Project: “Carpathian Gates: Between Rope and Zborov – protection and development of common cultural heritage on the Polish-Slovak border” (no. PLSK.01.01.00-12-0170/17) co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund under the INTERREG Cross-border Cooperation Program V-A Poland-Slovakia 2014-2020. The aim of the project is to protect and develop the cultural and natural heritage of the Polish-Slovak border, leading to increased attractiveness and socio-economic revival of the Polish-Slovak border area in the Ropa and Zborov communes.

The substantive task carried out in the project by KUEs MSAP is the preparation and conduct of postgraduate studies and training. The research team conducted research aimed at identifying the plane integrating Polish-Slovak heritage. They included cultural and legal issues, international relations, political and administrative relations analyzed from a historical perspective, and management. For this purpose, the following research methods were used: analysis of subject literature, analysis of source documents. The axis integrating various research aspects, and at the same time the long-term goal of the project, was the construction of educational programs for public administration staff and cultural institutions.

Original teaching programs have been developed for the needs of studies and training. Interdisciplinary teams of experts specializing in, among others, were responsible for their preparation. in economics, public administration and protection and management of cultural and natural heritage. As a starting point for preparing programs, researchers recognized the need to identify issues common to both countries, around which the development of cross-border cooperation is possible. An analysis of the challenges that public institutions must face today was also taken into account, with particular emphasis on the tasks carried out for the protection and management of cultural and natural heritage. This research was based on a previously conducted analysis identifying the levels of integration of the heritage of both countries and on the analysis of the specificity of the border areas. This analysis included geographical, historical, economic, institutional, socio-cultural conditions and available infrastructure.

In the 2020/2021 academic year, two-semester postgraduate studies were carried out entitled: “Management of cultural and natural heritage of the Polish-Slovak borderland.” In the first semester of 2021/2022, training for guides was carried out. The aim of both programs was to prepare staff for cross-border cooperation in the field of culture and cultural heritage. The teaching staff consisted of academics and practitioners from Poland and Slovakia.

Team members: dr hab. Marek Ćwiklicki, prof. UEK (Associate Professor), dr Andrzej Laskowski (Assistant Professor), dr hab. Ambroży Mituś, prof. UEK (Associate Professor), prof. dr hab. Jacek Purchla (Fukll Professor), prof. dr hab. Andrzej Szromnik (Full Professor), dr Michał Wisniewski (Assistant Professor), dr Dominik Ziarkowski (Assistant Professor), dr Krzysztof Głuc (Assistant Professor)