The Department of European Studies was established in 1992 on the initiative of the then Rector of the University of Economics in Krakow (then known as the Cracow University of Economics), Prof. Dr Habil. Jerzy Mikułowski Pomorski, Full Professor (1937-2020) and under his leadership. The Department of European Studies and the Department of Political Science jointly ran the field of study: “International Relations”, offering,  among other: specialization “Politics and Communication”. Classes in this specialization were conducted mainly by Department of European Studies employees and academic teachers with interdisciplinary education. In addition to economics, they had diplomas in law, international relations, political science, philology and sociology. The specialty program focused on the analysis of socio-economic phenomena and processes in the international dimension, with particular emphasis on energy markets, health care, environmental protection and the development of Latin American, African and Asian countries. Particular emphasis was placed on developing competences in intercultural communication and foreign languages. Some of the classes were conducted in English, also with the participation of external, foreign and domestic, experts and practitioners. Many students went on exchanges and internships abroad, and also took part in international research projects.

In October 2007, the management of Department of European Studies was taken over by Dr Habil. Aleksander Surdej, Associate Professor who has been the Ambassador of the Republic of Poland to the OECD in Paris since 2016.

The UNIVERSUM research club has been active at KSE since 1996. By the decision of its members, at the time of the university’s reform, it affiliated itself to the Department of European Studies and Economic Integration.

The Department of European Economic Integration was established in 2003 in connection with the ongoing process of Poland’s integration with the European Union and the demand for highly qualified specialists in this field. The Department was established on the initiative and under the supervision of Prof. Dr Habil. Helena Tendera-Właszczuk, Full Professor. In 2003, the field of study: “European Studies” was launched. Specialists with unique qualifications combining knowledge of the European Union with knowledge of issues related to the economic aspects of the functioning of EU countries and integration processes had enormous opportunities on the labor market.

The Department received grants from the European Commission to conduct studies: in 2003, the Jean Monnet Chair grant, and in 2006, the Jean Monnet Center of Excellence grant. Both the Jean Monnet Chair and the Jean Monnet Center of Excellence are elements of the prestigious Jean Monnet Project, which is addressed to universities in the European Union member states, candidate countries and to universities from other countries that are interested in the development of new educational activities and scientific research in scope of European integration. The program supports the activities of experts dealing with these issues, who have extensive teaching and research experience on the processes of European economic integration, and who want to undertake further teaching and research initiatives. The main goal of the program is to create lasting structures for teaching European integration and introducing new subjects in this field to the teaching offer and university education programs. The project enables the inclusion of scientists and university institutions in the international network of Jean Monnet and ECSA (European Community Studies Association).

The Department’s employees have interdisciplinary education. In addition to economics, they have diplomas in law, international relations and political science. The Department organized a number of conferences on European integration and the principles and mechanisms of the functioning of the EU. The department’s employees have also published a number of books on this subject, including:

• European Union: Ten Years after the Lisbon Treaty, (2020)
• Selected European Union policies, (2020)
• Fifteen years of Poland’s membership in the European Union, (2020)
• The current condition of European integration in the face of external and internal challenges, (2019)
• New prospects for European integration in the face of challenges and threats, (2017)
• New challenges of European integration, (2016)
• New Member States in the European Union – diagnosis and prospects, (2015)
• EU crisis or crisis in the EU?, (2014)
• Analysis and assessment of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union, (2013)
• European Union after the Lisbon Treaty. Selected legal, economic and political issues, (2012)
• Stability of public finances of European Union countries in the face of the debt crisis, (2011)
• Social policy of the European Union after eastern enlargement, (2010)
• Global Financial Crisis and Euro Zone Enlargement, (2009)
• Barriers to European integration, (2009).

In the academic years 2018/19 and 2019/20, the Department of European Economic Integration was headed by Dr Habil. Rafał Prostak, Associate Professor. When in October 2020 the Department of European Studies was divided and its part merged with the Department of European Economic Integration, the head of the newly established unit – the Department of European Studies and Economic Integration became Dr Habil. Jan Brzozowski, Associate Professor.

From the 2022/23 academic year, the Department of European Studies and Economic Integration is headed by Dr Habil.  Joanna Garlińska-Bielawska, Associate Professor.