A response to the crisis of academic life – an agreement between Collegium Intermarium and ISSEP

Ordo Iuris

· Collegium Intermarium commences teaching with the start of the new academic year.

·  On 30 September, CI signed a partnership agreement with the French Institute of Social, Economic and Political Science (ISSEP).

·  The institute was represented by its founder – French politician Marion Maréchal.

·  The agreement constitutes a response to the “crisis of civilisation and academic life”.

·  The partnership will involve the publishing of expert opinions, organising of events and student exchanges.

The university, founded by the Ordo Iuris Institute, celebrated the beginning of its educational activities with an international research conference titled “Collegium Intermarium: a space for truth in the era of the cancel culture”. The event was attended by researchers, politicians and commentators from various countries. The speakers included Prof. Adrian Vermuele – teacher of law at Harvard University, Sohrab Ahmari – columnist for the New York Post and best-selling author, as well as Dr Józef Zych – former speaker of the Sejm. The conference took place on 1 October.

The day before, Collegium Intermarium and ISSEP signed a partnership agreement. The agreement involves “protecting and promoting shared values, which include the immutable concepts of Truth, Good and Beauty, Christian heritage, culture and ethics”. The signatories ensure that they shall “promote the true goal of education – integral human development”. The purpose of the agreement is also to “create a space for discussion about the shared culture and the diversity of tradition within European civilisation”.

The partnership between the universities will involve joint reports and expert opinions. Both institutions will also collaborate on improving teaching methodologies and hosting research events. Collegium Intermarium and ISSEP are also planning to organise student exchange programmes. The agreement was signed by Dr Tymoteusz Zych – rector of Collegium Intermarium, and Marion Maréchal – general director of ISSEP and former member of the French National Assembly.

“The academy has deviated greatly from its original purpose, from the original idea behind the university, from being a space for free and unconstrained debate and the search for truth, for which the concepts of good, truth and beauty are constant points of reference. Today, the space for truth is shrinking, while the space for ideology is growing,” stressed Dr Tymoteusz Zych, rector of Collegium Intermarium, at a press conference.

“The concepts of truth and good are being hotly contested these days. I am happy to see Collegium Intermarium’s commitment to classical culture, freedom of debate, intellectual pluralism, and the concept of comprehensive personality formation instead of simply training specialists,” says Marion Maréchal.