Poland and Austria Strengthen Cooperation at the Institute for Human Sciences
The Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education (Ministerstwo Nauki i Szkolnictwa Wyższego, MNiSW) and the Vienna Institute for Human Sciences (IWM) are renewing their close partnership. Following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding in December 2025, representatives of both institutions officially concluded a funding agreement for the years 2026 through 2027 in Warsaw in July 2026.
Representatives of the IWM and the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education signed the funding agreement for 2026–2027 in a festive ceremony in Warsaw. / Picture: © Polish and Austrian crossed flags by Vindobona
This collaboration marks the resumption of a long-standing tradition of funding and sends a clear signal in support of cross-border academic exchange in Central Europe.
A Commitment to Dialogue in Difficult Times
At a formal ceremony at the Polish Ministry of Science, Andrzej Szeptycki, Undersecretary of State for International Cooperation, welcomed an IWM delegation led by Interim Rector Ivan Krastev and Executive Director Katharina Hasewend.
Both sides emphasized the strategic importance of intensified research cooperation between Poland and Austria. IWM Rector Ivan Krastev highlighted the significance of the decision: “At a time when many countries are facing financial constraints, this demonstrates a remarkable commitment and a vote of confidence on the part of the Polish Ministry and the Polish government.”
The agreement was preceded by intensive diplomatic preparations. In addition to the Polish Ministry of Science and the Austrian Federal Ministry for Women, Science, and Research (BMFWF), the Austrian Embassy in Poland under Ambassador Hannes Schreiber and the Austrian Cultural Forum in Warsaw, led by Arnold Obermayr, played a key role in bringing the agreement to fruition.
Polish Heritage as the Foundation of the Institute
For the Vienna Institute for Advanced Study, founded in 1982, the partnership with Poland is not only a source of financial support but also touches the very core of its identity. Polish intellectuals have shaped the institution since its establishment by Founding Rector Krzysztof Michalski and Founding President Józef Tischner. This intellectual legacy is kept alive through various fellowship and event programs.
One such program is the Tischner Fellowship Program, which was launched in 2003 and ranks among the Institute’s longest-standing fellowship initiatives, bringing outstanding researchers to Vienna each year. The Jerzy Giedroyc Fellowship Program supports scholars in the humanities and social sciences who examine the historical and political transformations of Eastern and Central Europe. One such event is the Giedroyc Conference in the fall of 2026, when the IWM will host a conference in Vienna on the relevance of the historical “Giedroyc Doctrine” to contemporary European geopolitics.
The 45th Anniversary (2027): To mark the institute’s upcoming 45th anniversary in 2027, an anthology on the thought of Krzysztof Michalski will be published, edited by IWM co-founder Klaus Nellen, Permanent Fellow Ludger Hagedorn, and IWM alumnus Piotr Kubasiak. As part of this collaboration, a total of 14 Polish early-career and established researchers will be hosted at the IWM in Vienna this year.
Expansion into “Digital Humanism” and Regional Networks
The new funding agreement is by no means limited to traditional humanities topics but specifically broadens the IWM’s research spectrum, such as through the Digital Humanism Program. This flagship program, which bridges technology, ethics, and society—and has thus far been funded primarily by the Austrian Federal Ministry for Innovation, Mobility, and Infrastructure (BMIMI)—is now being expanded to include Polish research institutions thanks to Polish support. In collaboration with the Austrian Cultural Forum in Warsaw, a major debate on disinformation and its societal consequences is planned for later this year.
There are also Tischner Debates and regional collaborations, as the traditional Tischner Debate took place in 2026 in cooperation with Piotr Augustyniak and the Kraków University of Economics. Further synergies exist with the renowned Pogranicze Foundation (Fundacja Pogranicze) in Sejny/Krasnogruda. Issues surrounding human rights in Belarus are particularly significant. In collaboration with the Polish Institute in Vienna, an event featuring the Belarusian Nobel Peace Prize laureate and human rights activist Aleś Bialacki is currently being prepared.
A Model for Success: The ERC Mentoring Initiative
A particularly effective pillar of bilateral cooperation is the ERC Mentoring Initiative, launched in 2015 in collaboration with the Polish Academy of Sciences (Polska Akademia Nauk, PAN).
Since researchers from Eastern Europe are often structurally disadvantaged in highly competitive EU funding programs (such as the European Research Council’s [ERC] Starting and Consolidator Grants), the initiative offers intensive mentoring workshops with international expert panels twice a year.
The results speak for themselves: To date, the initiative has already helped 17 researchers successfully secure a coveted ERC grant. Poland has supported the IWM since the first government agreement in 2014. Following a temporary interruption in direct government funding in the years