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Institute

General information

Stanisław Leszczycki Institute of Geography and Spatial Organization Polish Academy of Sciences (IGSO PAS) was founded in 1953 (initially as the Institute of Geography PAS).

The Institute is an important research centre in Poland in the fields of socio-economic geography, physical geography as well as spatial organization. Within the framework of the Institute, the Central Library of Geography and Environmental Protection is operating, this being one of the largest library centres of the kind in the world.

The IGiPZ PAN’s special asset is an active involvement in international scientific collaboration that, in recent years, have resulted in participation in more than 50 scientific and practical programmes and projects. In addition, in the last decade there have been ca. 200 national research and practical projects, expert evaluations, etc., which have been carried out by the IGiPZ PAN. Our staff’s annual publishing output comes to a total of 400 published items (e.g. peer-reviewed articles, monographs, notes, etc.), including our own journals (Przegląd Geograficzny, Geographia Polonica, Europa XXI) and publication series (e.g. Prace Geograficzne).

The IGiPZ PAN’s tasks include, in particular: 

  1. carrying out research studies in the fields as follows: physical geography (geomorphology, the Quaternary paleogeography, hydrology, climatology, geoecology and environmental protection), socio-economic geography (urban and population geography, geography of agriculture and rural areas, geography of industry, transport and services), political geography, cartography, spatial organization, local and regional development,
  2. training of scientific staff and research workers as well as specialists with high qualifications in geographical sciences,
  3. supporting young research workers that begin their scientific career,
  4. sharing the findings of studies with governmental institutions and local authorities to utilize them in practice for the benefit of the economy,
  5. promoting international scientific cooperation by means of conducting research projects jointly with foreign partners as well as participating in scientific consortia,
  6. dissemination of the knowledge acquired through the research works carried out in the Institute,
  7. publishing activities.