Mateusz Smolaga

Dr. Mateusz Smolaga is a Lecturer at the Institute of Political Science and Security Studies, University of Szczecin. He serves as the Erasmus+ coordinator for political science and administration discipline, facilitating student and academic staff exchanges. His academic journey includes completing his doctoral studies at the University of Warsaw, where he defended his dissertation on emerging donors in the global development aid system in March 2015.

Dr. Smolaga's research focuses on international development, with particular emphasis on emerging donors of development assistance, South-South cooperation, and EU relations with developing countries. His work examines the evolving landscape of development cooperation, analyzing how new actors like BRICS countries are reshaping traditional North-South aid relationships. His scholarship critically investigates the geopolitical dimensions of development aid, including how it functions as an instrument of competition between major powers like the EU and Russia.

His publication record reveals a consistent focus on development finance institutions, with particular attention to how multilateral development banks serve as instruments of foreign policy. His research spans both theoretical frameworks and empirical analyses of specific donor countries and regional cooperation mechanisms, with a geographical focus on Asia and Eastern Europe.

Dr. Smolaga is an active member of several professional organizations, including the Polish Society for International Studies, the Polish Society of Political Sciences, and the European International Studies Association, reflecting his engagement with the broader scholarly community in international relations and development studies.

As an educator, he teaches various courses in international relations at the University of Szczecin and maintains regular office hours for students (Thursdays 11:45-13:45 in room 034). His work bridges academic research with practical policy concerns, particularly regarding how emerging donors are transforming the international development landscape.