating systems for military applicationswhich will officially appear on 1 April 2025 in the magazine Advances in Science and Technology Research Journal (19(5), s. 200-212). 

The publication analyses the physicochemical properties of two-layer camouflage coatings used in military technology. The research involved systems modified with carbon nanotubes and glass microspheres, showing high corrosion resistance, low surface roughness and good mechanical properties. The results confirm the practical applicability of the coatings in armaments and military vehicles.
A link to the article can be found below:
https://www.astrj.com/Analysis-of-the-performance-properties-of-coating-systems-for-military-applications,201155,0,2.html

Who is Professor Stanisław Kowalkowski?

Prof. Kowalkowski is an experienced specialist in the field of engineering military and security. He is a graduate of, among others, the Engineering and Communication Forces Officers' School in Wrocław, the Engineering Forces Officers' College and the National Defence Academy. Since 1997 he has been associated with the National Defence Academy. His research interests include engineering support to military operations, military movement direction, public safety and civil-military cooperation in crisis management.

A wave of disinformation stronger than the elements? Dr. Rafał Guzowski's research on social media

With what force does disinformation strike in times of crisis? The answer to this question was sought during his lecture Dr Rafał Guzowski cooperating with the College of Vocational Training in Wrocław, presenting the the results of piecemeal surveys on information chaos and the wave of misinformationthat emerged in these difficult moments for local communities. The speech took place during a conference "Resilience of cities to crises and threats. Security. Public policies. Education"which took place 28 March 2025.

Disinformation wave - two countries, one problem

Both Polandas well as Spain experienced in 2024 devastating flash floodswhich put not only infrastructure but also public confidence to the test. In both cases, the element was accompanied by a second wave - the confusion and misinformation.

W Spainespecially in the Valencia region, the meteorological warnings came too late. Residents, surprised by the scale of the phenomenon, were inundated with an avalanche of false information: from the allegedly damaged dams to theories about the operation of weather weapons and the HAARP programme. Manipulated footage attributed to Valencia also appeared on social media platforms, although it originated from Zaragoza.

W Poland, during the September floods, disinformation activity increased by 300%. Users received false RCB alerts, watched crafted films and read narratives about the "blowing up embankments" or looters from Ukraine. Some of this content appeared to be part of an organised campaign using accounts linked to the Russia and Belarus - aimed at undermining confidence in public institutions.

Social media - information or threats?

As he emphasises Dr Rafał Guzowski, social media in crisis situations are becoming both a source of information and a threat. Their impact lies in the immediacy and strength of emotion - the the more fear, anger or panic, the greater the reach of the false message.

The cases analysed included:

• voice messages on WhatsApp about a non-existent dam failure in Spain;
• Conspiracy theories about 'weather weapons';
• assigning recordings from other local reality sites;
• manipulated accounts of the actions of services and citizens.

These phenomena are not just temporary chaos - their effects are long-term. Disinformation weakens the community's ability to respond and adversely affects confidence in state warning systems.

Information resilience - a new pillar of security

Dr Guzowski's research shows that in the age of AI tools, fake news and manipulation, information immunity becomes as important as infrastructure. This is why it should be an element of urban planning, public policies and education.

A research paper entitled 'The importance of the researcher' will soon be published. "The role of media education and information policy in building urban resilience: shaping an informed information society in the face of crises and threats", in which Dr Guzowski will discuss in more detail the mechanisms for protecting cities from disinformation in times of crisis.

III National Scientific Conference "IN DEFENCE OF HIPOCRATES" with the participation of our lecturer

We are pleased to inform you that a representative of our University, Dr Katarzyna Kowalska, took part in the Third National Scientific Conference "IN DEFENCE OF HIPOCRATES" entitled "In defence of HIPOCRATES". "Contemporary issues in medical law".held on 18 March 2025.

During the conference, Dr Katarzyna Kowalska presented a paper entitled: "End-of-life challenges: the legal framework for home hospice activities in Poland - are de lege ferenda postulates needed?"which raises important issues related to the legal aspects of the operation of home hospices in Poland and the need for possible changes to the current legislation.

The conference was an excellent opportunity to exchange knowledge and experience in the field of medical law and to reflect on the future of the system of care for the terminally ill.

Publication of a book on property taxation by Dr Adam Rzetecki

Dr Adam Rzetecki has published a book titled 'The World's Most Beautiful. "Taxation of real estate transactions with the tax on civil law transactions. Practical commentary with jurisprudence. Examples of clauses" (2025), which is a practical commentary to the Act of 9 September 2000 on tax on civil law transactions (i.e. Journal of Laws of 2024, item 295). The item discusses in detail the events related to civil law transactions concerning real estate and property rights relating to real estate that persons acting in legal transactions may encounter.

The commentary thoroughly analyses situations occurring in practice, based on case law, positions of tax authorities and views of the doctrine. Of particular value is the analysis of the changes effective from 1 January 2024, including the introduction of an additional tax rate in the case of the purchase of more than one flat and the abolition of the PCC tax on the purchase of the first flat on the secondary market, which responds to the problems of the real estate market.

The publication is aimed at real estate professionals as well as legal practitioners such as notaries, tax advisors, lawyers and solicitors.

Dr Rafal Guzowski with an article on social protest and public investment - what themes does our lecturer's work raise?

What are the causes of social protests in the context of public investment? How can they be prevented and tensions effectively managed? A recent article answers these questions “Social Protests and Public Investment: Causes, Development and Conflict Management“, which has just been published, is authored by Dr Rafał Guzowski, lecturer at our University and programme director of the Institute of Internal Security and Criminology.

The article discusses in detail mechanisms for escalation of social conflicts - public administration and analyses the key communication failures that lead to the radicalisation of residents. The author points out that the most common reasons for public protests are a lack of transparency in investment planning, ignoring residents' concerns and insufficient public consultation.

The publication also contains discussion of several significant protests that have taken place in Poland since 2020 - inter alia. opposition to the construction of the S16 expressway in Mazury, the renovation of tenement houses in Kraków and the modernisation of the Wrocław-Wałbrzych railway line. The examples presented and discussed in depth show, how local communities effectively organise themselves to defend their interests and How the media influence conflict dynamics.

Importantly, the article not only analyses the problems, but also provides practical guidance for officials and investors on effective crisis management. The author emphasises that open dialogue, reliable information and taking into account the voice of local communities can significantly reduce the risk of escalating tensions.

The publication is a valuable resource for both public administration and anyone interested in the topic of public participation and conflict around public investment.

This article appeared in the March issue of Public Tenders.

Scientific publication by Dr Ewa Chomać-Pierzecka on the development of pharmaceutical companies

Ewa Chomać-Pierzecka, PhD, published an article entitled 'Innovation as an Attribute of the Sustainable Development of Pharmaceutical Companies' in the journal Sustainability (2025, 17, 2417). The article addresses the topic of innovation as a key element in the sustainability of pharmaceutical companies. In particular, research confirms that investing in innovation contributes to better sustainability performance by enhancing environmental safety, responding to societal expectations and maximising the economic efficiency of operations.

The article also discusses how product innovation is the foundation in achieving competitiveness in the market, and its implementation allows companies to respond effectively to changing market demands. Research indicates that companies that invest more heavily in innovation achieve higher results in terms of sustainability, which influences adaptation to global trends and their further development.

Magazine Sustainability (ISSN: 2071-1050) is indexed in databases such as Scopus, SCIE & SSCI, Geobase, GeoRef, Inspec, RePEc, CAPlus/SCIFinder, with an Impact Factor of 3.3 and a Citescore of 6.8. The article has a MEN score of 100 points.

The full article is available at the link: Innovation as an Attribute of the Sustainable Development of Pharmaceutical Companies .

Dr Joanna Pyłat with the prestigious title of membership of the Royal Historical Society - one of the world's most important scientific societies

We have written about the fact that lecturers at our University are constantly winning prestigious awards and developing internationally on a number of occasions. This time, we are happy to announce another success Dr Joanna Pyłat, who has been awarded the prestigious title of fellow, or full member, at the Royal Historical Society. This one of the most important scientific societies in the world, which has brought together the most renowned historians for more than 150 years.

Organisation of recognised historians

The Royal Historical Society is an organisation that was founded in 1868 and is currently one of the most important scientific societies in the world. It creates a platform for collaboration between scholars specialising in different areas of historical knowledge. The RHS also acts as an important partner for public discussion on the place of history in school and academic curricula, among other things. It works closely with universities, archives and museums.

Furthermore, the Royal Historical Society is actively involved in shaping research, education and teaching policy. The organisation supports researchers through grants and scholarshipsand also offers training courses and workshops, especially aimed at beginning researchers. In addition, it publishes journals, books, reference material and web content, providing information on important events for the historical community. The RHS also runs its own library and Archive in association with University College London.

Membership of the highest rank for Dr Joanna Pyłat, our lecturer

The organisation focuses more than 6,500 historians from various countries. The organisation's membership structure is hierarchical, with the highest status being fellow, or actual member. Each year, the RHS Board of Directors selects a group of a dozen or more members to be awarded this prestigious title, after nominations have been submitted in advance.

The Royal Historical Society recently announced a list of new members of the society, including 47 individuals from nine countries, including Australia, Canada, Germany, Malta, Poland, Sweden, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States. All were awarded the title of fellow (a real member), which is the highest form of membership of the RHS. According to the organisation's statutes, this prestigious status is awarded to scholars who have 'made an original contribution to historical research'. The new fellows also include Joanna Pyłat, PhD, who belongs to the teaching staff of our University.

This award is further evidence of the immense contribution to the field of humanities in the discipline of history of our lecturer. Her long-standing academic activities, her involvement in international research projects and her active role in scientific organisations as president in the World Council for Research on Polonia and Board Member Polish Scientific Society Abroad, attest to her invaluable contribution. This distinction underlines her contribution to the popularisation and development of historical research internationally, on which we warmly congratulate her.

"The erosion of liberal democracy in Poland after 2015". - new article by Prof. Dr. Andrzej Antoszewski

We are pleased to announce that Prof. Andrzej Antoszewski, a renowned political scientist working with the School of Vocational Training, has published an article entitled 'Erosion of liberal democracy in Poland after 2015' in the prestigious journal Wrocław Political Studies (33(1), 2024). His text analyses in detail the changes taking place in the Polish political system, indicating a gradual retreat from the liberal democracy model.

Who is Professor Andrzej Antoszewski?

Prof. Andrzej Antoszewski, Ph.D., is a renowned political scientist and an expert in the theory of democracy and political systems. His research focuses on the functioning of political parties, electoral behaviour and contemporary parliamentarism. He is the author and co-author of numerous scientific publications, for which he has received prestigious awards, including the Award of the Polish Academy of Sciences and distinctions from the Minister of Education.

The erosion of democratic institutions and the influence of the Church on state policy

The author draws attention to the growing tendency to limit the independence of democratic institutions, including the Constitutional Court. He describes how conservative political parties, led by the Law and Justice party, are undermining the legitimacy of the liberal order, arguing that it is the result of a compromise with post-communist elites.

The growing influence of the Catholic Church on state politics and the mechanisms of the erosion of democracy, including the system of informal patronage, are also important aspects of the analysis.

Why read the article?

The text by Prof. Andrzej Antoszewski, a lecturer cooperating with the Higher School of Vocational Training, is an important voice in the debate on the future of Polish democracy. The publication provides a thorough analysis of de-democratisation processes, their causes and consequences for society and the political system. We encourage you to read it: https://wuwr.pl/wrsp/article/view/17198.

Our lecturers in Moldova during the International Scientific Conference "Current Issues in Socio-Humanities"

Our university is continually working to develop new avenues of international cooperation, expanding the geographical reach of scientific contacts and strengthening partnerships with leading educational and scientific institutions around the world. An important step in this direction has been the expansion of cooperation with Moldova i Romaniawhich opens up new opportunities for joint educational and scientific projects.

13 March 2025 Janusz Sobon i Ruslana Selezneva took part in International Scientific Conference "Current Issues in the Socio-Humanities"which took place in Chisinau (Republic of Moldova).

A notable event of the conference was the signing of cooperation agreements between our university and Free International University of Moldova (Free International University of Moldova). The signing of the agreement has opened up new prospects for international scientific cooperation and has been an important step in strengthening relations with scientific institutions Romania i Moldova.

The conference brought together leading academics and researchers from Romania, Slovenia, Hungary, Lithuania, Moldova, Bulgaria i Ukraine, creating a unique platform for the exchange of experiences and discussion of current issues in the field of social sciences and humanities.

As part of the conference, our professors addressed the plenary session with a paper on "Digital transformation of the modern economy - the experience of Poland".. In their presentation, the authors discussed key issues related to digitisation processes in the Polish economy and proposed new approaches to solving current problems in this area. The paper was met with great interest by the participants and stimulated a substantive discussion. At the end of the conference, the organisers presented the participants with certificates in recognition of their contribution to the development of scientific dialogue and academic cooperation.

We would like to thank the organisers for the high organisational level of the event and the the opportunity to participate in such an important scientific event. We look forward to continued fruitful cooperation and participation in future conferences.