Summary of over 20 years of collaboration between Bialystok University of Technology and the University of Córdoba 31-10-2024

31-10-2024

Two women and two men pose for a photo; one of the women is holding a folder on which is a small drawing

Bialystok University of Technology and the University of Córdoba (Spain) have been collaborating for over 20 years! The fruitful partnership between the institutions was celebrated during the third edition of the International Conference on Green Construction (ICGC 2024), attended by Assoc. Prof. Marta Kosior-Kazberuk, DSc, PhD, Eng, Rector of Bialystok University of Technology, and Dorota Gawryluk, PhD, Eng, Arch., from the Department of Sustainable Construction and Building Systems, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Environmental Sciences.

The representatives of Bialystok University of Technology also participated in the centenary celebrations of Escuela Politécnica Superior de Belmez (EPSB). During the ceremony, Rector Kosior-Kazberuk received an honorary award in recognition of the long-standing cooperation between the Bialystok-based university and one of Andalusia’s oldest mining education centres.

Assoc. Prof. Kosior-Kazberuk, DSc, PhD, Eng, visited the University of Córdoba at the invitation of its Rector, Prof. Manuel Torralbo Rodríguez, on 21-22 October 2024, where she delivered a lecture at ICGC and attended the centenary celebrations of the Polytechnic School in Belmez (Escuela Politécnica Superior de Belmez), an institution incorporated into the University of Córdoba since 1973.

During a meeting between the rectors of Bialystok University of Technology and the University of Córdoba, they summarised their over 20-year successful collaboration. This includes several international projects on student and faculty mobility, academic and research initiatives through the Erasmus+ programme, the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange (NAWA), and the Double Degree in Engineering programme.

Representing the Spanish side were Luna Santos Roldán, Vice-Rector for International Cooperation, and Antonio Rodero Serrano, Deputy Director for Mobility, International Cooperation, Infrastructure, and Sustainable Development at EPSB; from the Polish side, Dorota Gawryluk, PhD, Eng, Arch. (Faculty of Civil Engineering and Environmental Sciences, Department of Sustainable Construction and Building Systems). During the meeting, it was agreed to continue and strengthen the existing active cooperation.

The partnership between Bialystok University of Technology, the University of Córdoba, and EPSB has been multifaceted, focusing on developing innovative teaching methods, conducting research, and disseminating results. Initiated more than 20 years ago with initial faculty exchanges, the collaboration has grown into numerous completed international projects through Erasmus+, NAWA, and the Double Degree in Engineering programme.

Strategic partnership projects under Erasmus+ have been vital for expanding international cooperation: “VIPSKILLS – Virtual and Intensive Course Developing Practical Skills of Future Engineers” (2016-2019); “ADD-ON_SKILLS – Advanced Digital Design Course on Modern Buildings Developing Skills for Young Engineers” (2021-2023); and APM (tasks 13 and 14) NAWA, where Bialystok University of Technology led while EPSB was a partner. Both Erasmus+ projects and NAWA activities were conceived and coordinated by Assoc. Prof. Dorota Anna Krawczyk, DSc, PhD, Eng. It’s worth noting that both VIPSKILLS and ADD-ON_SKILLS were recognised as Good Practice Examples by the European Commission.

The first international summer schools took place under the VIPSKILLS project, followed by ADD-ON_SKILLS and subsequently APM (NAWA), with participation from both students and teachers of the two institutions.

The summer schools continued in the following years, including the 2023 SPINAKER programme – Intensive International Educational Programmes project Interdisciplinary International Summer School “Energy-efficient construction, user, and environment-friendly” (NAWA), coordinated by Assoc. Prof. Dorota Anna Krawczyk, DSc, PhD, Eng.
In 2024, further summer schools were held as part of the Erasmus+ Blended Intensive Programme (BIP), coordinated by Assoc. Prof. Dorota Anna Krawczyk, DSc, PhD, Eng and Beata Biernacka, PhD, Eng.

Overall, three summer schools have been organised for students from Poland and Spain, and seven international summer schools have been hosted by Bialystok University of Technology with international teaching staff.

The 11th edition of the international summer school on sustainable construction is planned for 2025.

The wide range of tasks undertaken in these projects facilitated numerous training sessions and study visits for Polish academic staff in Córdoba and Belmez, as well as for Spanish lecturers in Białystok. These trainings introduced academic staff to the latest teaching methods for educating young engineers, creating opportunities to network and exchange knowledge on research activities. Bialystok University of Technology faculty staff have completed six research internships at UCO EPSB.

The VIPSKILLS, ADD-ON_SKILLS, and APM Task 14 projects have resulted in numerous joint publications by Bialystok University of Technology and University of Córdoba staff, including four monographs edited by Assoc. Prof. Dorota Anna Krawczyk, DSc, PhD, Eng:

Additionally, over 40 scientific articles and book chapters have been published, including in prestigious journals like Scientific Reports (DOI:10.1038/s41598-024-54111-y), Applied Thermal Engineering (DOI:10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2016.11.089), Energy and Buildings (e.g. DOI:10.1016/j.enbuild.2016.08.003), International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Environmental and Climate Technologies (e.g. DOI:10.2478/rtuect-2021-0063), Plasma Processes and Polymers (e.g. DOI:10.1002/ppap.202000030), Energies (e.g. DOI:10.3390/en15093345), and Environmental Science and Pollution Research (e.g. DOI:10.1007/s11356-019-05077-2).

Research findings have also been presented at numerous international conferences.

Jointly organised conferences have been another crucial element of this collaboration, such as the 8th International Scientific Conference “Environmental Engineering Through a Young Eye” (ISMO 2019) in Białystok.

The VIPSKILLS project also hosted the first International Conference on Green Construction (ICGC) in Spain in 2019, showcasing the achievements of the BUT-UCO team. This year marked the third edition of ICGC, with Bialystok University of Technology researchers serving on its Scientific Committee.

By Dorota Gawryluk, PhD, Eng, Arch.

Photo by Dorota Gawryluk