Debates have been the great tradition of Oxford and Cambridge for centuries. The enviable standards of UK parliamentary proceedings owe much to the practise of orderly thought exchange, as practised from the young age at schools and universities. At the same time it can be a fascinating public performance.
"Ladies' & Gentlemen's Club" is an English-speaking discussion group focusing on current affairs. The club has no political affiliation and aims to promote an exchange of views, arguments and ideas, in the spirit of mutual respect.. It is intended as a platform for participants of different experiences, backgrounds and ages, who share an interest in reflection about the world. Through this project, BAS aims to re-create in Poland one of Britain's most praiseworthy traditions of a polite argument. The Club meetings are arranged in various Warsaw cafes.
BAS Book Club, an English speaking book discussion club exists since 2011. It brings together people who enjoy reading and like sharing their reflections and. It is open to international membership. The meetings encourage a lively conversations, of depth rarely possible in everyday situations. Since 2016 BBC merged with Reading Group formed about the Anglican Parish in Warsaw and we meet in the Chaplain's appartment, ul. Dorotowska 7. Some of the books discussed over the years included: "The Great Gatsby", "Ladies' Number One Detective Agency", "Growing up Female in Nazi Germany", "Infinitesimal", "Orient Express", "Watership Down", "Alone in Berlin", "Wuthering Heights", "The Republic" . All reading suggestions were welcome: classics, popular fiction, non fiction, crime mysteries, love stories – whatever the Members found enjoyable and thought provoking.
In 2016 BAS initiated an annual award offered to the best teacher of English of the year in partnership with Oxford University Press TEACHER MATTERS. As the world research shows, the quality of education depends mainly on the teacher. As a British alumni programme, we are deeply interested in spreading awareness of the English language and culture in a stimulating, attractive way. Therefore, we search for and award the best English teachers in Poland. The competition is open to all teachers of English working in state or independent schools within the framework of the Polish National Education System. The contest is organised by British Alumni Society in Poland, in partnership with Oxford University Press, who is also the founder of the main prize – The Best Teacher of English statuette.
EFC is a high profile financial conference organised every June in Sopot (www.efcongress.com). Attended by the CEOs of the largest Polish banks, consulting companies and other pillars of the economic world it attracts wide audience of financiers, politicians and business people from Poland and other EU countries.