The Institute of Physics in Warsaw is a very active high calibre research center. In the last 10 years more than 3000 articles in internationally recognized scientific magazines were published by authors affiliated in the Institute. Many of our researchers are chosen as members of international scientific organizations, committees and are often invited to give talks at international conferences. The Institute collaborates with many institutions all over the world, including the best European, American and Japanese research centers. In the last 3 years more than 20 international research projects were granted and have been carried out in the Institute - most of them with the financial aid of the EC. The wide international cooperation of the Institute resulted in year 2000 in establishing in the Institute European Centre of Excellence - CELDIS. In 2002 two other Centers of Excellence were formed - ASPECT and CEPHEUS. In recognition of all these achievements, in 2001 the Institute of Physics of the Polish Academy of Sciences was awarded the "Crystal Brussel", a prize given to the institution, that in the best way took advantage of the European Commission funds in the frames of the EC 5th Framework Programme. Recently, in April 2004, the Institute was again nominated to this award.