International Development Plan 2025: strengthening the global presence and impact of research 

In recent years, the pace of change in the global landscape of research and higher education has accelerated markedly — driven by the rapid development of artificial intelligence, mounting climate challenges and growing geopolitical uncertainty. In this context, internationalisation is no longer an additional dimension of university activity; it has become a prerequisite for research quality, visibility and the capacity to contribute to solutions of societal and economic relevance. 
 
As emphasised by Prof. Bogusława Drelich-Skulska, Vice-Rector for International Cooperation, “the unprecedented acceleration of artificial intelligence, ongoing climate change and geopolitical turbulence (…) present the Wrocław University of Economics and Business (WUEB) with new challenges.” 

Internationalisation as a change of scale, not a collection of initiatives  

In response to these challenges, WUEB is implementing the International Development Plan 2025 — a coherent direction of development, understood not as a collection of individual initiatives but as a consistent shift in scale across research, education and cooperation with partners. The Plan — grounded in the values and strategic directions set out in the WUEB 2030 Strategy — establishes a framework aimed at strengthening WUEB’s position as a university embedded in the international circulation of research and education, while remaining accessible and welcoming to the international community. 

Research embedded in global networks: partnerships, projects and visibility

In the area of research, the Plan places strong emphasis on the development of international research partnerships and increased participation in projects funded through European and non-European programmes, including Horizon Europe and Erasmus+. Internationalisation is thus directly linked to documented impact: enhancing the capacity to co-create solutions of transnational relevance, increasing the visibility of research outcomes and fostering publications co-authored with international partners. The adopted indicators refer, among others, to publication quality and recognition (Q1–Q2 journals / AJG), research funding acquisition, the international activity of early-career researchers and the expansion of institutional research networks.

International education as an environment for future-oriented competences 

A second key direction concerns the internationalisation of education through the development of programmes taught in English and the creation of a learning environment that strengthens intercultural and digital competences. Mobility of students, doctoral candidates and academic staff is treated not merely as exchange, but as a mechanism for improving the quality of both research and teaching. 

Cooperation across borders: academia, business and public institutions

The Plan also reinforces the international dimension of cooperation with the socio-economic environment. It envisages closer collaboration with foreign enterprises, institutions and social organisations in research, educational and advisory projects, as well as a stronger role for international academic events and alumni networks in building WUEB’s international recognition. 

The “friendly university” in practice: accessibility, language and digital processes 

A distinctive feature of the Plan is its approach to internationalisation as a matter of everyday institutional practice. Actions are foreseen to strengthen WUEB as a “friendly university”, including the expansion of services and administrative systems available in English and the digitalisation of procedures supporting international students and staff. In parallel, the Plan highlights the development of language and intercultural competences among employees and the creation of an inclusive, diverse working environment.

Internationalisation and global responsibility

The Plan also encompasses international engagement in sustainable development, through participation in global initiatives and projects addressing social, ethical and environmental challenges, as well as the expansion of English-taught courses in these areas. 
 
The Internationalisation Development Plan 2025 is aligned with the directions set out in the WUEB 2030 Strategy, and its implementation will be monitored through a set of performance and progress indicators (KPI and PI) assigned to specific areas of the University’s activity. 
 
International Development Plan Wroclaw University of Economics and Business

Author: Justyna Morawska-Płoskonka