Speaker

Elżbieta Bieńkowska Chairwoman of the Board Center for European Policy Studies , Brussels President of the University of Silesia’s Council. Graduate of Jagiellonian University and National School of Public Administration in Warsaw. From 1996  worked in regional administration in Silesia, Poland, as Governors Plenipotentiary for Regional Development Strategy ( 1997-1999) and from 1999-2007 Head of European Department in Silesian Regional Authority and Director of Regional Centre for Enterpreneurship From 2007-2013 Minister of  Regional Development in Poland responsible for planning, preparing and implementation of the EU Structural and Cohesion Funds for Poland as well as European Economic Area Programmes , coordinating regional and national development  programs. 2013-2014 , Deputy Prime MInister, Minister of Infrastructure and Development 2011-2014 Senator 2014-2019 member of the European Commission, Commissioner for Single Market, Industry and Enterpreneurship. Awarded Kingdom of Norway Order of Merit and Order of Merit of Republic of Greece. ◦