Department of Slavonic Studies

Polish at Cambridge: Lectures and Events

The University of Cambridge and the Department of Slavonic Studies aim to provide an active series of lectures, events and opertunities to learn about the language and culture of Poland as part of the Polish Studies programme that has been developed over recent years. Now active within it's cultural programme of events is the Annual Zdanowich Lecture. To date there have been two formal lectures from high-profile speakers within Polish cultural and policitical spheres. The Deparmtent of Slavonic Studies also hosts two levels of open language classes in Polish which are avaliable to all members of the University of Cambridge.

Recent Events

• 'True Believers: Collaboration and Opposition under Totalitarian Regimes'

In association with the Cambridge Committee for Russian and Eastern European Studies (CamCREES), the Polish Studies Programme welcomed Pulitzer Prize winning writer, Anne Applebaum, who delivered the third public lecture of the Lent Term 2013 as part of the CamCREES lecture series. The Lecture took place at the Umney Theatre, Robinson College on Wednesday, 6 March.

 

Annual Zdanowich Lectures

• The First Annual Zdanowich Lecture - 'The Polish Path to Freedom'
• The Second Annual Zdanowich Lecture 'Rethinking the Historial Canon: the Priorities and Casualties of Mainstream History'

Polish Open Language Classes

The course is primarily for learners with little or no previous knowledge of Polish. The aims may be tailored to some extent to suit learners' requirements.

Each class will be scheduled for one hour per week. Supervisions will be available subject to college support, and will be if possible in small groups, or individually. The Language Centre has additional self-study resources. To benefit from the course learners should be ready to do homework and some private study.

End-of-year assessment will include written and spoken tests. A departmental certificate will be awarded on successful completion of the course. Learners will be expected to:

• demonstrate knowledge of grammar;
• translate a short unseen text;
• read and answer questions on a short Polish text;
• communicate on familiar, basic topics.