Introduction to the UJ Times

I’m sure we all remember our first few days in Poland, filled with uncertainty as we tried to gain footing in what, for most of us, is unfamiliar territory – unfamiliar language, unfamiliar culture, and even unfamiliar weather. For most of us, we get a sense of being the ‘other’ in our day-to-day lives. In many ways, however, being different is what bonds us together. In IRAS and GLAD, being different is something that comes naturally. If you’ve spent even one class with us, you’d know that our varying characteristics are welcomed here, not just within the university but also in our lives outside of academics. This is what we believe the UJ Times is – a space for international dialogue outside of the classroom, and a source of media that bridges the gap between international and Polish university news.

The UJ Times, known previously to some as the Global Observer or even AIAS News, is an independent newspaper that covers both current and past political events. It is an established fact that we, as students of the faculty of Political and International Studies, are the first people to want to talk about political discourse. In 2018, the UJ Times was born out of our passion to discuss, analyse and be heard. If you’ve been with us for any amount of time, or better yet, made friends in our faculty, you would be quick to discover that despite our perceived differences, we all share a passion to debate on normally avoided topics, whether this be in the classroom or even in a pub on a random Tuesday night. Not a day goes by that an event is not discussed, flipped around and discussed again in a different perspective. In a way, we get into sporadic debates not to win, but to understand what we might be missing in the picture. I asked our team lead and editor-in-chief in chief Sam about what she thought about the importance of such an outlet for students like us.

2024-2025 AIAS News Team. (Photo Credits: AIAS, UJ)

 “I think it’s necessary for students to be able to express their opinions in university because this is the last informal step before they go out into the professional world, where they are often expected to have a sound belief system. University is the ideal place to learn and expand what you believe in and why. We are in such a unique position that we are surrounded by so many people from so many different places that students have this interesting opportunity to really see every angle on every topic. This newspaper is not only important for the students who write for it, but also students who read it. It is a mutually beneficial relationship that serves the community to help broaden all of our views and hopefully make us more empathetic members of society. Thus far, I am so proud of our staff and their willingness to share the news that they find either interesting or are very personal and feel the need to share with the world. I have high hopes that this newspaper will hold a special place in the hearts of not only the international students at UJ, but the whole community.”

Politics is not something that is looked at in a singular, tunnel-visioned lens, and with over ten nationalities in our team, one thing is for certain. No matter what problems we might face, a lack of opinion will never be one of them. Ever since I joined the UJ Times over a year ago, one point has always been reiterated over and over: We are not the BBC or CNN – we are not here to offer our readers a front row seat at the most recent event. We are simply here to serve as an extension of the already blossoming intellectual culture within our faculty, adding nuance and a more empathetic view to complex global events. We are rich in our assortment of standpoints on any given topic, and we aim to use this as a catalyst for productive discussion and encouraging thoughtful journalism. In the UJ Times, we do not write to sensationalise, nor do we write to trivialise global events. In an age of short-form content, we feed upon people’s personal experiences and opinions. Our variety opens the door to such a vast array of topics and events to be discussed, and this is, in essence, what makes us stand out from other newspapers.

We, as a faculty, are known for our political nature, and while it is a great focus of our newspaper, we also acknowledge the importance of not only knowing current global events, but also what is going on around us within the university. Living in Poland, we have noticed a disconnect between our English and Polish speaking programmes, often finding ourselves relying on our peers to stay updated on what is going on outside of them. This is why this year, we have taken the initiative to play a more active informative role by adding a Student Affairs section, aiming to bridge this gap. In UJ Times, we aim to bring everyone into the current scene. Our Polish-speaking staff writers regularly update and translate the latest events in the university, as well as putting out informational articles about different traditions that we international students may not initially know of, which will make adjusting to Krakow all the easier. We believe that language should never hinder anyone from being informed, and should also therefore never hinder us from fostering a deeper connection with our peers. Through bridging this disconnect to our Polish-speaking counterpart, our students have the opportunity to broaden horizons, experiencing new events and forming new, very valuable connections with those we do not see in the classroom.

I asked my friend and fellow writer, Leith, about his input on this topic. He said, “I think it’s important because, since we are all students in this university, it’s essential for us to be aware of the events or what is happening on the inside, but also because university is not only about studying. The goal is to create memories out of the presumably best years of our lives from the events that Social Affairs are organising. Creating a section about Social Affairs dedicated specifically to update people on what is happening is a good idea because more students should have a little interest in this, as we are responsible for making student life good and fun and it would help if more people knew what was happening. Additionally, it would help our peers, since we would be able to organize better events if more people attend, giving us greater opportunities to get fancier and cooler places for such student organized events.” His words in many ways reflected the common sentiment that our other colleagues have shared. Our experiences in university greatly rely upon our willingness to participate, to have conversations and to support one another’s initiatives.

When I think about my colleagues, I am taken back to my very first exam season as a first-year student. I was lost in many ways, not knowing what to expect or what to study for in some cases. However, it became apparent that I was not alone in this. As students like me, if you take the time to look around you, you will find people who are probably as lost as you are. And so, we find a way to each other, forming smaller study groups, sharing study guides and even discussing the exam questions in the hallways. We do not always appreciate such small, seemingly insignificant moments, but these are what keep our spirit as a collective alive. The UJ Times is a reflection of this spirit - We are created by students for students. It is a reflection of our passions and our stories, and the shared realities that keep us going forward.

We as humans are social creatures who yearn for community, and in a university setting, this is arguably all the more apparent. Whether you are a part of IRAS or GLAD, you are part of a small community of people who, in a way, share the same identity as you. While we might never get to experience meeting every single one of our colleagues, we have a common understanding that as students, we are one in the sense that we share unique experiences with each other that others do not. We share the same hopes and fears in ways that we cannot share with anyone else. We are being continuously shaped by our university life, and whether we like it or not, as well as our struggles in it. 

In the greater scheme of things, we do not so much expect to publish news and stories that are extremely profound and life-changing, but for the humble reason that we want to serve our people a possibility to express and amplify our voices. In the end, we as students deserve to exercise our right to be heard and to be represented. In the UJ Times, we hope to be a platform that supports this and to ensure that no voice is too small to be heard.