It all began in January 2025 with an archaeological sensation. Among the oldest, largest and most important discoveries, such were the “Archaeological Sensations 2024” were papyri discovered in Egypt by our archaeologists, recognised as the “Największy skarb 2024” (eng. “Greatest Treasure of 2024”).

This was followed by many more important awards, distinctions, nominations and valuable grants.

Minister’s Lifetime Achievement Award for our physicist prof. Krzysztof Redlich!

Professor Bartosz Szyszko was honoured with the prestigious NCN Award.

Gala of Polish Science 2025. Award for the research team of prof. Dorota Nowak from the UWr Faculty of Biotechnology

The Nicolaus Copernicus Scientific Award, granted by the Polish Academy of Arts and Sciences and funded by the City of Kraków (awarded every five years), went to as many as three of our academics. The awards were presented in Kraków on 10 December during a ceremonial session of the City Council:

• in Economics: prof. dr hab. Mateusz Machaj, Department of General Economic Theory (Faculty of Law, Administration and Economics)
• in Mathematics: prof. dr hab. Mariusz Mirek, Department of Functional Analysis (Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science)
• in Classical Philology: dr. hab. Karol Zieliński prof. UWr, from the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research on the Relations between Oral and Written Culture

Dr inż. Piotr Kryczka from the Department of Socio-Economic Geography at the University of Wrocław was included among the 100 most talented Polish researchers under the age of 30, receiving a scholarship from the Foundation for Polish Science in the START 2025 competition.

The Iuvenes Wratislaviae 2025 Award was presented to dr hab. Anna Oleszkiewicz, prof. UWr, from the Institute of Psychology. This award, in the category of social sciences, humanities and the arts, is granted by the Wrocław Branch of the Polish Academy of Sciences for outstanding scientific achievements.

The title of “Reportage Book of the Year 2025” awarded by the Grand Press Foundation, along with the Audience Award, went to dr hab. Urszula Glensk, prof. UWr.

In the KLIO Award Competition, the first prize in the category of academic monographs was awarded to the publication by dr hab. Dagmara Adamska, prof. UWr, entitled Winogrady i winne wzgórza. Uprawa i produkcja wina na średniowiecznym Śląsku (Historical Institute). The third prize in the category regional studies / Varsaviana went to Łemkowskie rozdroże by prof. dr hab. from the Institute of Ethnology and Cultural Anthropology.

The monograph co-authored by prof. Bartłomiej Krzan, Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Law, Administration and Economics at the University of Wrocław, entitled Polski dorobek w zakresie międzynarodowego prawa karnego w latach 1918-2018, won first prize in the Best Historical Book Competition organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Dr hab. Paweł Urbaniak, prof. UWr, from the Institute of Journalism, became a laureate of the Polish Academy of Sciences Scientific Award for an outstanding scholarly publication in the field of communication and media studies, for the book System odpowiedzialności mediów w Polsce na tle systemów w innych krajach (University of Wrocław Press, 2024).

Among the laureates of the 8th edition of the “30 Creative People of Wrocław” poll were two of our researchers: prof. Tomasz Niedzielski, a specialist in geoinformatics and hydroinformatics, and dr Paweł Gawrychowski, prof. UWr – a scholar equally at home in grand theories and world championship medals in programming.

Prof. Anna Pacześniak was nominated as one of only six people in the entire European Union to the Committee of Independent Eminent Persons.

Prof. dr hab. Joanna Szczęk became a member of the International Scientific Advisory Board at the Leibniz Institute for the German Language in Mannheim.

In 2025, a new tab “Scientific Awards and Competitions” was launched on the University of Wrocław’s main website in the “Research” section. This space regularly publishes information on upcoming scientific conferences, fellowships, research scholarships and other opportunities for professional and academic development, as well as competitions such as those for the best doctoral thesis. In 2025, the Research Office published nearly 200 announcements there.

NCN OPUS grants were awarded this year to:

prof. dr hab. Joanna Wojdon, Instytut Historyczny Uniwersytetu Wrocławskiego
dr hab. Adrian Marciszak, Wydział Nauk Biologicznych 
prof. dr hab. Mariusz Jędrysek, Instytut Nauk Geologicznych 
dr Elżbieta Górka, Wydział Neofilologii 
dr hab. Piotr Sorokowski, Instytut Psychologii 
dr hab. Katarzyna Kajdanek, Instytut Socjologii
dr hab. Antonina Mazur, Wydział Biotechnologii
dr Pasi Huovinen, Wydział Fizyki i Astronomii 
prof. dr hab. Marcin Stępień, Wydział Chemii 
prof. dr hab. Dagmara Jakimowicz, Wydział Biotechnologii
dr Karol Kramarz, Wydział Nauk Biologicznych
dr Urszula Bąk-Stęślicka, Instytut Astronomiczny
dr hab. Karolina Kremens, prof. UWr, Wydział Prawa, Administracji i Ekonomii 
prof. Krzysztof Dębicki, Instytut Matematyczny 
dr Wojciech Białek, Wydział Biotechnologii

In two cases, the University of Wrocław is a partner in OPUS projects, thanks to prof. dr hab. Mariusz-Orion Jędrysek and dr Marek Malicki.

NCN PRELUDIUM grants were awarded this year to:

mgr Zuzanna Kierwiak-Włodarczyk, Wydział Nauk Historycznych i Pedagogicznych
mgr Damian Drzazga, Wydział Nauk Historycznych i Pedagogicznych
mgr Jan Załęcki, Wydział Neofilologii UWr
mgr Karolina Szula, Wydział Neofilologii UWr
mgr Wojciech Milczarski, Wydział Neofilologii UWr
mgr Klaudyna Spychała, Wydział Nauk Biologicznych
mgr Aleksandra Sobiech, Wydział Nauk Biologicznych
mgr Anna Domańska, Wydział Biotechnologii
mgr Julia Wiktoria Ptak, Wydział Biotechnologii
mgr Anna Maria Barton na projekt, Wydział Biotechnologii
mgr inż. Sylwia Kozioł, Wydział Biotechnologii
mgr Patrycja Wadach, Wydział Biotechnologii

NCN MINIATURA grants were awarded to:

dr Filip Chudy, dr Sylwia Romańska, dr Gyozo Kovacs, dr Kaja Gostkowska, dr Marlena Oleksiuk
dr inż. arch. Michalina Litwicka, dr Kamil Wojtkowiak, dr inż. Karol Kułacz, dr Aaron William Peat, dr Grzegorz Joachimiak, dr Alicja Limburska, dr Maciej Filip Skrzypek, dr Katarzyna Maria Zalas‑Kamińska, dr Arseni Borissov.

NCN SONATA grants were awarded to:

dr Jagoda Budzik (Jewish Studies)
dr Marta Kowal (Institute of Psychology)
dr David Osten (Institute of Theoretical Physics)

The MAESTRO grant was awarded to prof. S. Craig Roberts.

The SONATA BIS 14 grant was awarded to dr hab. Izabela Lebuda.

In the Virtual Research Institute (WIB) competition for the PACMAN Project, the University of Wrocław received nearly PLN 8 million; the project leader on behalf of the University is prof.  Małgorzata Zakrzewska.

A COST Action (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) grant was awarded to dr Aneta Wojnar from the Institute of Theoretical Physics, Faculty of Physics and Astronomy.

A Weave-UNISONO grant was awarded to the University of Wrocław and prof. dr hab. Jan Sobczyk from the Faculty of Physics and Astronomy.

The NCN SHENG 4 grant was awarded to prof. Małgorzata Biczysko; the project is implemented by the Molecular Spectroscopy and Photochemistry Team, in cooperation with researchers from Chongqing University, led by prof. Qian Gou.

OPUS LAP grants were awarded to projects led by dr hab. Anna Mystkowska-Wiertelak (Faculty of Languages, Cultures and Literatures) and prof. dr hab. Sławomir Szafert, (Faculty of Chemistry).

Funding under the FIRST TEAM scheme, financed by the European Funds for a Modern Economy (FENG) programme, was awarded to the PROT-TOWING project led by prof. Łukasz Opaliński from the Faculty of Biotechnology.

Under the MAPS (Multilateral Academic Projects) call organised by the Swiss National Science Foundation within Swiss–European scientific cooperation, funding was awarded to the project “Magic Bullet Gels: Unleashing Antimicrobial Peptide Metal Complexes” led by prof. Magdalena Rowińska-Żyrek from the Faculty of Chemistry.

In the “Wektory Nauki” competition organised by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, the University received funding for two scientific projects.

At the Faculty of Social Sciences of the University of Wrocław, a WEAVE-UNISONO research grant will be implemented as a trilateral collaboration between the German DFG, the Austrian FWF, and the Polish NCN. The project leader is prof. Aleksandra Maatsch (University of Wrocław), working with teams led by prof. Michael Blauberger (Paris Lodron University of Salzburg) and prof. Arndt Wonka (University of Bremen).

NAWA scholarships were awarded to dr Magdalena Gibiec, dr Michał Halicki and dr hab. Anna Śledzińska-Simon, prof. UWr.

A project led by dr hab. Małgorzata Zakrzewska, prof. UWr, from the Faculty of Biotechnology, in cooperation with Czech partners, qualified for funding in the Weave-UNISONO 2024 competition.

We have 18 laureates and awardees under the Wrocław Student Scholarship Programme, run by the Wrocław Academic Centre.

Laureates:

Piotr Błaszkiewicz (laureat Stypendium im. Hugona Steinhausa z zakresu nauk matematycznych)
Kacper Prokop (laureat Stypendium im. Maxa Borna: w zakresie nauk fizycznych i chemicznych)
Dawid Maciejczuk (laureat Stypendium im. Wincentego Stysia w zakresie nauk społecznych i humanistycznych)
Kacper Rosner-Leszczyński (laureat Stypendium im. Wincentego Stysia w zakresie nauk społecznych i humanistycznych)
Kamil Sobański (laureat Stypendium im. Wincentego Stysia w zakresie nauk społecznych i humanistycznych)
Małgorzata Szczypińska (laureatka Stypendium im. Alfreda Jahna w zakresie nauk o Ziemi i środowisku)
Tetiana Vovk (laureatka Stypendium im. Alfreda Jahna w zakresie nauk o Ziemi i środowisku)

Recipients of distinctions:

Mikołaj Domagalski (Stypendium im. Ludwika Hirszfelda zakresie nauk biologicznych i medycznych/ wyróżnienie)
Maciej Tadej (Stypendium im. Hugona Steinhausa z zakresu nauk matematycznych/ wyróżnienie)
Tomasz Żuchowski (Stypendium im. Hugona Steinhausa z zakresu nauk matematycznych/ wyróżnienie)
Weronika Zając (Stypendium im. Maxa Borna: w zakresie nauk fizycznych i chemicznych/ wyróżnienie)
Adam Kruk (Stypendium im. Jerzego Grotowskiego w zakresie sztuki/ wyróżnienie)
Karolina Szula (Stypendium im. Wincentego Stysia w zakresie nauk społecznych i humanistycznych/ wyróżnienie)
Alan Żukowski (Stypendium im. Wincentego Stysia w zakresie nauk społecznych i humanistycznych/wyróżnienie)
Barbara Żyżlewicz (Stypendium im. Wincentego Stysia w zakresie nauk społecznych i humanistycznych/ wyróżnienie)
Błażej Cieślik (Stypendium im. Alfreda Jahna w zakresie nauk o Ziemi i środowisku/ wyróżnienie)
Hubert Mazurek (Stypendium im. Alfreda Jahna w zakresie nauk o Ziemi i środowisku/ wyróżnienie)
Zofia Owczarek (Stypendium im. Alfreda Jahna w zakresie nauk o Ziemi i środowisku/ wyróżnienie)

On 15 December 2025, 20 of our experts were appointed by the Minister of Science and Higher Education to the Science Evaluation Committee.

The project by dr hab. Urszula Komarnicka, prof. UWr, entitled “Międzynarodowa współpraca w badaniach nad stabilnością i dynamiką degradacji związków indukujących ferroptozę”, received funding from the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange (NAWA).

Uczelnia Badawcza

Edit: Katarzyna Górowicz-Maćkiewicz

Date of publication: 2.01.2026

Added by: M.J.