Our Campus is located directly at the German-Polish border, just take a walk across the bridge and find yourself in another country. Experience living in a region that has been influenced by major European historical impacts and join us on excursions to find traces of (inter-) European encounters!

The Center for Interdisciplinary Polish Studies (ZIP) and the Department of International Affairs of the European-University Viadrina invites applicants for the Summer Program “Contact Zones in Central Europe” from May 24th to July 4th 2015.

This summer program is designed for university-level (post-doctoral, doctoral, graduate or advanced undergraduate) researchers interested in European Studies, Global Studies, German Studies, Polish Studies, History, Social Studies, and Business Administration and Economics.

We offer university seminars, lectures, and excursions designed and held by renowned European researchers and will guide you through your abroad experience with excellent student services.

Recognizing the deep cultural and historical ties between ethnicities in our region, the theme of the Summer Program 2015 is “Contact Zones in Central Europe.” Central Europe has been defined by its multi-ethnic character since at least the days of Johann Herder, and has since inspired numerous intellectuals with its tenuous nature and offer of ethnic understanding. One the on hand, the peoples of Central Europe have given birth to some of the most virulent and violent nationalisms in modern history. On the other, the region has become the home of countless minorities on the search of religious tolerance and economic prosperity. By focusing on contact zones in Central Europe, the faculty of the summer program offer advanced BA, MA and PhD candidates both thematic seminars as well as language courses introducing the state of the art in the field.

In addition, we provide the equivalent of one academic year of intermediate/advanced German and Polish language instruction (in six weeks).

“The summer school of the Center for Interdisciplinary Polish Studies was enjoyable and academically rewarding. For just over one month I lived on the German-Polish border, attending a seminar on the EU’s eastward enlargement, an intensive German course, and frequent lectures and workshops on the regional borders thematic. I am grateful to the Europa-Universität Viadrina and the Kelso Institute for their support."

Thomas Kinneary Sánchez, Costa Rica