Pomeranian University in Słupsk is among 12 universities from around the world invited to participate in the pilot edition of the international “Applied eXel” project. This unique initiative is carried out under the auspices of the UNESCO Chair on Strategic Foresight and Higher Education in collaboration with EURASHE.
The participation of Pomeranian University in Słupsk in the project is of particular significance. Our university was the only institution from Poland participating in this global pilot, alongside universities from Malaysia, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, Spain, India, Brazil, the Netherlands, Canada, Hong Kong, Ireland, and Latvia. The project was therefore global in nature, bringing together the experiences of higher education institutions from different continents, educational systems, and socio-economic contexts.
Applied eXel is an innovative framework for self-assessment and benchmarking, developed specifically for universities offering practical and applied programs. The goal of the evaluation is to better capture those areas of the university’s activities that are not always adequately reflected in traditional rankings and evaluation systems, such as collaboration with the socio-economic environment, preparing graduates for the job market, educational innovation, applied research, local impact, and international reach.
Work on our University’s participation in the project ran from the end of 2025 to June 2026. The University’s project team developed a local methodology for data collection, carried out an analysis of institutional information, took part in a series of working meetings and prepared a Self-Assessment Report (SAR) in accordance with the methodological guidelines provided by the project leaders. Preparing the report, collecting and analysing data, and participating in project meetings required many months of work and the involvement of representatives from various areas of the University’s operations.
The project team from Pomeranian University in Słupsk comprised: Professor Marek Łukasik – Vice-Rector for Development and Cooperation; Anna Rychły-Lipińska – Head of the Education Office; Urszula Siewierska-Powelska – Head of the Admissions Office; Mariola Medwid – Head of the Office for Development and Cooperation, Tomasz Jerzak – a member of staff at the Institute of Management and a representative of employers, Ilona Gapys – Erasmus+ Institutional Coordinator, and Maciej Stolarek – a student representative.
The culmination of Pomeranian University in Słupsk participation in the project was a self-assessment workshop and the awarding of the title ‘Applied eXel Pioneer’ to the University. The certificate confirming this status was formally presented on 17 June 2026 during the 35th EURASHE Conference in Amsterdam. In addition, the University received a special mention in one of the assessed areas, namely local impact.
The title ‘Applied eXel Pioneer’ is an important recognition for Pomeranian University in Słupsk of the institution’s active involvement in international initiatives concerning the quality of education, cooperation with the socio-economic environment, the development of future-oriented skills, and strategic thinking about higher education. Participation in the project has also provided an opportunity to compare the University of Pomerania’s experiences with those of institutions from other parts of the world and to engage in a global discussion on how to measure and develop excellence in practical and applied education.
Our University’s participation in the UNESCO Applied eXel project demonstrates that Pomeranian University in Słupsk is consistently expanding its presence within the international higher education community, actively participating in projects of global significance and contributing a Polish perspective to the debate on the future of applied education.