Young PoloniaTech Academy Gala at Bialystok University of Technology

Thirty-six students from Drohobych and Horodok in Ukraine and from Vilnius in Lithuania gained knowledge and practical skills under the supervision of academic teachers and students of Bialystok University of Technology. They also integrated and collaborated in international project teams.

– Young Poles from Lithuania and Ukraine have discovered the potential of our University, visited the region and the capital of Poland, and at the same time integrated with students from our Academic Secondary School – emphasises Assoc. Prof. Mirosław Świercz, DSc, PhD, Eng., Vice-Rector for Development of Bialystok University of Technology. – Many of them already declare that they would like to start their studies here, and who knows – perhaps later they will settle permanently in the country of their ancestors?

The Young PoloniaTech Academy is an innovative educational project aimed at developing technological, linguistic, and social competences among young people of Polish descent living in Lithuania and Ukraine.

– I like the university very much – admits Evelina Tsipko, a high school student from Horodok in Podolia. – I can already see that the level is very high, and the lecturers explain very well what you can learn here.

Evelina speaks Polish very well and is considering studying at Bialystok University of Technology.

– I like that the student residence halls are close to the university, it’s a very good place to study – says the young Pole from Ukraine. – Bialystok is impressive, and people here are very friendly.

Before coming to Bialystok, the young Poles from Vilnius had to take part in an online interview – a way for the University to assess their command of their ancestors’ language. They did very well at the university.

– I filled out a questionnaire at school because I am interested in physics, chemistry, and biology – says Maria Roščinska, a student from a Vilnius secondary school. – I am considering studying in Poland, and now I have the opportunity to learn about all the study programmes at Bialystok University of Technology.

The students from Drohobych were particularly impressed by their visit to the Faculty of Architecture of Bialystok University of Technology. They already declare that they would like to study in Bialystok.

– There are wonderful teachers here, they give excellent lectures, and the city is very beautiful – says Romana Beńko from Secondary School No. 3 named after Viacheslav Chornovil in Drohobych. Studying at the Faculty of Architecture is a dream for Mariana Vodzianska from Horodok.

– Bialystok is a very beautiful and green city, and people are wonderful – says the high school student from Ukraine. – I would like to study architecture here.

The programme of their stay at Bialystok University of Technology included a series of workshops, laboratory classes, and meetings with experts in new technologies, engineering, programming, and entrepreneurship. The initiative was co-financed by a targeted grant for the implementation of a public task within the Senate of the Republic of Poland’s care for the Polish diaspora and Poles abroad. The young participants also visited Białowieża, explored the capital’s attractions, saw the Warsaw Rising Museum, the Copernicus Science Centre, and a Warsaw theatre, and they even had the opportunity to visit the Polish parliament.

During the Young PoloniaTech Academy Gala at the Centre for Modern Education of Bialystok University of Technology, the results of the young participants’ two-week work were presented.

– This is an extremely valuable initiative that not only promotes Polish science and innovation but also strengthens ties with young people of Polish origin around the world – stresses Paweł Malinowski, MA, Deputy Director of the Academic Secondary School of Bialystok University of Technology and the project coordinator.

The event was attended by representatives of state and local authorities, universities, and schools. The gala was honoured by, among others: Deputy Marshal of the Senate of the Republic of Poland Maciej Żywno, Voivode of Podlaskie Voivodeship Jacek Brzozowski, PhD, and Assoc. Prof. Mirosław Świercz, DSc, PhD, Eng., Vice-Rector for Development of Bialystok University of Technology.

The project was implemented with funds from the Senate of the Republic of Poland in cooperation between Bialystok University of Technology and the Academic Secondary School of BUT, together with the “Polish Community” Association (Stowarzyszenie Wspólnota Polska).

As part of the Young PoloniaTech Academy, the following workshops were held:

• related to automation and robotics of products (Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Bialystok University of Technology)
• introducing AI technology (Faculty of Computer Science, Bialystok University of Technology)
• concerning the development of modern eco-energy methods in Poland (Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Bialystok University of Technology)
• concerning innovation in the biotechnology sector (Faculty of Civil Engineering and Environmental Sciences, Bialystok University of Technology)
• on the creation, placement, and commercialisation of manufactured products (Faculty of Engineering Management, Bialystok University of Technology)

The project involved the Academic Secondary School of Bialystok University of Technology, whose students participated in cultural and linguistic exchange as well as integration meetings with their foreign peers. A number of activities were carried out, including:

• an integration meeting “Let’s Get to Know Each Other” – exercises led by a moderator that helped create a well-integrated group ready for further cooperation
• a board and puzzle game tournament
• a sports tournament (Department of Physical Education and Sport)
• motivational and developmental workshops:

– “How to Achieve Success” – conducted by Adam Zdanowicz, a native of Bialystok and graduate of Bialystok University of Technology, a world-renowned creator of custom bicycles.

– “Unconventional Polish Communication” – workshops aimed at presenting contemporary Polish, including youth vocabulary and borrowings from other languages. A special guest of the workshop was Karol Stefanowicz – “Kolorek07”, a social media creator who introduced participants to the Podlasie dialect.

(jd)

See also: Young PoloniaTech Academy at Bialystok University of Technology