Glottodidactics as a Window and a Mirror: Anniversary Conference at Polonicum, University of Warsaw
Entrance to the university 
Poster for the anniversary conference in the snow 
Poster depicting the history of the Polonicum in Polish 
Dr. Prickett during his presentation 
Anniversary cake 
Dr. Prickett and Dr. Mayewska-Meyers at the lectern 
Flags at the university
From January 9 - 11, 2026, the University of Warsaw hosted the international anniversary conference “Glottodydaktyka jako okno i lustro – Glottodidactics as a Window and a Mirror.” The event marked the 70th anniversary of Polonicum, the Center for Polish Language and Culture for Foreigners at the Faculty of Polish Studies, and commemorated 100 years of teaching Polish as a foreign language at the re-established University of Warsaw.
The conference used the metaphor of window (“okno”) and mirror (“lustro”) as a conceptual framework for reflection within the field of glottodidactics. Language teaching was understood both as a window opening onto other cultures, perspectives, and pedagogical approaches, and as a mirror reflecting institutional conditions, professional identities, and societal expectations. The program addressed the history of teaching Polish as a foreign language, contemporary glottodidactic challenges, innovative and traditional teaching methods, linguistic and intercultural competences, and the professional role of Polish language instructors abroad.
A special highlight of the conference was the presence of Dr. Małgorzata Majewska-Meyers, a former Polish language lecturer at Zessko, who had been awarded at Polonicum in 2021 for her work and whose career exemplified long-standing academic cooperation and professional exchange.
The Center for Languages and Key Competences (Zessko) at the University of Potsdam was also represented by David Prickett. The conference paper focused on language centers as sites of educational transformation, shaped by learner perspectives, institutional frameworks, and internationaliZation processes. Drawing on the current internal structural analysis, the paper demonstrated how language centers function simultaneously as mirrors of existing structures and as windows for innovation, critical reflection, and cross-border collaboration in higher education.
Contact: Dr. David James Prickett
Published on January 19, 2026