Prof. Emil Orzechowski, PhD, full professor, specialist in the fields of: theatre studies, culture management, university management; graduate of Polish philology at the Jagiellonian University, lecturer, inter alia, at Stanford University, State University of New York at Buffalo. He deals with the issues of the history of theatre, the culture of Polish diaspora communities, cultural policy, organisation of cultural institutions, promotion of cultural goods in Poland and abroad, and management of universities in Poland and in the world. He conducts research and publishes scientific and popular works in the abovementioned fields.
graduated from primary school in Frysztak and King S. Leszczyński High School in Jasło. He completed Polish philology studies at the Jagiellonian University in 1967 based on the work Student Theatres of Krakow 1945–67 (First Scientific Prize of the Student Culture Festival). Immediately after graduation, he started working as a trainee engineer, i.e. the only administrative employee of Polish philology at that time at the Jagiellonian University.
In 1974 he obtained his doctorate based on the book Stary Teatr i Studio (Minister's Award and "Echoes of Krakow" award for the best book of the year about Krakow). Habilitation followed in 1988 based on the book Teatr polonijny w Stanach Zjednoczonych [Polish Diaspora Theatre in the United States] (Minister's Award). He obtained his professorial title in 1997 based on the book Koniec Polonii w Ameryce? [The End of Polonia in America?] (Minister's Award). Since 2001, he is a full professor at the Jagiellonian University. In 2002, he was awarded the Order of Polonia Restituta. Lecturer at: Jagiellonian University (1971–present), AST National Academy of Theatre Arts in Krakow (1976/77), Orchard Lake Schools, Mich. (1981–83), University of Connecticut at Storrs (1983/84), Stanford University (1991), SUNY at Buffalo (1992–94), PWSZ Oświęcim (head of bachelor studies in culture management; 2005–present). In addition, he gave university lectures at, inter alia: Stevens Point, Wis., Ann Arbor, Mich., Foreign Service Institute (State Department, Washington D.C.), UCLA, Syracuse, N.Y., Rochester N.Y., as well as in: Berlin, London, Prague, Riga, Bilbao, Turin, Bologna, Dresden, Uppsala, Edmonton, Amsterdam.
Scholarship holder of the Kosciuszko Foundation and the Fulbright Foundation.
In 1973, he collaborated with J. Got on the organisation of the first theatre studies in Poland. He was a deputy director of the Institute of Polish Philology. In 1995, he organised a Polish language course at the Medical School for Foreigners. In 1996, he organised the first studies in the field of culture management in Poland runned now as bachelor, master and postgraduate studies. He initiated the publishing of a series of translated works (books of international recognition in the field of culture management: Hagoort 1997, Bendixen 2001, Schuster 2007), a scientific journal series "Zarządzanie kulturą" [Culture Management], as well as a series of meetings and the printing of lectures given as part of the "Ambassador" series (ambassadors on the cultural policy of their countries; so far about 50).
In 1996, he was (for two terms) elected Dean of the new faculty of the Jagiellonian University: The Faculty of Management and Social Communication. In 2008, he came up with the initiative to create the JU Institute of Culture. In 1997, he obtained his professorial title and became full professor in 2001. He supervised numerous doctoral dissertations at the Jagiellonian University (Faculty of Polish Studies and Faculty of Management and Social Communication) and at the University of Silesia. For two terms, he was a member of the Committee for Research on the Polish Diaspora of the Polish Academy of Sciences, and for two terms he was a member of the Central Committee for Degrees and Titles. Chairman of the councils of two foundations (including Warsaw's Pro Cultura) and boards of several associations (including Villa Decius).
Prof. Emil Orzechowski, PhD, used to be the Chairman of the Council of the JU Institute of Culture, Faculty of Management and Social Communication; Head of the JU Chair of Culture Management; Head of JU Postgraduate Studies in the field of Culture Management; Editor of the scientific journal “Culture Management”.
Prof. Emil Orzechowski, PhD, is:
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the author of more than 10 books (5 of which were awarded the Prize of the Minister of Science and Higher Education), the author of more than 150 scientific articles and many popular articles published in Poland and in the U.S.; most of them concern Krakow theatre, amateur theatre in Galicia, culture management and cultural policy
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co-organiser of the first theatre studies in Poland, designed at the Jagiellonian University by J. Got
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organiser of ca. 100-person theatre ensemble in Buffalo, which in cooperation with K. Braun staged "Nativity Scene", "Passion" and several other performances
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originator and organiser of the first full academic studies of culture management in Poland
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co-creator of the academic profile of the JU Faculty of Management and Social Communication, its housing and financial bases (in the extra-budgetary part)
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initiator and editor of the first scientific periodical journal devoted to culture management in Poland
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initiator and editor of the first international Culture Management journal in this part of Europe, published in English, German and Polish (editorial branches: Belgrade, Görlitz, Istanbul, Riga, Tbilisi)
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initiator of the proclamation of the year 2009 as the Year of Helena Modjeska by the Sejm of the Republic of Poland.