The 10th International Staff Week at Bialystok University of Technology is over!

Meetings with representatives from all over the world are our great inspiration. New ideas for cooperation emerge. We discuss best educational practices. We gain important contacts. We get foreign students. Another International Staff Week is over! It was 5 intensive days in international company!

– These meetings are a form of exchange of experiences, but also of contacts between our partners, who value our event and are willing to come to us and share their experiences. And all this is done to encourage students, staff and teachers, but also the administration to participate in the Erasmus+ programme. Today, without internationalisation, no aspect of the university’s operation can be developed. Internationalisation is needed in terms of education, research, but also to raise the standards of the university. This is what we are striving for. I hope that the International Staff Week will contribute to the development of all these aspects of our activities, – Assoc. Prof. Marta Kosior-Kazberuk, DSc, PhD, Eng, Rector of Bialystok University of Technology, summed up this year’s event.

The final ceremony of five days of meetings with 50 representatives from 20 countries was held in the Centre for Modern Education. The closing gala event was honoured by the presentation of certificates to the participants by the Rector.

– These certificates attest to having attended a very intensive programme as part of the International Staff Week. It consisted of workshops, including the ones on Polish language and culture, lectures at all faculties of our university, a meeting with the President of the city, a sightseeing tour of Białystok and a presentation of the potential of our university. I think that all of this made a big impression on our guests, – stated our Rector.

The programme of ISW that took place from 15 May to 19 May was indeed busy. That included dozens of presentations and lectures, several workshops, visits to the BUT Library, the Centre of History of BUT, and tours of the city and the region. Very popular were workshops led by Assoc. Prof. Jarosław Makal, PhD, Eng form the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and the Foreign Language Centre employees – Monika Śleszyńska, Aniela Staszewska and Wojciech Rogalski on topics of self-presentation, clear communication and the Baltic University Programme. Another prestigious highlight of the week’s programme was a presentation by a representative of the Alliance of Universities ACROSS, to which Bialystok University of Technology and its nine European partners belong. The consortium’s joint activities were presented at the meeting by Dr Benny Liebold, Head of the International Relations Office at Chemnitz University of Technology (Germany). A tribute to our participants was also an invitation to a meeting with the President of the City of Białystok at the Branicki Guest Palace, during the first day of the International Staff Week. The city authorities noted the international dimension of the meeting and the importance of the event organised by Bialystok University of Technology.

Each of our events is a lesson for us in what we can still do to improve such meetings. That is why we asked our guests for a feedback on the last day of the event. They shared their impressions with us, emphasising the enormous – mutual – value of events such as the one organised every year by the International Relations Office. They expressed the hope that this would translate into further joint projects and student exchanges under Erasmus+, especially as Bialystok University of Technology is a strong brand on the international stage with great potential, innovative infrastructure and extremely entrepreneurial and creative staff. The participants unanimously praised the Polish hospitality and cuisine. They will also particularly fondly remember moments from their visit, such as trips to Supraśl and Tykocin, where they learned about our natural and cultural heritage. They also appreciated surprises such as a performance by the Polish folk dance group Kurpie Zielone and a huge cake to celebrate the 10th edition of the event.

And how will the event translate into further action as part of the Bialystok University of Technology’s internationalisation strategy?

– After a period when all attention was focused on maintaining good international relations during the pandemic and online cooperation, the time has come to discuss new initiatives, exchange experiences in ongoing projects that may inspire further international agreements and grants, – said Assoc. Prof. Dorota Anna Krawczyk, DSc, PhD, Eng, Vice-Rector for International Cooperation at Bialystok University of Technology, listing the benefits of cooperation with universities. – The real benefits are considerable. On one hand, we have people who are interested in new international projects involving our teachers, and on the other hand, we have a place where we can meet and find a partner for a future project. And this is what happens. It is a place where all sorts of ideas, new friendships and personal acquaintances are born. It is impossible to forget that direct contact with people from ‘another world’ teaches us a lot, including how to cooperate in international teams, – summed up the series of international meetings for teachers, representatives of administration and people participating in various types of projects – the Vice-Rector for International Cooperation at Bialystok University of Technology.

We would like to thank all our guests from partner universities for their presence during the 10th International Staff Week at Bialystok University of Technology. As you can see, cooperation knows no boundaries! After all, we were visited by representatives from the furthest corners of the world: Albania (University of Tirana), Algieria (University of Batna 2), Armenia (Armenian State University of Economics), Belize (University of Belize), Bhutan (Jigme Namgyel Engineering College, Royal University of Bhutan), Bosnia and Hercegovina (University of East Sarajevo, University of Sarajevo), Spain (Universidad Camilo Jose Cela, Universitat de Girona), Indonesia (Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember), Jordan (Tafila Technical University), Kazakhstan (Kazakh National ResearchTechnical University named after K.I.Satpayev), Lithuania (Vilnius Gediminas Technical University), Latvia (Rezekne Academy of Technologies), Mauritius (University of Mauritius), Mexico (Universidad Iberoamericana Mexico City), Germany (Technical University Chemnitz), Romania (University of Craiova), El Salvador (Universidad Centroamericana José Simeón Cañas), Turkey (Süleyman Demirel University, Bandirma Onyedi Eylul University), Ukraine (Lviv Polytechnic National University), Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology).

We are grateful to the staff of our university for their commitment and support of the event and, above all, for the immense work on the part of the International Relations Office. Thanks to you, the 10th edition of International Staff Week was a hit! Bravo!

See you next year at Bialystok University of Technology!