PROFIL PRACOWNIKA: Alicja Łaska-Formejster
dr hab. Alicja Łaska-Formejster
e-mail: alicja.formejster@uni.lodz.pl
SCIENTIFIC AND SOCIAL MEDIA PROFILES
POSITION DESCRIPTION
The Director of the Institute of Sociology is responsible for strategic management, academic oversight, research coordination, and the execution of administrative duties aimed at ensuring a high level of education, scientific research, and social engagement within the Institute. The Director is accountable for shaping and implementing the Institute's strategic vision, aligning its objectives with the university's mission. This entails defining long-term research and educational priorities, overseeing institutional development, fostering external partnerships, representing the Institute in the university's governance structures, and ensuring compliance with national and institutional regulations.
The Director oversees the quality and academic integrity of the programs offered by the Institute, monitoring and improving undergraduate and graduate curricula. The Director supports interdisciplinary and international cooperation in teaching and research, manages accreditation processes, ensures academic requirements are met, and assists faculty in implementing innovative teaching methods.
The Director initiates collaborations with national and international research centers and promotes research findings through publications, conferences, and outreach activities. The Director is committed to maintaining a high-quality academic and administrative team, coordinating recruitment, evaluation, and supporting the professional development of academic staff. The Director creates opportunities for enhancing qualifications and competencies, shares responsibility for managing the teaching workload (with the Deputy Director), and organizes a work environment conducive to scientific efficiency.
The Director plays a key role in providing support for students and fostering an inclusive academic environment. This includes ensuring high-quality academic advising and mentoring services, addressing student issues, and maintaining transparency in academic policies. The Director organizes scientific and extracurricular events that promote the integration of the academic community. The Director also serves as the main representative of the Institute in external relations, strengthening partnerships with governmental, non-governmental, and private sector organizations. The Director represents the Institute in national and international academic networks, while also promoting social engagement and science popularization.
The efficient functioning of the Institute requires effective administrative and financial management, with the Director overseeing budget planning, financial management, and resource allocation. The Director monitors institutional performance, ensures compliance with financial and academic regulations, and implements policies that enhance the Institute's operations. Through strategic academic oversight and engagement with the academic community and external partners, the Institute maintains its position as a leading center for sociological research, striving for academic excellence, innovation, and social impact.
As the Head of the Department of the Sociology of Politics and Morality at the Faculty of Economics and Sociology at the University of Łódź, I am responsible for organizing and managing the research and teaching activities within the Department. I play a key role in directing scientific work, initiating and supervising research projects in the field of sociology of politics and morality (among others), and ensuring their integration with current trends in the social sciences. My responsibilities include designing, coordinating, and improving course proposals at various levels of education, as well as overseeing the implementation of courses and ensuring their compliance with academic standards and university regulations. I strive to foster the development of teaching competencies within the faculty, supporting academic staff in their professional development, organizing training sessions, and assisting in the career advancement of junior staff members. In addition, I perform a representational role, acting on behalf of the Department in interactions with other university units, as well as with research organizations, governmental, and non-governmental institutions. My task also includes developing national and international research partnerships, organizing conferences, and other academic events that promote the dissemination of research findings. In terms of management, I am responsible for planning and overseeing the unit's budget, monitoring administrative efficiency, and ensuring the appropriate allocation of resources. I ensure that the Department's activities comply with current financial and academic regulations.
I currently serve as the head of tasks related to the management of the Institute of Sociology, including the Department of the Sociology of Politics and Morality. My responsibilities encompass conducting research, overseeing research projects, and delivering academic lectures and seminars. The courses I teach align closely with my research interests and correspond to the department's academic profile.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/alicja-łaska-form...
My research experience includes coordinating sub-teams within projects focusing on health, the sociology of medicine, and bioethics. I have been actively involved in university research initiatives as well as regional research programs (BIAŁY PERSONEL). Additionally, I have participated in conferences and workshops organized within the framework of the 6th Framework Programme, including Bioethics and Society: Chinese-European Cooperation and BIONET. Since the 1990s, I have maintained active collaboration with academic and research institutions in Asia. I am a member of the editorial board of Władza Sądzenia and a member of the Polish Sociological Association (PTS), the International Stillbirth Alliance (ISA), and the Centre for Bionetworking. In 2020–2021, I was a member of the international research team for the project: https://socialdistancingsurvey.org/EN/index.php.
My academic publications and research projects explore topics in the sociology of morality, politics, the sociology of medicine, health and illness, and bioethics, including within international contexts. Key areas of investigation include doctor-patient interactions, the evolving role of the contemporary empowered patient, ethical and legal violations in medical practice, bioethical dilemmas, perinatal care, the functioning of institutions responsible for safeguarding patients' rights, medical marketing strategies, and the application of modern communication technologies in medicine, particularly in the context of medical communication management.
I teach the following courses:
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Doctoral, master’s, and bachelor’s seminars
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Transhumanism and the Technotronic Society: Engineering, Robotics, and Automation
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The Moral Backbone of Contemporary Society
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Ethics in the Public Sector
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Ethics and Axiological Aspects of Social Work
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Health Education: Prevention, Protection, and Promotion of Health
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Fundamentals of Social Communication
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Moral and Ethical Dilemmas of Contemporary Society
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Social Rules of Influence: The International Code
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Sociology
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Ethics
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Persuasion and Manipulation in Politics
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Sociology of Social Work
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Interdisciplinary Doctoral Seminar
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Socio-Cultural Contexts of Medicine, Health, and Illness
CONTACT DETAILS AND OFFICE HOURS
Rewolucji 1905r 41/43 90-214 Łódź
Rewolucji 1905r 41/43 90-214 Łódź
phone: 42-635-52-52
phone: 42-635-50-93
Rewolucji 1905r 41/43 room: A119 90-214 Łódź
CYCLICAL DUTYWEDNESDAY
11:30 - 13:00|Remote officeOffice hours are generally conducted in person; however, prior arrangement of the meeting time is required. Online consultations must also be scheduled in advance. Exceptionally, on May 9, office hours will be held from 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM.