Bialystok University of Technology launches Podlasie Children’s University in the 2022/2023 academic year

The activity of the Podlasie Children’s University is the implementation of lifelong learning in the region, one of the missions of Bialystok University of Technology.

– Bialystok University of Technology offers forms of education for three-year-olds to 103-year-olds, – says Assoc. Prof. Marta Kosior-Kazberuk, DSc, PhD, Eng, Rector of Bialystok University of Technology, with a smile. – The Podlasie Children’s University is a series of workshops, lectures and interactive classes prepared by the staff of Bialystok University of Technology for young students of science who want to develop, above all, their passions and technical interests. In this way, they can get to know our university from the inside and can be bitten by the knowledge bug.

The opening lecture within the walls of Bialystok University of Technology is scheduled for 26 November.

– So far, more than 1,700 participants have taken part in the classes. The academic year 2022/2023 will see the launch of the Augustów Children’s University, the Białystok Children’s University, the Grajewo Children’s University and the Siemiatycze Children’s University, – says Assoc. Prof. Jarosław Szusta, DSc, PhD, Eng, Vice-Rector for Student Affairs at Bialystok University of Technology.

Recruitment to the Podlasie Children’s University will begin on 3 November 2022. In Bialystok, the registration is online. In Augustów, Grajewo and Siemiatycze, it will be organised by the local authorities, in cooperation with primary schools. A total of 192 young students will take part in the Podlasie Children’s University. 50 school children, each from grades IV – VI from Białystok, Augustów and Siemiatycze, and 42 school children from Grajewo, which this year joined the educational project of Bialystok University of Technology.

– We have been cooperating for many years with, among others, the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and the Faculty of Architecture of Bialystok University of Technology – informs Dariusz Latarowski, Mayor of Grajewo. – This university is the pride of our region. The possibility to develop one’s passions, the possibility to be creative is a great value of the Podlasie Children’s University.

This year, the initiative of Bialystok University of Technology was supported by the Podlaskie Voivodeship Marshal with PLN 45,000.

– I cannot imagine that the Podlaskie Voivodeship self-government would not participate in such a wonderful project as the Podlasie Children’s University, – says Artur Kosicki, PhD, Marshall of the Podlaskie Voivodeship. – This is an investment in our youth, this is an investment in the future of the region. That is why I am very pleased that we have already been a partner in this venture for some time. This was not the case before, but we quickly rectified this mistake so that we can bind all our partners together with this buckle of commitment from the Podlaskie Voivodeship Self-Government. I would like to pay tribute to Bialystok University of Technology because it has many excellent specialists and a very good approach to educating young people, and I hope that the Podlasie Children’s University will contribute to the fact that we will have even more of these diamonds in the world of science.

Marszałek Województwa Podlaskiego zadeklarował że w kolejnym roku akademickim podwoi kwotę wsparcia dla Podlaskiego Uniwersytetu Dziecięcego.The Marshal of the Podlaskie Voivodeship has declared that he will double the amount of support for the Podlasie Children’s University in the next academic year.

So far, 884 students have graduated from the Bialystok Children’s University alone. The city of Białystok has been supporting the educational project of Bialystok University of Technology since 2009.

– Bialystok University of Technology has a very good reputation in the region, – says Assoc. Prof. Tadeusz Truskolaski, DSc, PhD, Eng, President of the City of Białystok. – This is probably the best form of promotion, as young people are very interested in knowledge provided by very experienced lecturers in an accessible form. They have the opportunity to feel the university, which, on the one hand, is inaccessible to children, and on the other, they don’t have such a special idea of what the university is about. The earlier they get acquainted, the better.

This is the third time the city of Augustów has participated in the Podlasie Children’s University.

– The classes are very popular and receive only positive opinions, – says Mirosław Karolczuk, Mayor of the City of Augustów. – In the previous edition, during the opening lecture, it was a young resident of Augustów who asked the first question. I therefore hope that such active and creative young people from Augustów will want to continue benefiting from this form of further education. I believe that these young people will stay in Augustów after they have completed their technical education. Augustów is a city with high ambitions and we need young, highly qualified citizens.

For the seventh time, Siemiatycze has joined the Bialystok Technical University’s educational initiative.

– I graduated from this university 35 years ago, which is why I always recommend it as a university worth attending and returning to, – persuades Henryk Tomasz Czmut, Deputy Mayor of Siemiatycze. – Residents react very well to the fact that their children are participating in the activities of the Podlasie Children’s University. The children also express a very high level of interest and involvement in the work of this university.

– Classes will be devoted to subjects taken up by individual faculties of Bialystok University of Technology, – informs Assoc. Prof. Jarosław Szusta, DSc, PhD, Eng, Vice-Rector for Student Affairs at Bialystok University of Technology. – Topics will include bridge construction, mechanics, thermal imaging and programming. There will be classes on issues related to mathematics, physics and chemistry. Our Radio Akadera has also prepared a series of workshops on journalism. Thank you for appreciating Bialystok University of Technology and trusting our knowledge, skills and entrusting the fate of your children into our hands.

Podlasie Children’s University (academic year 2022/2023):

Partners: Podlaskie Voivodeship, City of Augustów, City of Białystok, City of Grajewo, City of Siemiatycze

Age of participants: school children in grades IV – VI of primary schools

Number of planned activities: 15

by jd