The Nicolaus Copernicus University, is a leading state-owned educational institution in Poland, which educates yearly about 40,000 students. The University employs high quality researchers and experts on the subject of sustainable rural development. The Department of Rural Sociology, which is a part of Institute of Sociology, is a leading institution in Central and Eastern Europe, in scientific research on the topics of sustainable rural development and educates yearly about 30 students. The Department of Rural Sociology also publishes the international journal “Eastern European Countryside” and coordinates several European Union projects closely connected with the process of development rural areas. The University is currently involved in some European projects which are mainly aiming issues of sustainable rural development, life long learning on rural areas, gender studies on rural areas.