The Polish Institutes is a network of establishments reporting to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Poland. there are 25 of them. Their mission is described as "creating a positive image of Poland abroad" by promoting Polish culture, history, science, language and national heritage. Other tasks include supporting cultural exchange, in particular, within the framework of the European Union National Institutes for Culture, as well as implementation of various international cultural programmes.
Polish institutes cooperate with local institutions and NGOs in organizing various events.
The names may slightly differ in some countries. For example, in London and New York, the institute is called "Polish Cultural Institute".