We already know the results of the first edition of the 'Visiting Professors' - project, which aims to invite lecturers from all over the world to the University of Gdańsk. Out of 14 applications, the Committee for Verification of Applications selected 8. As many as half of the accepted applications were submitted by employees of the Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Computer Science.

A second call for applications has also been launched, which will last until February 28.

The internationalisation of universities is one of the most important processes that universities undergo nowadays. Good communication with other universities enables not only student exchange, e.g. through the Erasmus+ programme, but also a smooth flow of information. One of the new UG programmes that meets this second objective is ‘Visiting Professors at UG’. This is a project that provides faculties with the means to invite foreign researchers to participate in the scientific and teaching life of the university. The stay of guest researchers can be short (2-4 weeks) or medium (5-12 weeks).

Following the completion of the first call for proposals on December 6, a committee composed of dr hab. Anna Maria Jurkowska-Zeidler, prof. UG, Vice-Rector for International Cooperation (Chair of the Committee); prof. dr hab. Wiesław Laskowski, Vice-Rector for Research; dr hab. Arnold Kłonczyński, prof. UG, Vice-Rector for Student Affairs and Education Quality, evaluated the submitted applications.

The laureates included applicants from the Faculty of Philology, Faculty of Oceanography and Geography, Faculty of Social Sciences and Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Computer Science. The group of selected 'visiting professors' includes researchers from Hungary, Israel, Slovenia, Singapore, France, Italy, Slovakia and Germany.

- 'The competition for visiting professors is an element of building an academic environment based on openness and cultural sensitivity and developing multi-level relations with foreign universities. We are pleased with the great interest in the competition - the presence of inspiring foreign scientists mobilises the improvement of scientific research and the exchange of research experience while providing students and doctoral students with unique opportunities to establish international contacts,' - said dr hab. Anna Maria Jurkowska-Zeidler, prof. UG - 'The projects selected in the competition have specific research and didactic objectives, which are perfectly in line with the priorities of the development of scientific disciplines represented at our University, and they assume very promising results in the form of joint scientific research, publications, conferences, seminars, as well as courses and lectures for students.'.

Here is the full list of awarded projects of the 1st edition of ‘Visiting Professors’:

• Tamas Vertesi (Institute for Nuclear Research (ATOMKI), Debrecen, Hungary) invited by WMFiI, Institute of Theoretical Physics and Astrophysics. The project supervisor on the UG side is dr hab. Tomasz Paterek, prof. UG. The objectives of the visit are didactic activities and research on fundamental aspects of quantum mechanics
• Dagomir Kaszlikowski (National University of Singapore and Centre for Quantum Technologies, Singapore) invited by WMFiI, Institute of Theoretical Physics and Astrophysics. The project supervisor on the UG side is dr hab. Tomasz Paterek, prof. UG. The objectives of the visit are didactic activities and research on physics, quantum information and popularisation of the idea.
• Iztok Peterin (Institute of Mathematics and Physics, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Maribor in Slovenia, Slovenia) invited by WMFiI, Institute of Computer Sciences. The project supervisor on the UG side is dr Hanna Furmańczyk. The objectives of the visit are didactic activities and research on numerical algorithms and studies on selected graph colouring models.
• Nazim Fates (INRIA Nancy Grand-Est, France) invited by WMFiI, Institute of Mathematics. Supervisor: dr hab. Antoni Augustynowicz, prof. UG. The objectives of the visit are teaching activities and research on the theory of cellular automata.
• Marnie Campagnaro (University of Padova, Italy) invited by WNS, Institute of Pedagogy. The project supervisor on the UG side is dr hab. Małgorzata Cackowska, prof. UG. The aims of the visit are didactic activities and research into the theory and history of children's literature, with a particular interest in contemporary global trends in children's colouring book design.
• Ilia Ostrovsky (Israel Oceanographic & Limnological Research, Israel) invited by WOiG, Institute of Oceanography. The project supervisor on the UG side is prof. dr hab. Jarosław Tęgowski. The aims of the visit are didactic activities and research on acoustic aquatic ecosystems using remote sensing.
• Martina Zelenakova (Technical University of Kosice, Slovakia) invited by WOiG, Municipal Environmental Research Laboratory. The project supervisor on the UG side is dr Jacek Barańczuk. The purpose of the visit is to research modelling various environmental parameters in relation to climate change.
• Christina Sanchez-Stockhammer (Chemnitz University of Technology, Germany) invited by WF, Institute of Applied Linguistics. The project supervisor on the UG side is dr Karolina Rudnicka. The aims of the visit are teaching activities and research on the creation of a new level of the mobile VR quiz application ‘VR Knowledge Bridge’, which will be used to conduct research on vocabulary learning in this innovative VR context.

Finally, it is worth mentioning that not all funds were allocated in the first call. The remaining 48% of the funds will be allocated during the second call, which will start on January 17 and end on February 28. The results of the second round of ‘Visiting Professors’ will be announced by March 14.

- 'The evaluation criteria for the second competition will remain unchanged. I would like to remind you that these are: the reputation of the invited scientist and the prestige of his home scientific centre, strengthening existing international cooperation between the centres, interdisciplinary research topics, impact on the quality of education of students and young academics, measurable scientific effects of the visit that are significant for the development of the scientific discipline practised at UG,' - said prof. Anna Maria Jurkowska-Zeidler

- 'Additionally, in the last week of January, we would like to invite all interested UG employees to a webinar devoted to the ‘Visiting Professors’ programme and a Q&A session, during which you will be able to ask questions concerning the first call for the project participants. The online meeting is scheduled for January 25 at 12.00 p.m. The link to the webinar will be provided to you in staff communication,' - said Patrycja Oprawko from the UG Foreign Professors Service Section.

Let us remind you that the programme applies to persons who are not Polish citizens employed as professors at a foreign university. The beneficiary of the programme receives reimbursement of travel and accommodation costs and remuneration for teaching and/or conducting research. Details of the competition and application procedure can be found here. The main criteria of the competition include in particular: the reputation of the scientist, the interdisciplinary subject matter, as well as the opportunity to develop further scientific cooperation (internships for young researchers, joint publications, co-authorship of doctoral dissertations).

The Rules and Regulations for the Reception of Foreign Visitors to the University of Gdańsk and for Financing the Costs of Their Stay have also been drawn up.

The Regulations define the rules of accepting foreign guests visiting the University of Gdańsk for the purpose of scientific research or education - in particular visits within the framework of scientific cooperation agreements, intergovernmental agreements, implementation of research, teaching and development projects, research and teaching activities of the University. A foreign visitor is understood as a person residing outside the Republic of Poland or whose home institution is located outside the Republic of Poland.

The University of Gdańsk may cover the costs of a visitor's stay, in particular diet, accommodation and travel, in cases when these costs are not covered by the home university, an external institution or from another source. The Regulations also introduce a ‘Register of Foreign Visits’ kept in a uniform and University-wide manner in the Foreign Professors Service Section of the International Cooperation Office.

Supporting the handling of foreign visits to our University is also provided by the guide INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION, prepared by the International Cooperation Office in cooperation with the Human Resources Department and the Legal Office, which contains basic information and procedures concerning forms of employing foreigners, academic mobility, and establishing cooperation with foreign universities.