Since September 2007 Ewa OŚNIECKA-TAMECKA has served as Vice-Rector of the College of Europe, based at the Natolin campus in Warsaw.

Born in 1962 in the historic and industrial city of Łódź in Poland, she graduated from the Faculty of Economics and Sociology at the University of Łódź, obtaining two masters degrees in economics in 1987 and 1988. Her academic career was interrupted by the events of 1989, after which she has dedicated herself to public service, serving both her country and the cause of European unity. 

She has pursued this work both in Polish public administration and, since 1992, in establishing in Poland branches of three major European educational and training institutions: the College of Europe, the European University Institute in Florence and the European Institute of Public Administration in Maastricht. In doing so, she supported the establishment in Poland of strong centres for European studies that would enable joint education of young people from all European countries, including from Central and Eastern Europe, and their preparation for active participation in the process of European Integration.

Public Administration:

• 1991 – Advisor in the Office for European Integration in the Prime Minister’s Office in Poland, the first government institution of its kind in countries of Central and Eastern Europe.
• 1992-1996 – Chief of Staff of the first Polish Minister for European Integration and Director of the EC/PHARE Sierra Programme Management Unit (a major European Union financial instrument designed to assist with economic transition in the period leading to accession).
• 2000-2001 – Chief of Staff of the Prime Minister acting as Chairman of the Committee for European Integration, contributing to Polish European policy during the negotiations leading to Poland's accession to the European Union.
• 2006-2007 – Undersecretary of State and then Secretary of State (Polish Minister for European Affairs) at the Office for European Integration, and acting Chair of the European Committee of the Polish Council of Ministers. She was also actively involved in the preparation of the mandate for the European Commission to negotiate the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement with Russia.
• 2006-2007 – Poland’s Sherpa in negotiation of the Lisbon Treaty.
• 2007 – Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Poland before the Court of Justice of the European Union and the European Free Trade Area Court.
• 2008 – Invited to join the Steering Committee of the European Investment Bank, i.e. the Wise Men Group, created by the Council of the European Union to review the external mandate of the EIB.

Educational and Research positions:

• 1997-2001 – Director of the Natolin European Centre, one of the leading Polish think tanks conducting research focusing on foreign policy and European integration.
• Since 2001 – Secretary General of the board of the Natolin European Centre.
• Since 2001 – Executive Director of the College of Europe, Natolin campus.
• Since 2007 – Vice-Rector of the College of Europe.

Awards:

• 2006 – Legion of Honour (France)
• 2013 – Order of the Crown (Belgium)

• 2016 – Order of Leopold (Belgium)