SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCES
In the contemporary security environment, the boundaries between peace, crisis, and armed conflict are becoming increasingly blurred. Cyberattacks, migratory pressure, disinformation, sabotage of critical infrastructure, economic and energy pressure, support for radical groups, paralysis of state institutions and military activities below the threshold of war together create a new, multidimensional and complex picture of hybrid threats. They remain below the threshold of a formal declaration of war. Hybrid threats are diverse, constantly evolving, transnational and even transregional, they involve a combination of actions blending conventional and unconventional methods and can furthermore be applied in a coordinated manner. Their aim is not only to cause direct damage, weaken the state, increase its operating costs, force changes in foreign policy, undermine international cooperation, but also to destabilise societies and impede decision-making by those in power.
It is society that is the primary target of hybrid threats – in particular its sense of security, trust in state institutions and capacity for normal functioning; the aim also includes dividing society, intimidation and disorientation, all of which contribute to the destabilisation of the entire state. The above can result in, among other things, a decline in trust in the state, the media and experts, radicalisation of views, an increase in aggression and mistrust, social conflicts and polarisation, restricted access to e-services, disruptions to the supply of electricity, water and the Internet, financial uncertainty and even a deterioration in living standards.
Civil protection is therefore becoming one of the main pillars of state resilience to hybrid threats. Key elements include the preparation and education of citizens, properly organised crisis communication, effective protection of critical infrastructure and efficient procedures. It appears purposeful to organise information campaigns on disinformation, training in safe Internet use, activities countering polarisation and hate speech, timely alerts for the population (SMS, applications, media), timely notification of hybrid threats, and exercises involving services, guards, inspectorates and other local entities. These measures determine whether society is able to survive and rapidly recover from a hybrid attack. The implementation of such initiatives largely determines the capacity of the state and society to identify, neutralise and withstand complex hybrid threats. Civil protection thus becomes the foundation for building resilience against hybrid activities.
Achieving the above objectives requires joint, coordinated and integrated action by both public administration bodies and services, guards, inspectorates and other entities responsible for security. These activities should be interdisciplinary and multi-faceted, combining theoretical and practical aspects, grounded in findings from the ongoing analysis of phenomena and processes related to hybrid threats and the civil protection arising from such threats. These activities should take into account international cooperation in this area and be linked to the exchange of experience with other countries. It is precisely why this year’s III International Scientific Conference "Security of the Contemporary State. Hybrid Threats and Civil Protection" is dedicated to these issues.
The aim of the conference is to exchange experience and present research findings by representatives of academic communities from Poland and abroad, as well as by entities responsible for countering hybrid threats and protecting civilians in the context of such threats. The organisers are confident that the conference will serve as a platform for the exchange of scientific views, as well as practical experience in the field of hybrid threats and civil protection, enabling the formulation of conclusions relevant to both theory and practice in this area, especially in light of the dynamically evolving broadly understood security environment. It is anticipated that the added value of the conference will be the identification of new trends in civil protection – in particular those relating to the organisation of cooperation among entities involved in providing civil protection, integrated management of this area, and the improvement and enhancement of planning within it.
08.00–08.30 - Participant registration
08.30–09.00 - Official opening of the conference and proceedings
Chair of the Scientific Committee - Janusz Falecki, BE, PhD, DSc, Assoc. Prof. - Welcome and introduction to the conference (on-site)
Rector of PSW - Przemysław Ruchlewski, PhD - Official opening of the conference (on-site)
Representative of the Honorary Patron - Prof. Nelly Bencheva - Opening Remarks on Behalf of the President of the Academy of National and Information Security (on-site)
Chair of the Organizing Committee - Joanna Śliczyńska, PhD - Presentation of the conference program and organizational information (on-site)
Moderator: Marek Depczyński, PhD (main hall/Aula)
09.00–09.20 Brig. Gen. (ret.) Tadeusz Szczurek, PhD, DSc, Prof., Pomeranian Higher School in Starogard Gdański – Threats Associated with the Use of Weapons of Mass Destruction in Terrorist Attacks (translation from Polish; on-site)
09.20–09.40 Prof. Vasil Stankov, Academy of National and Information Security, Plovdiv, Bulgaria – Countering Disinformation: A Shared Responsibility among Institutions, Civil Society, and Citizens (English; on-site)
09.40–10.00 Andrzej Pieczywok, PhD, DSc, Prof., Kazimierz Wielki University in Bydgoszcz – Civil Protection under Conditions of Hybrid Warfare: Reflections and Lessons Learned from Ukraine (translation from Polish; on-site)
10.00–10.20 Prof. Vasyl Pasichnyk, Lviv Polytechnic National University, Ukraine – Russia as a Source of Hybrid Threats (English; online)
10.20–10.40 prof. Anar S. Yessengeldina, Astana IT University, Kazakhstan - PMO Maturity as an Instrument of State Security: A Hybrid Threat-Informed Maturity Model for Government Project Offices in Kazakhstan (online)
10.40–11.00 Prof. Nelly Bencheva, Academy of National and Information Security, Plovdiv, Bulgaria – Parliamentary Oversight Model of Intelligence in Bulgaria: Challenges and Perspectives (English; on-site)
11.00–11.20 Aleksander Babiński, PhD, DSc, Assoc. Prof., Police Academy in Szczytno – Police Activities in Civil Protection and the Identification of Hybrid Threats (translation from Polish; on-site)
11.20–11.40 Discussion
11.40–12.00
12.00–14.20
Moderator: Mateusz Ziętarski, PhD, Grzegorz Diemientiew, PhD (main hall/Aula)
12.00–12.20 Marcin Boryczko, PhD, DSc, Assoc. Prof., University of Gdańsk – CRISING: Social Work as an Element of Social Resilience to Contemporary Hybrid Threats (translation from Polish; on-site)
12.20–12.40 Volodymyr Romaniv, PhD, Lviv Polytechnic National University – Legal Support for the Protection of Civilians and Critical Infrastructure in the Face of Hybrid Threats (English; online)
12.40–13.00 Karol Kaczanowicz, PhD, Pomeranian Higher School in Starogard Gdański – The Impact of Cross-Border Threats on Poland’s Security: An Analysis of the Situation at the External Border of the Republic of Poland in 2022–2025 (translation from Polish; on-site)
13.00–13.20 Prof. Iryna Mihus, Scientific Center of Innovative Research, Püssi, Estonia – Partner Verification in Enterprise Economic Security (English; online)
13.20–13.40 Jacek Janusz Mrozek, PhD, DSc, Assoc. Prof., University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn – From the Slavic Mir to the Russian Mir: Between Tradition and Geopolitics (translation from Polish; on-site)
13.40–14.00 Vitalii Boiko, PhD, Lviv Polytechnic National University, Ukraine – Mechanisms and Tools for Ensuring State Food Security under Modern Challenges and Threats (English; online)
14.00–14.20 Discussion
Moderator: Grzegorz Diemientiew, PhD, Rafał Depczyński, PhD (room 9)
12.00–12.20 Mieczysław Dudek, PhD, DSc, Assoc. Prof., Marcin Lerka, PhD, Catholic University in Ružomberok, Slovakia – Hate Speech and Peer Exclusion in Cyberspace: Silent Threats to Students’ Security (translation from Polish; on-site)
12.20–12.40 Lassi Murto, MSc, Abilis Foundation / CRISING Project, Finland – Teaching Crisis Before It Comes: Disability-Inclusive Crisis Pedagogy as Human Infrastructure of Civil Protection under Hybrid Threats (English; online)
12.40–13.00 Marcin Kościelniak, PhD, Paulina Kowalska, PhD, Pomeranian Higher School in Starogard Gdański – Economic Security and Financial Security in the Implementation of Public Funds under Hybrid Conditions (translation from Polish; on-site)
13.00–13.20 Prof. Lesia Brych, Lviv Polytechnic National University, Ukraine – Human Resource Management in the Context of the Evolution of Modern Hybrid Threats (English; online)
13.20–13.40 Piotr Łaszewski, PhD, Pomeranian Higher School in Starogard Gdański – The Security and Public Order Commission at the County Level: Experiences and Challenges (translation from Polish; on-site)
13.40–14.00 Prof. Gaini Mukhanova, Astana IT University, Kazakhstan – Comparative Analysis of Financial Security in the Framework of the Implementation of FATF Recommendations: The Experience of Kazakhstan and Poland (English; online)
14.00–14.20 Piotr Wojnicz, PhD, Izabela Sękowska, PhD, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn – Missing Persons from the Perspective of State Resilience: Implications for the Security System in the Face of Hybrid Threats (translation from Polish; online)
Moderator: Oleg MIĘTKI, BE, PhD, Aleksander Koźmiński, PhD (room 22)
12.00–12.20 Oleg Miętki, BE, PhD, Pomeranian Higher School in Starogard Gdański – Universal Air Defence as a Key Element of Civil Protection: Conclusions from Previous Research (translation from Polish; on-site)
12.20–12.40 Dariusz W. Skalski, PhD, DSc, Assoc. Prof., National University of Water and Environmental Engineering, Rivne, Ukraine, Igor M. Grygus PhD, DSc, Prof. MD, National University of Water and Environmental Engineering, Rivne, Ukraine, Nataliia W. Tsyhanovska, MA, Kharkiv State Academy of Culture, Kharkiv, Ukraine - Water Safety from a Civil Protection Perspective: A Personality Profile of a Lifeguard Based on Research Conducted in 2023 (English; on-site)
12.40–13.00 Mateusz Ziętarski, PhD, Pomeranian Higher School in Starogard Gdański – Civil Protection in the Era of Hybrid Threats: The Total Defence Perspective (translation from Polish; on-site)
13.00–13.20 Grzegorz Diemientiew, PhD, Pomeranian University in Słupsk – Social Resilience as an Element of Civil Protection against Hybrid Threats: Challenges for the Contemporary State (translation from Polish; on-site)
13.20–13.40 Aleksander Koźmiński, PhD, Pomeranian Higher School in Starogard Gdański – Agricultural Biogas Plants and the Resilience of Local Energy Systems to Hybrid Threats - A Systemic and Functional Analysis (translation from Polish; on-site)
13.40–14.00 Adam Kuź, PhD, Pomeranian Higher School in Starogard Gdański – Total Defence as a Foundation of National and Societal Resilience to Hybrid Threats (translation from Polish; on-site)
14.00–14.20 Sławomir Trojanowski, MA, Pomeranian Higher School in Starogard Gdański – The Responsibility of Public Administration for Civilian Protection and Safety (translation from Polish; on-site)
Moderator: Kościelniak Marcin, PhD (room 24)
12.00–12.20 Mariusz Kuchta – The Use of Migration Pressure as an Instrument of Hybrid Operations: Implications for the Civil Protection System (translation from Polish; on-site)
12.20–12.40 Marcin Rulewski – Analysis of Poland’s Crisis Threat Potential: Conclusions from Conducted Research (translation from Polish; on-site)
12.40–13.00 Katarzyna Mazurkiewicz – Local Government as the Foundation of State Security: The Role of Local Structures in the Face of Hybrid Threats (A Case Study of the Municipality of Kaliska) (translation from Polish; on-site)
13.00–13.20 Rafał Zacharski, Wiktoria Freitag, Kazimierz Skrobisz – Preparing Prison Service Officers for Security Emergencies: Evidence from the Remand Centre in Starogard Gdański (translation from Polish; on-site)
13.20–13.40 Piotr Mularczyk – Sabotage of Railway Infrastructure as an Element of Hybrid Operations: Challenges and Threats Based on the Sabotage Incident on Railway Line No. 7 (Warsaw–Lublin) in November 2025 (translation from Polish; on-site)
13.40–14.00 Piotr Kuchta – Building Social Resilience: Between Truth and Manipulation in the Face of Contemporary Information Threats among Young People (translation from Polish; on-site)
14.00–14.20 Discussion
14.20–14.40 (main hall)
Janusz Falecki, BE, PhD, DSc, Assoc. Prof. – Chairman of the Organizing Committee
Moderators: Marek Depczyński, PhD, DSc, Assoc. Prof.; Mateusz Ziętarski, PhD; Oleg Miętki, BE, PhD; Grzegorz Diemientiew, PhD; Rafał Depczyński, PhD; Aleksander Koźmiński, PhD; Marcin Kościelniak, PhD
14.40–15.00 Transfer to the REN Hotel (Skarszewska 5, 83-200 Starogard Gdański)
15.00–16.00 Formal Conference Lunch
Participation in the conference is free of charge.
The conference will be held in a hybrid format: on-site and online via the Microsoft Teams application.
Participants arriving without a personal invitation from the conference organizers will not be provided with accommodation.
Detailed questions regarding the conference should be directed to: Joanna Śliczyńska, email address: joanna.sliczynska@twojestudia.pl
The duration of a conference paper should not exceed 15 minutes, and a communication (short presentation) should not exceed 10 minutes. The seminar organizers expect confirmation of participation and a declaration of the form of participation in the discussion (paper, communication) no later than three weeks before the planned date of the conference.
The detailed conference program will be sent to participants by June 3, 2026.
The conference organizers ensure the publication of texts of presentations accepted by reviewers in a post-conference monograph or in the journal Pomorskie Studia Naukowe – fields include security studies, political science and administration, legal sciences, criminology, criminalistics, pedagogy, psychology, economics and finance, and management and quality sciences. Information for authors interested in publication is available for download together with the registration form (“Registration”).
We kindly inform you that the organizers reserve the right to assign conference articles to either the monograph or the journal. Articles should be prepared in Polish or English and submitted no later than June 30, 2026, to the email address: joanna.sliczynska@twojestudia.pl. The qualification of articles will be carried out by the organizing committee.
The conference is addressed to all those who recognize the importance of effectively ensuring state security and wish to participate in discussions involving the exchange of conclusions from scientific research, views and opinions of representatives of academic centers, as well as the sharing of practical experience by professionals, i.e., representatives of state security entities and institutions involved in ensuring such security.
