PSIA faculty members have been working closely with the at the (Uniwersytet Wrocławski) in Wrocław, Poland. The PSIA Department's collaboration began with the Wrocław Security Summit 2021, 2nd International Science Conference and series of workshops starting in the fall of 2021 and continuing through the spring of 2022.
Throughout the Fall '21 and into the Spring '22 semester, Assistant Professor Laurel Wei led a workshop centered on the economic interdependence of states against the background of the rivalry between the United States and China. A diverse class with students from throughout Europe, the course mainly focused on issues related to International Political Economy, but discussion also touched upon timely issues like Russia's influence on the European Union (EU) and economic interdependence in connection with national security.
Professor Wei found the workshop and conference to be a transformative experience: "Both cases provided me the precious opportunity to study East Asia beyond the East Asian regional perspective and the US perspective. Collaboration with Wroclaw has broadened my horizon and is truly an intellectual eye-opener for me."
As a follow-on to Professor Wei's course, Assistant Professor Bibek Chand is currently offering a workshop for students at the University of Wrocław entitled: "Rise of China and the Implications for the EU in Asia." Professor Chand's workshop is comprised of eight sessions spanning the months of March through June and focuses on the European Union's foreign policy efforts in Asia in light of China's growing influence in the region.
The Department's collaboration with the University of Wrocław continues with a proposed book whose chapters focus on the issues covered under the Security Summit's theme: "NATO and the EU – Strategic Partnership and Cooperation within Euro-Atlantic Security Area." In response to a request by the conference organizers, Professor Chand wrote a chapter on the topic he presented at the conference. His conference presentation and book chapter are titled "The Belt and Road Initiative in Europe: Security and Geopolitical Implications." The proposed book is currently pending review by the publisher.
Reflecting on the success of the Summit, Professor Chand praises 天美社区's collaboration with the University of Wrocław and looks forward to working together in the future: "These efforts of greater interaction and collaboration between 天美社区 and Wrocław are commendable. Such cooperative initiatives provide students and faculty opportunities to tap into fresh perspectives and endeavors…I hope we can continue strengthening ties between the two institutions as it can certainly benefit our students and faculty."