With the opening of the World Expo 2025 in Osaka we are launching the “Polish-Japanese Partnership for Security and Sustainable Development” project, implemented under the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange (NAWA) Program: ‘Direct to EXPO 2025’.

On April 22~23 the representation of the University of Warsaw including the Vice-Rector Prof. Zygmunt Lalak and the Vice-Rector Prof. Sambor Grucza, Prof. Agata Bareja-Starzyńska and Prof. Iwona Kordzińska from the Faculty of Oriental Studies will take part in the inauguration of the Days of Polish Science and Education at the Poland Pavilion in Osaka.

We are also pleased to announce that on April 24^th the UW Vice-Rector for Research, Prof. Zygmunt Lalak, will give a special lecture in Tokyo co-organized by the University of Tokyo and the University of Warsaw, entitled European Universities in a Period of Global Turbulence: Navigating Challenges, Ensuring Stability. 

Registration for participation on-site

On  April 25^th  an open seminar entitled Exploring the Dimensions of Intercultural Communication will be held at the International Christian University (Tokyo) with the participation of the UW Vice-Rector for Cooperation and Human Resources, Prof. Sambor Grucza, the Dean of the Faculty of Oriental Studies, Assoc. Prof. Agata Bareja-Starzyńska, and the Head of the Chair of Japanese Studies, Assoc. Prof. Iwona Kordzińska-Nawrocka. 

Registration for participation on-site or via Zoom

The topics of the scientific events planned by the University of Warsaw in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka for July 2025 are closely linked to the theme of the “EXPO 2025 Osaka, Kansai”: Designing Future Society for Our Lives and will deal in the broadest sense with security and sustainable development issues.

The Faculty of Oriental Studies is pleased to acknowledge the publication of the book “Obstacles to Democracy in Sub-Saharan Africa” written by dr. Nagmeldin Karamalla-Gaiballa. Prof. Agata Bareja-Starzyńska, Dean of the Faculty of Oriental Studies, extends her congratulations to the author on behalf of the Faculty. This book provides a detailed analysis of the factors contributing to the difficulties faced by democratic systems in sub-Saharan Africa, with a specific emphasis on the Republic of Sudan.

This book analyses the failure factors of democratic experiences in Sub-Saharan Africa, focusing on the Republic of Sudan. Through historical comparisons, it aims to further our understanding of democratic African state formation in the aftermath of colonialism, the impact of military coups on undermining democracy in sub-Saharan Africa, the formation and structuring of political parties in the region, and the failures and successes of popular revolutions in establishing good governance. To do so, the author weaves a portrait of the current state of democratic governance in Sudan and the broader sub-Saharan region by threading primary data analysis, such as expert interviews and surveyed participants of the Sudanese revolution, along with their personal reflections and observations on life lived in Sudan. Arguing that the nation is in a state of political crisis, the book posits that Sudan marks a potent example of failing democratic institutions in sub-Saharan Africa in the post-colonial era. For further information, please refer to Springer Nature Link

On February 19, 2025, His Excellency Amirsayd Agzamkhodjaev, Ambassador of the Republic of Uzbekistan to Poland, met with Assoc. Prof. Agata Bareja-Starzyńska, Dean of the Faculty of Oriental Studies, along with the staff of the Department of Turkic Studies and Inner Asian Peoples and students. The meeting focused on the upcoming 43rd UNESCO General Session, scheduled to be held in November 2025 in Samarkand—often referred to as the pearl of the Silk Road and a symbol of Uzbekistan’s rich heritage. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss prospects for academic cooperation, including student projects and opportunities for collaboration with various scientific centers in Uzbekistan.