Speakers

Literary scholar, essayist, and professor at the Institute of Literary Studies of the University of Silesia.

Rector of the University of Silesia in Katowice (for the term 2020–2024)

Vice-Rector for Education and Students of the University of Silesia, 2012–2020

Director of the College of Inter-Faculty Individual Studies in Humanities later transformed into the College of

Interdisciplinary Individual Studies, 2011–2020

President of the Transform4Europe Alliance in 2024

Chair of the Academic Consortium – Katowice City of Science, 2022–present

Deputy Chair of the Conference of Rectors of Universities in Poland (KRUP), 2021–present

General Director of the Silesian Science Festival KATOWICE, 2016–present

Recepient of the Gdynia Literary Award for the book Ciała Sienkiewicza. Studia o płci i przemocy [Sienkiewicz’s Bodies: Studies of Gender and Violence], Katowice 2009 

Winner of the Kazimierz Wyka Award of the Marshal of the Lesser Poland Voivodeship and the Mayor of the City of Kraków in 2017 for outstanding achievements in essay writing and literary and artistic criticism.

Winner of the Śląski Wawrzyn Literacki Award for the collection of essays entitled ‘Dobrze się myśli literaturą’ [Thinking well with literature], Czarne Publishing House, 2016

Winner of the Pikowy Laur award of the Polish Chamber of Books for the periodic programme Poczet Pisarzy Polskich [Roster of Polish Writers] in Radio Katowice

Member of the Jury for the four consecutive editions of the Nike Literary Award; Chair of the Jury in 2015

Awarded the Badge of Honor for Services to the Silesian Voivodeship in 2018 

Ambassador of the Polish Pavilion at the Dubai EXPO 2020

Chair of the Polish Jury for the European Union Prize for Literature 2023  

Initiator, co-organiser, and member of the Professor Józef Pieter Award Jury 

Initiator and co-organiser of the Silesian Scientific Award

Chair of the Jury for the ‘Perspektywy’ Ranking of Secondary and Technical Secondary Schools 2023 

Chair of the Programme Council for the ‘Granatowe Góry’ Jerzy Pilch Word Festival

Member of the Education Committee of the Conference of Rectors of Academic Schools in Poland (CRASP) 

Member of Regional Council for the Just Transition of the Silesian Voivodeship

Member of the Metropolitan Development Council 

Member of the committee awarding scholarships of the Marshal of the Silesian Voivodeship in the field of culture

Member of the Jury for the Award of the Marshal of the Silesian Voivodeship for young artists 

Member of the Programme Council of the European Economic Congress (EEC 2024) 

Member of the Jury for the ‘Marka – Śląskie’ Award 

Member of the Jury and co-organiser of the Kazimierz Kutz Award