The Title of Doctor Honoris Causa was awarded to FISU President Gallien
WROCLAW/LAUSANNE – On Friday 26 September, 2014, the University of Wroclaw was the location of an impressive Academic Award and Doctor Honoris Causa ceremony.
The history of the prestigious University of Wroclaw goes back to the year 1700; it was founded by Leopold I of Habsburg and evolved over the last three centuries from a modest school run by Jesuits into one of the biggest academic institutions in Poland with more than 40,000 students
Nowadays, it counts ten faculties including the University School of Physical Education, and has a long list of 9 Nobel Prizes in Physics, Chemistry and Literature.
Earlier this year, the high Senate of the University School of Physical Education in Wroclaw decided to confer upon FISU President, Professor Claude-Louis Gallien the title of Doctor Honoris Causa.
M. Gallien is the 3rd FISU President to be awarded this title: Dr. Primo Nebiolo in 1988 and M. George E. Killian in 2006.
This award was given in recognition of his personal achievements and credit for academic and world sport, of his scientific and didactic output, as well as his personal dedication to science and to the development of university and Olympic sports.
President Gallien and Dr. Hab Juliusz Migasiewicz, Rector of the University School of Physical Education
The protocol award ceremony took place in the main hall of the University decorated in a typical baroque style. Various prizes and awards were presented to freshly graduated students, to new Ph. Doctors, to members from the Academy and the Municipality.
Students-athletes from the University School of Physical Education of Wroclaw were also rewarded for their sports achievements including some athletes who performed and got medals at the recent European Athletics Championships.
In his speech, President Gallien recalled the significant role that Poland played in the history of the university sports movement ever since the early years back in the 1920’s. The city of Warsaw hosted the “1st Student World Championship” with a programme of five sports including the first competitions ever open to female students (in rowing). Wanda Czarnocka was the first women to win a gold medal (rowing skiff).
In his conclusion, FISU President illustrated the FISU motto: “Today’s Stars and Tomorrow’s Leaders” by mentioning some Polish student-athletes during the Second World War:
Sigismund Weiss – known as Louie, who fought the German invaders in Warsaw, got captured and interned in camps where he played a decisive role in the reorganization and development of physical and sports activities accessible to the prisoners.
Wanda Czarnocka was an important figure in the Polish Resistance and became Dean of the Warsaw Academy of Physical Education in 1960.
(Source: Hedwige Hankart, Chief of Staff to the FISU President)