SGGW and UPWr talked over the European Universities
The meeting of SGGW (Warsaw University of Life Sciences) and UPWr (Wrocław University of Environmental And Life Sciences) representatives was an opportunity to share knowledge and experience related to building and developing strategies for European Universities.
The basic assumptions of ‘European Universities’ include:
A joint integrated long-term strategy in the area of education, related to research and innovation and society in general;
A common European higher education “campus” where students, PhD students, and staff can move seamlessly (physically or virtually), to study, train, learn, conduct research, work, or provide services at all partner institutions; all study levels include integrated mobility; new joint and flexible curricula are implemented, where possible, in three study levels based on interdisciplinary/multidisciplinary and cross-sectoral approaches; practical or work-based experiences are provided in the course of studies (development of entrepreneurial attitudes and active citizenship); the student community reflects the diversity of the population (in social, economic and cultural aspects); The Knowledge Creating Teams (‘challenge-oriented approach’) composed of students and academics, with the possible participation of researchers, businesses, regional entities, and civil society organizations; by adopting a multidisciplinary approach, those teams respond to different challenges through innovative learning and training, creating innovative solutions that can be used in different European regions.
The meeting opened up a chance to discuss opportunities and challenges that we map at our universities, whereas its participants were able to present formal and legal solutions, strategic solutions, and those focused on specific activities and results.
During the meeting, Dr. hab. Karol Chrobak introduced the idea and structure of UNIgreen.
The transnational alliance of European universities that share the same long-term vision for cooperation, includes the following institutions:
- University of Almería (Spain) – coordinator,
- Agricultural University of Iceland (Iceland),
- Agricultural University Plovdiv (Bulgaria),
- Haute Ecole de la Province de Liège (Belgium),
- Polytechnic Institute of Coimbra (Portugal),
- Paris Sup’Biotech (France),
- Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia (Italy), and
- Warsaw University of Life Sciences (Poland).
The UNIgreen project aims to strengthen the links between education, research, innovation, good practice, and knowledge transfer to make the union a model European university in terms of higher education and Agro, Bio, and Life Science research areas.
The project aims to enable the free flow of knowledge, facilitating the acquisition of double or joint European academic degrees and attracting talented students from outside Europe by promoting multilingual approaches to studying, interculturalism and increased inclusiveness.
Ms. Paulina Zaweracz, UPWr Wrocław was telling about EU GREEN.
EU Green Alliance is a transnational alliance of European universities created and formed by 9 partner institutions (within the ERASMUS+ programme) that will make one of the first “Universities of the future”.
The 9 partners that make up the EU GREEN European Network Alliance have been strategically chosen and are as follows:
- University of Gävle (Sweden)
- Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences (Poland)
- Universitá di Parma (Italy)
- Université D’Angers (France)
- Universidade de Évora (Portugal)
- Otto von Guericke Universität Magdeburg (Germany)
- Universitatea Din Oradea (Romania)
- Atlantic Technological University (Ireland)
- Universidad de Extremadura (Spain) – alliance coordinator
EU Green focuses on the new model of growth through:
- Promotion of youth employment
- Sustainable development of the territory
- Growth and competitiveness
- A new generation of European citizens
- Postcovid social and economic recovery
- Social inclusion
- Scientific development
- Local and global challenges
- Innovation of digital skills
The meeting was attended by:
- dr hab. Anna Chełmońska-Soyta, Vice-Rector for Internationalization, UPWr
- dr Katarzyna Lech-Książkiewicz, Head of the Centre for Student Affairs (WP2 Education Leader at EU GREEN), UPWr
- Paulina Zaweracz, EU GREEN Manager, UPWr
- Mr. Krzysztof Kafarski, Head of the International Relations Office UPWr.
The meeting was organized by:
- dr hab. Marta Mendel, Vice-Rector for International Cooperation, (UNIgreen: Board of Directors),
- dr hab. Karol Chrobak, Rector’s Plenipotentiary for UNIgreen, (UNIgreen: Board of Directors, WP1 Management),
- Ms. Katarzyna Specjalska, Head of the International Relations Office, (WP1-Management),
- Ms. Ewelina Belkiewicz, Deputy Manager of the International Relations Office (WP4 Mobility),
- Ms. Joanna Żach, Erasmus+ University Coordinator (WP 4 Mobility),
- Ms. Karolina Gajewska, UNIgreen Team
The meeting was held on 16 May 2023, at the UNIGREEN conference room located in the SGGW Main Library.