11th International Staff Week at Bialystok University of Technology

From 4 to 8 December 2023, we hosted representatives of 20 universities from 15 countries at Bialystok University of Technology! In the 11th edition of International Staff Week, our guests were rectors, academic teachers and staff from the international cooperation offices of universities from Albania, Algeria, Armenia, Egypt, Guatemala, Jordan, Kosovo, Lithuania, Latvia, Republic of Mauritius, Portugal, South Africa, Romania, Serbia, Tunisia and Turkey.

The event provided an opportunity to build positive intercultural relations and make new contacts for scientific and didactic cooperation.

– The eleventh International Staff Week is another in the series, meeting with our friends from many countries around the world. This time we hosted 34 participants from 15 countries. In spite of the winter weather, they have decided to come to us and we are very pleased about that. I am sure that during the various meetings held this week – talks at faculties, lectures for our students and teachers, various workshops and meetings aimed at introducing Polish culture and the beautiful city of Białystok and its surroundings – all this will contribute to the development of international cooperation, to maintaining existing contacts and establishing new ones, as well as many new initiatives, which will translate into the development of scientific and didactic cooperation between BUT and partner universities,’ – said Assoc. Prof. Dorota Anna Krawczyk, DSc, PhD, Eng, Vice-Rector for International Cooperation of Bialystok University of Technology.

In the international QS Europe University Rankings 2024 published in September this year, Bialystok University of Technology was ranked first in Poland and 24th in Europe in the category of ‘Inbound Exchange Students’. Considering that 688 universities from 42 European countries were included in the ranking, including 33 universities from Poland – the result achieved by our university is impressive! Bialystok University of Technology also ranked highly, at 8th place among Polish universities, in the ‘Outbound Exchange Students’ category.

This is partly due to the network of contacts that Bialystok University of Technology builds thanks to projects such as the International Staff Week. With the support of the Erasmus+ programme, the university organises them twice: in spring and winter.

Participants of the International Staff Week have a unique opportunity to see, in a great atmosphere, during face-to-face contacts, that Bialystok University of Technology is a good partner in the implementation of international academic mobility. During the meeting, new ideas for cooperation emerge: the participants discuss good educational practices and share ideas for student activation. After a week’s stay in Bialystok, back at their home universities, they become ambassadors of Bialystok University of Technology and recommend it to their students.

– I am very pleased that I was able to participate in the International Staff Week at Bialystok University of Technology. It was also a great pleasure to be in Poland, during such an interesting winter period. At the University of Belgrade, I am the faculty coordinator of the Erasmus+ Programme. I am convinced that it is one of the best instruments for establishing inter-university cooperation, and for students – a chance to open themselves to further experiences, – said Dalibor Sokolović from the University of Belgrade, Serbia.

– Every year: in May and December, I try to participate in the International Staff Week, – asserts Ewa Zapora, PhD, from the Institute of Forest Sciences at Bialystok University of Technology. – It is a great opportunity to meet representatives of universities thanks to which I can cooperate with foreign centres. Among the participants of the HEIs are representatives of many scientific disciplines. I try to identify among them those who specialise in forestry science, biology and mycology. Valuable personal contacts and friendships are born during the talks. Thanks to the support of the Erasmus+ programme, we can cooperate and carry out interesting projects.

– Having this connection between different European universities is really important and essential for our work. The world is developing really fast, in terms of communication. When we come here personally, we can meet our partners and see how they work. This allows us to understand each other better, to collaborate better. Of course, we notice some differences, but at the same time we see how easy it is to overcome cultural, strategic and logistical barriers. We can work together and that is amazing! – emphasises Vasim Tana, academic mobility coordinator at Instituto Politécnico de Tomar in Portugal.

The 5-day marathon of international meetings as part of the 11th International Staff Week started on 4 December. Colourful ‘Cultural stands’, i.e. stands of partner universities with which Bialystok University of Technology cooperates, were in the open space of the Centre for Modern Education building. It was an opportunity to make contacts and taste delicacies from various corners of the world. On the same day, the participants of the ISW went for a walk around the most beautiful corners of Bialystok.

On Tuesday, the guests of the International Staff Week took part in activities on Polish culture and traditions. They were prepared by Alina Jabłońska Domurat, MA, from the Centre for Polish Language and Culture POLISH LAB, which operates within the structures of the Foreign Language Centre of Bialystok University of Technology.

On Wednesday, after a series of meetings at faculties and in case study groups, ISW participants, together with a large group of foreigners who study or work at Bialystok University of Technology, attended the ‘Christmas Meeting with the Białystok City Council’. The idea of the event was to familiarise our guests with Polish Christmas traditions and dishes. It was held in a fantastic, warm and family atmosphere. There were carols and songs that accompany Christmas in various corners of the world. Greetings to the foreign guests of Bialystok University of Technology were extended by Tomasz Buczek, Director of the Strategy and Development Department of the Białystok City Hall, and Assoc. Prof. Dorota Anna Krawczyk, DSc, PhD, Eng, Vice-Rector for International Cooperation of Bialystok University of Technology.

On Thursday, the ISW participants visited Tykocin, and on Friday, they met again to summarise their stay in Bialystok, exchange comments and ideas for developing future cooperation. All received certificates.

Meetings for partner universities in the Erasmus+ Programme are organised by the international cooperation departments, which take care of Bialystok University of Technology’s foreign guests on a daily basis and support them in various matters related to their stay at the university.

Detailed programme of the BUT International Staff Week 2023 (PDF)

by mr