The origins of the Department of International Economics date back to 1972, when the Department of Socio-Economic International Relations was established as an interfaculty unit at the Kraków University of Economics. In 1973, the Department was transformed into an Interfaculty Institute (head – Professor L. Kasprzyk), and in 1983, it was incorporated into the Faculty of Production Economics. The newly created unit employed a group of staff representing various academic disciplines: economics, law, sociology, philosophy, and political science. The broad range of interests of the staff of the Department of International Economic and Social Relations (head – Professor Jasiński) is still continued today by the Department of International Economics.

From 2002 to 2011, the Head of the Department was Professor Miklaszewski, and from June 2011 to August 2012, this position was held by Professor Pietrzyk. Between 2012 and 2019, the position of Department Head was occupied by Associate Professor Edward Molendowski, and from 2019 to 2024 by Associate Professor Karolina Klecha-Tylec (Vice-Rector of UEK).

Currently, the Department consists of: Associate Professor Piotr Stanek (Head of the Department), Associate Professor Karolina Klecha-Tylec, Assistant Professor Anna Odrobina, Assistant Professor Agnieszka Pach-Gurgul, Assistant Professor Jacek Pera, Assistant Professor Marta Ulbrych, Assistant Professor Arkadiusz Mroczek, Assistant Professor Jakub Kwaśny, Assistant Professor Jowita Świerczyńska, Assistant Professor Wojciech Polan, Assistant Professor Kinga Nawracaj-Grygiel, Assistant Professor Benedykt Olszewski, and M.A. Bartłomiej Homoncik.