A 96-year-old former soldier in the Polish Army in Britain during the Second World War, who retired from the University of Aberdeen’s Logic Department (now part of the Philosophy Department) in 1975, is receiving a special honour tomorrow (Tuesday, 27 February) from Poland’s oldest university.
The Rector of Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland, as part of the 600th anniversary of the University’s refounding, is presenting Dr Wladislaw Bednarowski with a medal to recognise his contributions not only to Philosophy, but also to forging links between Poland and the rest of the world.
Last year, Dr Bednarowski established a Trust to develop international scholarly collaboration between academics in Poland and Aberdeen. The Trust enables Polish academics to pay long-term visits to Aberdeen where they will work alongside and exchange ideas, not only with colleagues in the Department of Philosophy in this University but with others throughout the UK and beyond.
Dr Bednarowski graduated from Jagiellonian University then taught at the University of Lvov. He escaped from Poland at the start of the War and joined the Polish army in France. Following the occupation of France, he came to Britain and served with the Polish army based in this country. At the end of the War, he joined the staff of the Logic Department, remaining there until he retired as a Reader some 30 years later.
At the time of the foundation of the Trust, Dr Bednarowski said: “It has become very clear to me that Poland remains very isolated, no longer because of politics but because it is very poor. As a result, it is almost impossible for academics to spend any length of time out of the country so that they can meet with overseas colleagues, have an opportunity to expand their knowledge and share and discuss their work.”
The medal will be presented on behalf of the Rector of Jagiellonian University by Professor Jan Wolenski, a visiting fellow from Jagiellonian University, who is here in Aberdeen as a result of Dr Bednarowski’s Trust, on Tuesday, 27 February at 5:00pm in the Senior Common Room of the Central Refectory.
Former students and colleagues of Dr Bednarowski have been invited to the presentation to celebrate his many years of extraordinary achievement.
University Press Office on telephone +44 (0)1224-273778 or email a.ramsay@admin.abdn.ac.uk.