Uniwersytet Pomorski w Słupsku - Entrepreneurial energy at Pomeranian University in Słupsk

23 września 2022, 14:34

Entrepreneurial energy at Pomeranian University in Słupsk

On 20 September 2022, our University hosted "The Business Evening'' - a monthly event that gathers local entrepreneurs as well as representatives of various other organisations and institutions who discuss various avenues of cooperation and share ideas.

The September event was devoted to the partnership between academia and the business sector. Co-organised by the Słupsk Industry and Trade Chamber, the gathering proved a great opportunity for our University to bring to light some of the most important projects carried out in cooperation with companies, and present our commercial offer that is tailored to the needs of entrepreneurs and the local job market.

The Rector of the University, professor Zbigniew Osadowski emphasised the importance of cooperation between the business sector and academia, especially as such cooperation brings tangible benefits to both parties. The Rector also summarised the most important achievements of Pomeranian University in Słupsk various businesses, focussing in particular on the “Słupsk Academic Centre” project, which in the past few years brought more than 4 million euro worth of investment to the university. He also presented our latest achievements in the field of commercialisation, in particular in the form of a newly opened University Research Station, which cooperates with local agribusiness.

In the following session, the Coordinator of “Herbarium Pomeranicum” project, professor Zbigniew Sobisz, illustrated the fruitful cooperation with other two academic institutions, and the HP enterprise in a joint effort to create a vast digital repository of herbal specimens held so far in the analogue form in thee Pomeranian herbaria.

Vice-Rector for Development and Cooperation, professor Marek Łukasik, presented in detail other projects that illustrate a fruitful cooperation between the University and various businesses. One of such projects is the multi-national Erasmus+-funded project titled “3LoE - Three-level centres of professional excellence: Qualification, entrepreneurship and innovation in the Green Economy”, in which our institution is one of the 22 partners. Not only do we cooperate with other Polish partners, i.e. the Mechanics and Logistics School in Słupsk and the Chamber of Crafts and Small and Medium Enterprises in Szczecin, but we also cooperate with two local companies, Markos and Mowi, with whom we start an innovative dual Bachelor study programme: “Logistics - Green Supply Chains”.

This part was followed by an online meeting with Mr Bartosz Stawiarz, the Director of Office for Cooperation with Regions of the Foundation for the Development of the Education System, which has been appointed the Polish National Agency of the Erasmus+ Programme. The Director detailed the various project types which can benefit entrepreneurs who are willing to cooperate on a smaller or wider scale. He also emphasised the role of regional Centres for Innovation (InnHub), whose role is to educate and support all entities who wish to apply for Erasmus+ grants.

Sonia Hilarecka, the innovation broker at Pomeranian University in Słupsk acquainted all participants with the current projects implemented in partnership with businesses and realised within “The Innovation Incubator 4.0” project. Dr Anna Rychły-Lipińska, the Rector’s Plenipotentiary for Continued Education, provided an outline of our commercial offer, including courses, workshops, and post-graduate studies.

Our guests had the chance to sightsee our new multifunctional and multimedia lecture hall - the venue of the entire event. This part initiated the networking part, which continued till later in the evening. The entire Department for Development and Cooperation as well as representatives of particular Institutes and the university coordinators for commercialisation.

The event proved extremely successful, with a number of new ideas for cooperation and joint projects. All participants confirmed their willingness to meet again and discuss the various ideas outlined during the meeting.