Field Trip to Krakow

During the last week of May 2026, 18 students from the MAHRS program participated in a study excursion to Kraków, Poland, under the guidance of Dr. Agnieszka Satola, who had successfully secured funding for the trip from the Foundation for Polish-German Cooperation. https://sdpz.org/

On the students' side, the excursion was supported primarily by Julia Drewitz and Amir Alecperov, though Luis Fernando Castro Álvarez and Darina Kolomiyets also contributed significantly. 

The programme included a visit to the Institute of European Studies at Jagiellonian Universit, with which the degree program has maintained a partnership since 2024 as part of the Erasmus program. During this visit, the students were introduced to the Institute’s English-language degree programs by Svetlana Baranova and participated in a workshop led by Dr. Adam Wilczewski, which focused specifically on the topics of migration and integration in Poland. Another central highlight of the itinerary was a visit to the Oświęcim-Brzezinka (Auschwitz-Birkenau) Memorial and Museum. Furthermore, the program featured historical city tours—specifically through the former Jewish quarter of Kazimierz with Adam Musial—as well as study visits to the Multicultural Center in Kraków (hosted by Paulina Paulipiuk) and to the NGO "Spring," along with a joint picnic with Polish students. 

This comprehensive and diverse excursion program successfully combined academic learning with direct practical experiences, offering the students a unique opportunity to engage deeply with themes such as cultures of remembrance, migration, human rights, diversity, and Polish and European history.

The students were impressed, inspired and moved by what they experienced. Here is what they say about the trip:

“A week of history, memory, and honest conversations. Kraków is a city that survived everything. Auschwitz left me speechless. The Jagiellonian University left me inspired. Grateful for this programme” (Amir Alecperov) 

“I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to our dear Dr. Agnieszka Satola for organizing this excursion that every Human Rights student should experience and also for giving me the opportunity to be a part of it. The experience and the memories from the excursion will stay with me throughout my life and the learning that when power is in the wrong hands, humanity is always at the risk.” (Suchismita Gosh) 

“In the one week we spent in Krakow, we had many meaningful experiences. Especially, talking with local students gave us valuable insights into local perceptions of history and the current social and political situation.” (Tomomi Wachi) 

“As we left from the West and travelled eastward, we did not fully know what to expect from a place where the present and the past intersect in such a profound way. It is a country where history has left deep marks on people who have long lived at the crossroads of different worlds, shaping their culture, society, and identity.” (Luis Fernando Castro Álvarez)