From 3 to 5 December 2025, an international educational and academic conference addressed to Polish diaspora teachers, entitled “Poles to the World. Nobel Laureates”, was held in Paris. The project is dedicated to outstanding figures of Polish science and their impact on the development of global scientific thought and education. Inspired by the legacy of Maria Skłodowska-Curie, the event was organised by the Teacher Training Centre of the “Wspólnota Polska” Association, in cooperation with the Polish Academy of Sciences Scientific Centre in Paris.

The conference was officially opened by Dariusz Bonisławski, President of the “Wspólnota Polska” Association, and Professor Jerzy Przyborowski, Rector of the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn.

The central focus of the first day consisted of presentations devoted to the legacy of Maria Skłodowska-Curie. The speakers highlighted both the significance of her discoveries for the development of medicine and the social and educational dimensions of her work. Particular attention was given to her role as a symbol of intellectual courage and an enduring source of inspiration for future generations. The lectures were delivered by:

  • Professor Marek Krawczyk, Full Member of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Dean of the Fifth Division of Medical Sciences of the Polish Academy of Sciences

  • Professor Marek Rudnicki, Chair of the Council of the SWP Health Foundation

  • Zuzanna Łacny, PhD Eng., Specialist at the Polish Academy of Sciences Scientific Centre in Paris

  • Barbara Gołębiowska, Director of the Maria Skłodowska-Curie Museum in Warsaw

On the second day, participants took part in a panel discussion devoted to inspirations drawn from the biographies of eminent scientists. The panel featured Professor Jerzy Przyborowski (University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn), Barbara Gołębiowska (Maria Skłodowska-Curie Museum), and Professor Jolanta Światowska (CNRS). This was followed by workshops and lectures on modern teaching methods, STEM education, interdisciplinarity, and the use of new technologies and artificial intelligence in education, led by Sylwia Toporowska.

The programme of the second day was further enriched by study visits to the Sorbonne and the Panthéon, offering participants an opportunity to become more familiar with France’s academic and historical heritage.

The final day of the conference was dedicated to the summary and official closing of the event.

The conference “Poles to the World. Nobel Laureates” provided an important forum for exchange between academic and educational communities from Poland and the Polish diaspora, fostering the sharing of experiences, reflection on the role of science in shaping younger generations, and the promotion of Poland’s scientific heritage on the international stage.