On September 27, 2025, we had the honor of attending the ceremonial inauguration of the 2025/2026 academic year at WSB Academy in Warsaw, held in the Palace of Culture and Science.
WSB Academy is a well-established institution; in this year’s Perspektywy ranking, it ranks 2nd among all private universities in Poland. Offering a wide range of study programs, WSB Academy, like the Nicolaus Copernicus Academy – a scholarly corporation bringing together Polish and international researchers – places strong emphasis on international collaboration.
The inaugural lecture was delivered by Gen. Dr. Roman Polko, a soldier, commander, and expert in security matters. Titled “God Does Not Like Cowards,” his presentation reflected on courage, responsibility, and contemporary threats to peace.
General Polko discussed the realities of modern warfare, including information warfare, stressing the importance of critical thinking in evaluating incoming information. He emphasized that lack of courage or submission to threats only provokes greater aggression. He reminded the audience that security extends beyond military matters, encompassing civic responsibility, sound knowledge, and the ability to act quickly in crisis situations.
Although the lecture addressed serious global and European threats, it also carried a positive message: cooperation, unity, and solidarity among nations form the greatest foundation for peace. For us, as guests of the event, a key takeaway was the idea that true courage is not only readiness to fight, but also the patience, wisdom, and perseverance required to defend peace.
We thank WSB Academy for the invitation and the opportunity to attend this exceptional event. We wish the entire academic community – faculty, students, and guests – a productive year of learning and personal growth. A university is not only a place for knowledge transfer but also a space for intellectual courage, critical thinking, and civic responsibility, qualities that bring us closer to a safe and peaceful world.
In this context, it is worth recalling that Nicolaus Copernicus exemplified a scholar who challenged stereotypes and boldly presented ideas supported by solid evidence. In this sense, he remains a model for rigorous scientific research and a symbol of the intellectual courage that defines the academic community.