Beata Iwona Surmacz

Beata Iwona Surmacz is a university professor at the Department of International Political Relations within the Institute of Political Science and Administration at Maria Curie-Skłodowska University (UMCS) in Lublin, Poland. She holds the academic position of habilitated doctor in political science with specialization in international relations, and is actively engaged in teaching and research within the Faculty of Political Science and Journalism.

Dr. hab. Surmacz earned her habilitation in political science, specializing in international relations, which represents the highest academic qualification in the Polish system below full professorship. This advanced degree reflects her extensive scholarly contributions to diplomatic studies and international relations theory.

Professor Surmacz's research spans the evolving landscape of contemporary diplomacy, with particular focus on diplomatic evolution, foreign service structures, public diplomacy, digital diplomacy, and the diplomatic activities of non-state actors. Her scholarly work extensively covers paradiplomacy (subnational diplomacy), European Union diplomacy, and Poland's eastern policy with special emphasis on Polish-Ukrainian relations and the Eastern Partnership initiative. She has made significant contributions to the field of international territorial marketing, investigating how states, regions, and cities create, manage, and communicate their brands on the international stage. Her research reflects the growing importance of soft power and image management in contemporary international relations.

Analysis of Professor Surmacz's recent publications reveals a consistent scholarly focus on the transformation of diplomatic practices in the 21st century. Her work demonstrates particular interest in digital diplomacy and the impact of technological advancements on traditional diplomatic functions, as well as the expanding role of non-state actors in international relations. She has made substantial contributions to understanding Polish-Ukrainian relations and Poland's eastern policy framework, with notable emphasis on territorial branding at multiple governance levels.

Professor Surmacz has held significant academic leadership positions including serving as Director of the Institute of Eastern Europe (2018) and Vice-Dean for Education at the Faculty of Political Science at UMCS (2016-2019). She currently serves as Editor-in-Chief of the Yearbook of the Institute of Eastern Europe, demonstrating her commitment to advancing scholarly discourse in her field. She teaches courses on diplomatic and consular law, international law, fundamentals of international relations, organization and techniques of the foreign service, diplomatic protocol, Poland's public diplomacy, and state branding, while supervising bachelor's and master's students through dedicated seminars.