Council for Support of Polish Studies

The Council’s roots go back to 1988, when the Canadian Polish Congress organized a committee to prevent the cancellation of Polish History courses at the University of Toronto. By 1994, the committee was able to secure the professorship of Polish History. In 1995 a bequest by Konstanty Reynert enabled the University to convert the professorship to a permanent Chair of Polish History named after the donor (The Konstanty Reynert Chair of Polish History). It is currently held by Professor Piotr Wróbel and is now fully funded.

Courses in Polish Literature and Culture had been offered at Toronto as early as the 1960s. Since 1998 the Program of Polish Language and Literature is under the direction of Professor Tamara Trojanowska. The Council is devoted entirely to the task of collecting funds to assure the continuing flourishing of Polish Studies. For example, the Council organizes lectures and events available to the general public in Toronto and elsewhere, the professors are able to acquaint more Canadians of all ethnic origins with Polish history and culture.

Our Council’s current task is the support of Professor Trojanowska’s program. Our most pressing need is to ensure continued financing of all three courses of Polish language in perpetuity. Over the years we have provided funds for and assisted in:

• Research and administrative expenses for the Polish Language and Literature program.
• The maintenance of the third level Polish language course.
• Scholarships and Bursaries offered in exceptional circumstances to doctoral students working on theses of special interest to Polish studies and the Canadian Polonia.
• Financing of guest lectures by professors invited to Toronto, as well as lectures by the professors of Polish Studies and Polish History at the University of Toronto, and in centres of Polish community in other Canadian cities.
• Financing of the international conference organized by Prof. Trojanowska in 2006.

See the “Current Needs” page for more information.

Chairpersons: