The 6th Convention of the Central and East European International Studies Association (CEEISA) In cooperation with GARNET Network of ExcellenceThe 6th Convention of the Central and East European International Studies Association (CEEISA) In cooperation with GARNET Network of Excellence

Dear Friends,

The Institute of International Studies at the University of Wrocław is delighted to host the Sixth CEEISA conference, which will take place between 24 and 26 May 2007.

I am confident that this conference will be an interesting and successful event. There are several reasons for this. First, I should like to emphasise that an innovative approach has been introduced into the organisation of the conference. To my knowledge, this is the first time that a professional international studies association has teamed up with a network of institutions of research and higher education. In Europe, the European Commission promotes so-called networks of excellence, one of the most affluent of which, the Garnet Network of Excellence on Global Governance, Regionalisation and Regulation, will be our partner in the organisation of the CEEISA conference. Hence, on one hand, there is the CEEISA, a professional association of international relations scholars from Central and Eastern Europe and many other members who are interested in the region and the activities of the organisation; and, on the other, there is the Garnet Network, which comprises no fewer than 43 research centres and universities all over Europe.

Then, there is an academic setting in which the conference will take place. The University of Wroclaw, which in 2002 celebrated its 300^th anniversary, is one of the oldest in Central and Eastern Europe, and is the largest higher education institution in Lower Silesia. Furthermore, it would not be any exaggeration to say that the whole city can be called a city of youth. There are 10 academic schools in Wrocław; where over 160 000 students are enrolled. At our University there are currently ca. 40 000 students and about 1,300 doctoral students enrolled in 30 disciplinary areas in the sciences, humanities and social sciences. These are taught and supervised by around 1750 academic staff. The Faculty of Social Sciences, one of ten university faculties, has over 4,000 students, 200 doctoral students and employs 200 academic staff. The Institute of International Studies is part of this Faculty and provides courses for over 1400 students and 49 PhD students, with 43 academics in post. We hope that the truly academic atmosphere of our city will offer a stimulating environment for our conference.

Finally, it will indeed be a great privilege to welcome you to the beautiful city of Wrocław, which has had a long and eventful history, illustrated by the various names of the city under different rulers from 1000 AD onwards: Wrotizla, Vretslav, Presslaw and Breslau. Our contemporary city is well known in Poland for the affection in which it is held by its citizens, and for being a ‘meeting place’ in an historical and cultural sense between the Polish, old German, Austrian, Czech and Jewish traditions, as well as between its contemporary visitors and inhabitants. We at the University of Wrocław will offer you a warm welcome to the joint conference and to our fascinating city, and will make every effort to ensure that you have an enjoyable, stimulating and informative visit.

Wroclaw, November 2006

Elżbieta Stadtmuller

Research Director of the Institute of International Studies