Portuguese Day at Bialystok University of Technology – workshops, presentations and musical experiences

Portugal offers many unique experiences – for example, a library of sardine cans. Assoc. Prof. Jolanta Piekut, DSc, PhD, Eng, from the Faculty of Civil Engineering and Environmental Sciences of Bialystok University of Technology, had the opportunity to visit it.

– I bought one sardine can for my husband. He has not eaten it to this day, saying it is too precious – says Assoc. Prof. Jolanta Piekut. – The trip to Portugal allowed me to learn about its culture and traditions, gain new experiences and establish academic and teaching contacts – emphasises Assoc. Prof. Jolanta Piekut, DSc, PhD, Eng, from the Faculty of Civil Engineering and Environmental Sciences of Bialystok University of Technology.

Portuguese Day at Bialystok University of Technology was held on 15 October 2025.

– It’s a really great initiative – says Gabriela Sawicka, a third-year management student at the Faculty of Engineering Management of Bialystok University of Technology. – We can learn about new places and experiences, and at the same time find out what student life in Portugal is like.
– I spent a semester in Portugal and I was delighted – says Zuzanna Dzierżanowska, a third-year environmental engineering student at the Faculty of Civil Engineering and Environmental Sciences of Bialystok University of Technology. – The country is full of fascinating places, and the cost of living is comparable to Poland – I recommend it to anyone considering going abroad! – adds Zuzanna.

Portugal is one of the first countries with which Bialystok University of Technology established very close cooperation under the Erasmus+ programme.

– We currently have 23 agreements with Portuguese universities, and under these arrangements, 50–70 students from Bialystok University of Technology go to Portugal each semester, with roughly the same number of students coming to us – emphasises Assoc. Prof. Marta Kosior-Kazberuk, DSc, PhD, Eng, Rector of Bialystok University of Technology. – It is a beautiful country, full of history, marvellous nature, monuments and rich traditions.

On the occasion of Portuguese Day, Bialystok University of Technology welcomed Mário Rui dos Santos Miranda Duarte, Ambassador of Portugal to Poland.

– Many educational initiatives are now underway between the two countries – said the Ambassador – from cooperation between higher education institutions to exchanges between secondary schools.
Portuguese Day at Bialystok University of Technology began at the Centre for Modern Education. Visitors could see the exhibition Discover Portugal with Erasmus+, inspired by the experiences of Bialystok University of Technology staff.

– We want to show that our students and academics are eager to travel to partner countries, and that guests from those countries are equally keen to come to us – emphasises Assoc. Prof. Dorota Krawczyk, DSc, PhD, Eng, Vice-Rector for International Cooperation of Bialystok University of Technology. – Portugal is always among the top countries our students and staff choose for Erasmus+ mobility – adds Assoc. Prof. Dorota Krawczyk.

The organisers prepared small-group training sessions. There were culinary workshops led by the head chef of one of Białystok’s restaurants, as well as lessons in painting Azuliana ceramics, where participants could try their hand at creating traditional Portuguese patterns.

– In Portugal, I saw many traditional tiles, beautiful azulejos, which I really liked. I’d love to have one handmade at home – says Zuzanna Dzierżanowska, a third-year environmental engineering student at the Faculty of Civil Engineering and Environmental Sciences of Bialystok University of Technology, who went to Portugal under the Erasmus+ programme. – I also feel a certain nostalgia for that place and a longing to return to those special memories.

In the evening, enthusiasts of Portuguese culture gathered at Nie Teatr, where Bialystok University of Technology students and staff shared their impressions from their stays in the warm Portuguese climate.

– It was a short trip, as we only returned in July after spending a week there – says Assoc. Prof. Jolanta Piekut, DSc, PhD, Eng, from the Faculty of Civil Engineering and Environmental Sciences. – Despite the short time, many of the topics overlapped with what we discuss at our university. Much attention was given to wellbeing, mental health, coping with stress, and taking care of good physical and mental condition both at home and at work.

Kacper Jacewicz, a third-year management student at the Faculty of Engineering Management of Bialystok University of Technology, packed many new experiences into his backpack when leaving Portugal.

– If you can, it’s worth considering a trip in June, when Festa de São João do Porto takes place – says Kacper. – It’s important to book flights and accommodation in advance, as prices are higher and availability is limited at that time. The earlier you look into it, the better.

A short-term trip was also undertaken by Gabriela Sawicka, a third-year management student at the Faculty of Engineering Management of Bialystok University of Technology.

– It was a very spontaneous trip – notes Gabriela. – It was a week-long Blended Intensive Programme, and the information about it appeared only two weeks earlier. I decided to apply and got in. It was a wonderful experience – it was my first time in mainland Portugal and my first participation in an Erasmus+ programme.

Between presentations, guests took part in themed quizzes focused on Portugal, its architecture and culture. The competitions brought plenty of joy not only to the participants but also to the audience.

After laughter and fun came a moment of reflection. The characteristic music performed almost exclusively in Portugal is fado – a genre often called “Portuguese blues”. The band Astrolabum took the audience of Nie Teatr on a voyage along the Portuguese coast, blending Slavic sensitivity with the Portuguese nostalgia of fado and the rhythm of bossa nova.

The Festa Portuguesa concluded Portuguese Day, organised by staff from the International Relations Offices of Bialystok University of Technology.

The day-long series of meetings and workshops, along with the evening event, formed part of the international celebration of Erasmus Days (13–18 October 2025).

The patron of Portuguese Day was Assoc. Prof. Marta Kosior-Kazberuk, DSc, PhD, Eng, Rector of Bialystok University of Technology.

The initiative’s partners included: the Marshal’s Office of Podlaskie Voivodeship, Dwór Czarneckiego Hotel, Restaurant, Spa & Wellness, Nie Teatr, Torty Pana Ribeiro Patisserie, the Bialystok University of Technology Alumni Association, and the Foundation for the Development of Bialystok University of Technology.

The event was organised by the Rector’s Office for International Cooperation and the Department of Mobility and International Agreements at Bialystok University of Technology.

(kk)