The Centre for Europe at the University of Warsaw was established in October 1991 as one of the very first institutions of its kind in Poland. The Centre is an autonomous interfaculty institute specializing in European Studies.The Centre for Europe focuses its research and teaching activities on political, economic, legal, as well as cultural and social aspects of European development, within an interdisciplinary framework.

The Centre’s main research areas include: the European Union’s position and role in international relations, its security and neighbourhood policies, the financial dimension of the integration and the extension of the Euro zone, the EU’s role in international trade, the legitimisation and democratisation of the EU, globalisation and governance in the EU and the development of civil society in times of globalisation, European cultural heritage, anthropology of a New Europe.

The Centre's primary objectives are to promote, initiate and support research and education in European Studies; to develop the European and international collaborative research network; and to create a broad forum for the exchange of ideas.

The fact that the Centre has been awarded one of the highest marks in the classification of the State Committee for Scientific Research is an evidence of its high level of development and high position in the research ranking.

The Centre for Europe performs its tasks by:

undertaking educational and training activities,

conducting academic research and executing sponsored research projects,

organising conferences, seminars and academic meetings,

performing actions under the Publishing Programme,

cooperating and organising academic exchange with foreign partners,

maintaining the Library of the Centre for Europe and the European Documentation Centre.

 The Centre for Europe works in close cooperation with foreign partners – first of all with the European Commission and the Council of Europe; we also work with many foreign academic centres, both under direct agreements and in joint execution of specific projects (e.g. with the universities in: Oxford, Maastricht, Milan, Berlin), as well as by participating in academic staff exchange under the ERASMUS/SOCRATES Programme (25 partnership agreements with the best universities in the EU). In addition, the Centre belongs to the network of 250 European universities, colleges and institutes which offer the possibility of obtaining a diploma in European Studies. Under the LPP Erasmus Programme, the Centre for Europe works with 25 academic centres from thirteen European countries (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Spain, the Netherlands, Germany, Portugal, Slovenia, Sweden, Turkey, Italy and Great Britain). Furthermore, the Centre collaborates with non-European universities – from the USA, India, Indonesia and China.

The Publishing Programme was launched by the Centre for Europe at the University of Warsaw in 1996. The Centre’s activity in this field includes, first of all, preparing and publishing reviewed academic periodicals: the quarterly “Studia Europejskie” (in Polish) and the “Yearbook of Polish European Studies” (in English). As part of the Centre’s publishing programme we also publish course materials and textbooks for students of European Studies, as well as books and monographs crowning various academic undertakings – conferences, seminars and workshops.