Objectives
The aim of this activity is to create an institutional framework to coordinate and support interdisciplinary research activities which are undertaken at the University of Warsaw in the social sciences. It aims to strengthen the research potential at the University of Warsaw so that scientific excellence can be put into practice.
Detailed objectives:
- creating new (inter-departmental and inter-unit) thematic teams, and the integration of existing groups that are addressing key research challenges in the social sciences;
- providing effective systems (both at the level of funding and administrative support) for preparing competitive grant applications (prestigious national grants, including NCN MAESTRO, SONATA BIS, and foreign grants such as Horizon Europe, and ERC);
- providing methodological and practical support for young researchers and social scientists (methodology courses, academic writing, etc.);
- initiating and maintaining cooperation with outstanding researchers from abroad;
- creating a scientifically outstanding (methodological) workshops for young researchers.
Thematic areas:
- the growing scale of mobility and the opportunities and challenges it presents;
- inequality (at different levels);
- demographic changes (aging, patterns of family formation and break-up, new forms of social function, urbanisation);
- social and economic changes resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic;
- the transformation of democratic institutions;
- attitudes – their conditioning and consequences;
- the so-called “digital revolution” (and its consequences).
Tasks
The Centre will carry out activities of a tripartite character:
- A “package” of tools to support the scientific careers of young researchers:
- to initiate and promote a prestigious series of seminars, which the most renowned scientists (mainly from abroad) will be invited to;
- to organise cyclic activities aimed at improving the analytical skills and publishing competences of social researchers at the University of Warsaw (e.g., courses in analytical methods, the use of dedicated software, and academic writing);
- to create a mentoring programme for young social researchers;
- to provide support for the mobility of young researchers, especially in connection with participation in prestigious summer schools;
- to develop a model for creating academic career plans for young researchers; ultimately, academic career plans will include the “tools” offered under CESS, so that participation in the Centre becomes a valuable and desirable stage in the scientific careers of young researchers at the University of Warsaw.
- Support for innovative and interdisciplinary research projects:
- an internal grant programme, which rewards activities of an interdisciplinary and inter-departmental nature and involves researchers from various units at the University of Warsaw.
- The creation of an institutional framework for developing cooperation with foreign researchers:
- Guest visits by outstanding scholars from abroad, which will lead to joint publications and/or research projects with scientists from the University of Warsaw;
- international conferences of an interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary nature.
Coordinating unit: Centre of Migration Research, University of Warsaw
Leader: professor Pawel Kaczmarczyk
Centre of Excellence in Social Sciences is part of the Priority Research Area V: Responding to Global Challenges financed by programme “Excellence Initiative – Research University (2020-2026)”.