CHICAGO (March 18, 1999) -- Loyola University Chicago's Institute of Human Resources and Industrial Relations (HRIR) was the recipient of a $200,000 grant sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor. The university's HRIR Institute was selected because of its proposal to duplicate its successful labor relations and conflict resolution program at the University of Gdansk, Poland.

"This project represents for Loyola a fine partnership in the study of labor relations, which builds on our past experience and the excellence of our faculty team," said James F. Brennan, Ph.D., dean of Loyola's Graduate School. "It also recognizes the important cultural links between Chicago, its Polish-American community and the University of Gdansk."

Linda K. Stroh, Ph.D., professor of HRIR and director of workplace studies at Loyola, is director of the grant project. "This is a very exciting program for us to undertake," she said. "While Gdansk is on the other side of the world, it's in many ways very close to Chicago, which has the second largest Polish-speaking population outside of the city of Warsaw. This strategic alliance with the University of Gdansk gives us the opportunity to fulfill our university's Jesuit mission of service in a way that truly benefits Poland and, ultimately, the world economy."

According to Stroh, American investment projects are the largest among all direct foreign investments in Poland. When taken together with the Polish government's eagerness to move quickly to a capitalist economy, the high level of unemployment and a long history of labor conflicts, Loyola's HRIR Institute identified a need for skilled professionals in labor relations, arbitration and mediation in Poland. "By establishing an HRIR program at Gdansk - the heart of Poland's labor movement - we can help in the training and development of HRIR leaders, who will assist in employee relations and negotiations between management and labor," she said.

The program will begin with a faculty exchange, bringing University of Gdansk professors to Loyola in 1999 for HRIR program training. In the fall of 2000 a contingent of Loyola faculty will travel to Gdansk to establish a curriculum for that university's new program. Eventually, the initiative will be expanded to include exchange programs for both Loyola and the University of Gdansk students.

Loyola's institute has had an informal working relationship with the University of Gdansk for more than 10 years. It began with an exchange of ideas and personal resources initiated by Arthur Malinowski, Ph.D., J.D., and Leslie Dennis, Ph.D.; and two retired HRIR professors who are well-known for their work in international labor and management relations and global training. They are part of the award-winning team of HRIR faculty which also includes Dow Scott, Ph.D., professor; Patricia Simpson, Ph.D., assistant professor; Lamont Stallworth, Ph.D., professor; Linda Stroh, Ph.D., professor, and Arup Varma, Ph.D., associate professor.

Founded in 1941, the Institute for Human Resources and Industrial Relations (HRIR) at Loyola is a post-graduate program offering four master of science degrees in the areas of Human Resources, Industrial Relations, Training and Development, and Organization Development. Its mission is to promote professional development of those actively engaged in the field as well as of those preparing to enter it, by offering a professional graduate degree program that focuses on human resources and industrial relations both nationally and globally.

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