“Alumni in Building the Erasmus+ Community” – a meeting at Bialystok University of Technology

Cooperation with alumni 

During the meeting organised on the initiative of the Erasmus+ Innovation Hub InnHUB Bialystok, staff of Bialystok University of Technology shared experiences and ideas for cooperation with alumni and participants of international exchange programmes. Eliza Masalska from the Career Development and Alumni Relations Office presented the University’s activities supporting graduates.

– We organise meetings, workshops, and training sessions that our alumni can attend. Often, they are the ones who share knowledge and train us. This cooperation works both ways and is very much needed – said Masalska.

The University monitors the professional careers of its graduates by sending surveys after graduation and again one, three, and five years later. Masalska emphasised that Bialystok University of Technology graduates are doing well in the job market.

– They find jobs quickly and maintain employment. We have so many outstanding alumni that it would be difficult to name them all – she added.

Building the Erasmus+ community

The meeting also focused on Erasmus+ programmes and collaboration with international exchange alumni. Katarzyna Kochaniak from the Erasmus+ Innovation Hub InnHUB Bialystok of the Foundation for the Development of the Education System (FRSE) explained that the initiative is aimed at university staff who support both Polish and international students and alumni.

– We want students to return to the university willingly and to promote it in their home countries. This also applies to professors and administrative staff who participate in exchanges and can talk about what is happening in Poland – said Kochaniak.

Hubert Nowicki, Vice-President of the Erasmus Student Network at Bialystok University of Technology, shared what the meeting meant to him.

– I wanted to learn more about the InnHUB initiative, gain a better understanding of the administrative side of the programme, and find out how different people work from the organisational perspective. The informal discussions were very fruitful – said Nowicki.

Inspiration and good practices

Participants exchanged ideas on how to expand opportunities for alumni of international exchange programmes. Proposals included organising an alumni ball and creating additional exchange schemes. The discussion also covered activities for international students in Bialystok, such as Welcome Dinners, regional trips, and sports competitions.

Grażyna Jakimiuk from the International Relations Offices explained how the Erasmus+ programme supports the activities of Bialystok University of Technology, which is a co-founder of the European University ACROSS.

– The European University ACROSS benefits from Erasmus+ funding, which supports not only student and staff mobility and strategic partnership projects, but also initiatives aimed at alumni, including programmes related to their return – said Jakimiuk.

This academic year, more than 350 international students have begun their studies at Bialystok University of Technology.

Lasting ties with the university

The discussions, which involved both Polish alumni and participants of international exchanges, also focused on the importance of maintaining lasting connections with the university.

– Very often, universities begin by building communities of domestic alumni and later expand them to include international graduates. I would like us to talk about the value this brings to all participants of these programmes – summarised Katarzyna Kochaniak, the organiser of the meeting.

The session “Alumni in Building the Erasmus+ Community” took place on 8 October 2025 in the auditorium of the Centre for Modern Education (CNK) at Bialystok University of Technology. It was organised by the Foundation for the Development of the Education System (Erasmus+ Innovation Hub InnHUB Bialystok), the National Agency of the Erasmus+ Programme, and the European Solidarity Corps.

The meeting gathered Erasmus+ coordinators from various universities, staff from international relations offices, representatives of the Erasmus Student Network (ESN), and career office employees. Marta Jemieljańczuk from the Medical University of Bialystok presented the project “Alma Mater Carissima”. The event was also attended by staff from the University of Bialystok and the Academy of Lomza.

The workshops provided an opportunity to collect ideas for future initiatives for alumni and participants of international exchange programmes.

(kk)