Global Research Dialogue

International Symposium “Multicultural Individuals in a Globalizing World” Hosted by WSB University in Warsaw

WSB University hosted the international symposium “Multicultural Individuals in a Globalizing World” at its Warsaw campus, located on the 8th floor of the Palace of Culture and Science. The event was organized by Professor Iga Lehman of WSB University and Professor Mike Szymański from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The symposium was also attended by representatives of the University's leadership, including Professor Łukasz Sułkowski, President of WSB University, and Professor Joanna Kurowska-Pysz, Deputy Head of the Doctoral School.

The symposium programme focused on multicultural identities, the ethical dimensions of living and working across cultures, acculturation processes, the careers of individuals operating in multicultural environments, as well as the return and reintegration of migrants into their countries of origin.

The event brought together 20 researchers from Poland, Germany, Israel, China, and the United States, representing a wide range of academic disciplines and institutions. Participants included internationally renowned scholars such as Professor Christoph Barmeyer (University of Passau), Professor Günter K. Stahl (WU Vienna University of Economics and Business), Professor Markus Pudelko (University of Tübingen), Professor Carmit Tadmor (Tel Aviv University), and Professor Yih-Teen Lee (IESE Business School, University of Navarra). Their participation highlighted the symposium's international character and created a valuable platform for knowledge exchange and research collaboration.

An important part of the programme consisted of open panel discussions for WSB University doctoral candidates and Executive MBA participants. These sessions provided an opportunity to engage with international experts on contemporary challenges in multiculturalism research, academic career development, and the practical aspects of managing diversity in organisations. The panels also contributed to the dissemination of research findings and strengthened the links between academia and management practice.

The symposium marked the second edition of an international initiative launched at the University of Passau under the title “Opportunities and Challenges of Multiculturalism at the Individual Level”, originally organized by Professor Christoph Barmeyer, Dr. Elisabeth Huber, and Professor Luciara Nardon from Carleton University in Ottawa. This year's edition was designed as a forum to launch a new phase of research on multiculturalism, bringing together an international community of scholars to identify emerging research challenges, develop new theoretical and methodological perspectives, and define directions for future collaborative research projects.