COMPETITION FOR MEMOIRS OF RESEARCHERS WITH MIGRATION EXPERIENCE
The Competition runs from 11 May 2026 until 31 October 2026 (The Organiser reserves the right to extend the Competition until 30 November 2026)
Organised by: University of Łódź – Department of the Sociology of Culture
Do you conduct research or teach in Poland or abroad? Do you have experience of academic stays abroad, or reflections on academia that you would like to share? Did a period at a foreign university accelerate your career, open up new opportunities, or give you a fresh appreciation of education in Poland? Or perhaps you would like to write about what surprised or disappointed you, or about unfinished projects?
If the answer is YES! We invite you to submit your memoir!
PURPOSE
To collect memoirs of academic migrants presenting their experiences and reflections on the academic environment and the country or countries to which they have relocated, as well as to select the best submissions.
The memoirs gathered as part of the Competition will also be used for academic purposes for research into the Polish intellectual diaspora and its self-portrait.
PRIZES
The best memoirs will be awarded prizes:
- 1st prize: 7,000 PLN
- 2nd prize: 5,000 PLN
- 3rd prize: 3,000 PLN
- distinction: 1,500 PLN (up to 6 distinctions).
(The final allocation of prizes shall be decided by the Jury.)
COMPETITION TASK
- Each participant may submit ONLY ONE competition entry
- Memoirs/reminiscences must be written in Polish or English
- A minimum of approximately 20 pages is recommended.
- The entry should be written in Times New Roman, size 12, with 1.5 line spacing and justified text.
- Additional materials may be attached to the competition entry, such as photographs, drawings, sketches, and other items; the optimal method of submission for such materials should be arranged individually with the Organiser. This may be, for example, WeTransfer or another virtual drive.
Together with your submission, please complete a form in which you indicate:
- Whether you wish to remain anonymous.
- Whether you consent to the publication of your reminiscences in a book or on a website.
ASSESSMENT OF COMPETITION ENTRIES
1. Competition entries shall be assessed on the basis of the following criteria:
- individual biographical experience,
- the level of detail in the description, particularly of personal experiences and impressions,
- the spontaneity of the narrative.
2. The length of the reminiscences/memoir shall have no bearing on the Jury’s assessment.
3. Additional materials, such as photographs, sketches, drawings, and other items, shall likewise have no bearing on the assessment of the competition entry.
WHO CAN PARTICIPATE
Individuals who:
- Were born and received part of their education in Poland (at secondary or higher education level),
- Hold at least a doctoral degree (obtained in Poland or abroad),
- Have spent a minimum of 12 months abroad (which may be the sum of several stays) working in a research and/or teaching capacity, having gone abroad between 1990 and 2025,
- Spent part of that period in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, or Australia.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The most interesting entries will be published (in full or in part) in the form of a book or on the website https://diasporaintelektualna.pl
Detailed information is available on the project website BRAINY:
By submitting a competition entry, the Participant declares that they are its sole author and that the memoir does not infringe upon the rights of third parties, in particular copyright.
The results of the Competition shall be announced no later than 31 March 2027.
Share your story!
CONTACT
Memoirs, written in Polish or English, should be submitted alongside a completed application form to the following e-mail address: kontakt@diasporaintelektualna.pl and monika.jania.szczechowiak@uni.lodz.pl until 31.10.2026.
Further information regarding the Competition may be obtained from Dr. Monika Jania-Szczechowiak, e-mail: monika.jania.szczechowiak@uni.lodz.pl
Data Protection Officer University of Łódź, e-mail: iod@uni.lodz.pl
Regulations and additional information: www.diasporaintelektualna.pl
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