Institute of Central Europe

The Institute of Central Europe (Polish: Instytut Europy Środkowej, IEŚ) is a research and development unit seated in Lublin, Poland, established in 2018 to replace the former Institute of Central and Eastern Europe. It operates as a state-funded analytical and scientific body whose work supports Polish political engagement with the countries of Central Europe and Central and Eastern Europe. Its activity is financed from the state budget within part 16 – the Chancellery of the Prime Minister, which places it within the orbit of the Polish government's analytical infrastructure rather than a university or private think tank. The Institute's statutory tasks are broad. It conducts analytical work supporting political action aimed at building cooperation with Central European and Central and Eastern European states; cooperates with foreign entities dealing with international relations, especially those based in the region; and carries out scientific research in the social sciences and humanities, with emphasis on international relations, foreign policy and planned international and cross-border cooperation projects. It prepares analyses, expert opinions and studies, and transmits them to public authorities. It also cooperates with Polish and foreign institutions, research centres, social organisations and individuals, promotes Polish social thought abroad in the fields of international relations, international cooperation, foreign and historical policy, and works with academic, scientific, analytical and expert units to carry out research, obtain funding and commercialise research results. Further tasks include building a specialised book collection and scientific documentation, organising training, seminars and conferences, and disseminating knowledge about the state and processes of change in the international situation, including through publishing activity. The Institute publishes a range of analytical formats, including IEŚ Briefs, IEŚ Commentaries and IEŚ Policy Papers, authored by its research teams. Its thematic teams include the Central and South-Eastern Europe Team, the Eastern Team, the Baltic Team, and the Team for Historical Narratives and Applied History. Output covers topics such as election campaigns in Bulgaria and Hungary, Romanian government crises, Russian influence infrastructure in the Global South, Russian escalation towards NATO, the Three Seas Initiative, the legacy of Chernobyl, and the enlargement of Montenegro towards the European Union. The Institute also engages publicly through lectures, media commentary and international meetings, including cooperation with bodies such as the Atlantic Council. Leadership has changed several times since its creation. Beata Surmacz served as director from December 2018 to November 2024, followed by Mirosław Filipowicz from November 2024 to April 2026, and Grzegorz Gil from April 2026. The Institute maintains its headquarters in Lublin and presents its work primarily in Polish, with selected publications and commentary in English.

The Institute of Central Europe (Instytut Europy Środkowej, IEŚ) was established in 2018 in Lublin, Poland, replacing the earlier Institute of Central and Eastern Europe (Instytut Europy Środkowo-Wschodniej). Its creation formed part of a reorganisation of Polish state analytical capacity focused on the region between the Baltic, the Adriatic and the Black Sea. From the outset it was constituted as a research and development unit financed from the state budget within part 16 – the Chancellery of the Prime Minister, giving it a formal role in supplying analysis to public authorities. The Institute's statutory mandate combines analytical support for political action towards Central Europe and Central and Eastern Europe with scientific research in the social sciences and humanities, particularly international relations, foreign policy and cross-border cooperation. It was also tasked with cooperating with foreign entities working on international relations, promoting Polish social thought abroad, and commercialising research results. Publishing and public dissemination form a core part of its mission, including a specialised library and documentation collection, training, seminars and conferences. Beata Surmacz became the Institute's director in December 2018 and led it until November 2024. During this period the Institute consolidated its analytical output into recognisable series such as IEŚ Commentaries, IEŚ Briefs and IEŚ Policy Papers, and organised its researchers into thematic teams. These teams include the Central and South-Eastern Europe Team, the Eastern Team, the Baltic Team, and the Team for Historical Narratives and Applied History. Their work has addressed topics ranging from election campaigns and government crises in Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary, to Russian influence infrastructure in the Global South, Russian escalation towards NATO, the Three Seas Initiative, the memory politics of Chernobyl, and the Western Balkans' EU accession path. Mirosław Filipowicz served as director from November 2024 to April 2026, and Grzegorz Gil took over the directorship in April 2026. Under this leadership the Institute continued to publish regular commentary and policy papers, maintain an active public profile through media appearances and international lectures, and engage with foreign think tanks and institutions, including participation in meetings such as those of the Atlantic Council. Its headquarters remain in Lublin, and its output is published primarily in Polish, with selected materials in English.

• 2026

  Mirosław Filipowicz's term ends in April; Grzegorz Gil becomes director.

• 2025

  Publication of IEŚ Policy Papers 9/2025 on Hungary–Ukraine relations after 1991.

• 2024

  Beata Surmacz's term as director ends in November; Mirosław Filipowicz becomes director.

• 2018

  Institute of Central Europe established in Lublin, replacing the Institute of Central and Eastern Europe.

• 2018

  Beata Surmacz becomes director in December.

A state-funded analytical and research institute supporting Polish policy towards Central and Eastern Europe, publishing expert commentary and policy papers.

• IEŚ Policy Papers

  Longer analytical papers, e.g. IEŚ Policy Papers 9/2025 on Hungary–Ukraine relations after 1991 by Andrzej Gil.

• IEŚ Commentaries

  Short analytical commentaries, numbered sequentially (e.g. Komentarze IEŚ 1705).

• IEŚ Briefs

  Brief analytical notes, e.g. IEŚ Brief 20 (20/2026) on Bulgaria's presidential election campaign.

1. 1Instytut Europy Środkowej – official websiteies.lublin.pl
2. 2A dispute with history in the background: Hungary–Ukraine relations after 1991 | Instytut Europy Środkowejies.lublin.pl
3. 3Zespół narracji historycznych i historii stosowanej | Instytut Europy Środkowejies.lublin.pl
4. 4Institute of Central Europe – Wikidatawikidata.org
5. 5Instytut Europy Środkowej – Wikipedia (Polish)pl.wikipedia.org