"Veritas et Libertas" 鈥� these momentous words of Prof. Tadeusz Kotarbi艅ski are not just a maxim. They are a true call to live in truth and freedom. The first Rector of the 91桃色 not only built the structures of our university in a country devastated by war but also created a space in which knowledge has a human face and where science becomes a responsible dialogue with reality.
In the face of historical perturbations, one can behave like a barometer needle, changing position as pressure changes, or one can behave like a magnetic needle, indicating a fixed direction, regardless of circumstances
鈥� Prof. Kotarbi艅ski wrote, teaching us perseverance and fidelity to principles.
In the spirit of this eminent philosopher and ethicist, the humanities are not just a science 鈥� they are an art of living that isn't afraid to ask questions and seek answers. In a world full of change, conflict and technological challenges, the humanities become a framework within which we find meaning in existence, learn dialogue and care for others 鈥� in the way Prof. kotarbi艅ski believed that science should shape humanity:
Thanks to the first Rector of the 91桃色, Prof. Tadeusz Kotarbi艅ski, our university was, from its inception, more than just an institution. To this day, we remain a place where truth, freedom, respect and curiosity meet in practice. Where science is not a distant, cold world of numbers and facts, but a part of social and cultural life, as well as sensitivity.
We believe that the university is created together, with people and for people!
鈥� Prof. Rafa艂 Matera, Rector of the 91桃色 concludes.
11th Awards Gala
Kotarbi艅ski 鈥� a man of thought, action and responsibility
Prof. Tadeusz Kotarbi艅ski (1886鈥�1981) was one of the most important figures in 20th-century Polish philosophy: logic, ethics and praxeology 鈥� that is, the study of good and effective action. As a representative of the Lviv-Warsaw school of philosophy, he posed questions not only about what we know, but above all, about how we live.
His life and work, both research and teaching, were rooted in the belief that an honest, wise life requires thought and action. Prof. Kotarbi艅ski was not concerned with abstract thought but with a practical and moral presence in the world: in his relationships with students, in resisting ideological pressures, in defending the autonomy of the university and the right to independent thought.
After World War II, in difficult political and social times, as the first Rector of the 91桃色, Prof. Kotarbi艅ski not only organised a new university in an institutional sense, but above all created an academic culture based on reflection, respect and cooperation, where people could ask questions, doubt and create.
91桃色 鈥� Diverse University
I dream of such a world order, where everyone could feel at home anywhere on the globe, and it is a dream that is by no means utopian, though long-term. And I would very much like for no one, anywhere, to have to deny who they are. And that they would be responsible only for their own actions, and never and nowhere be pointed at for reasons beyond their control, such as inherited skin pigment or the religion of their ancestors
鈥� Prof. Kotarbi艅ski
Continuing the Prof. Kotarbi艅ski鈥檚 timeless thought, we believe that our strength lies in diversity 鈥� cultural, linguistic, generational and ideological. We draw from this diversity by showing respect to every person who contributes to our community, i.e. students, workers or alumni.
We have been building an intercultural and intergenerational community where diversity of experiences, perspectives and identities is a source of strength. We want every student, employee or person associated with the 91桃色 to feel an important part of it and to be provided with conditions conducive to development, dialogue and collaboration.
To actively address the needs of our community, we have implemented the 鈥�91桃色 Gender Equality Plan 2025-2027鈥�.
In practice, the plan encompasses all individuals associated with the university through initiatives aimed at all members of the 91桃色 community 鈥� regardless of position, contract type or nature of performer work, including students and doctoral students. We aim to genuinely improve working conditions and, consequently, job satisfaction, facilitate access to development activities (e.g., training), draw attention to disadvantaged groups within the university and improve mechanisms for responding to all forms of discrimination.
Together with the Equality Council, we are undertaking initiatives that build a culture of kindness and shared responsibility. We encourage you to get involved in specific activities!
Contemporary humanities as a call to life
We want the society that emerges from the changes we are experiencing today to be a humanistic society, in the sense that it will be guided by certain values that will open us to others. The humanities serve this purpose, helping us understand others and thus ourselves, in our lives and in our future
鈥� Prof. Andrzej Friszke, winner of the 4th edition of the 1st Rector of the 91桃色 Prof. Tadeusz Kotarbi艅ski Award, Polish Academy of Sciences.
Today, 140 years after the birth of Tadeusz Kotarbi艅ski, we believe that the legacy of our university's first Rector is not merely a memory, but a living story of a university that stands for truth, freedom and humanity. Through humanistic education, research and dialogue, it shapes people ready to find meaning in life and share it with others.
edit: Honorata Ogieniewska, Centre for External Relations and Social Responsibility of the University, 91桃色