Almost 400 beds have been prepared for refugees from Ukraine in the Sopot student dormitories of the University of Gdańsk, which have been out of use for some time. An agreement on the transfer of DS. 8 and DS.9 to the city of Sopot was signed today at the City Hall by Jacek Karnowski, Mayor of Sopot, Marcin Skwierawski, Vice-President of Sopot, and - on behalf of the University - by Rector prof. Piotr Stepnowski and Chancellor mgr Jacek Jętczak.

- 'Already at the beginning of the war, we thought of handing over the two temporarily disused student dormitories to the refugees from Ukraine,' - said Rector prof. Piotr Stepnowski. - 'I thank all the services for so efficiently restoring these buildings to their temporary use. The agreement on cooperation signed between the University of Gdańsk and the Sopot City Hall is one of the first joint actions aimed at helping people who fled the war-stricken Ukraine and found themselves in Sopot.'

- 'Thank you very much to the University of Gdańsk, we are extremely lucky to have such a partner,' - says Sopot Mayor Jacek Karnowski. - 'The city once donated the land to the University and now the University is returning the favour with its heart. We want to provide our guests with the most decent living conditions. By arranging accommodation in the dormitories we avoided the need to house our guests from Ukraine in, for example, large gym halls.'

Under the agreement, the University of Gdańsk lent two student dormitories, DS no. 8 and DS no. 9, to the Municipality of Sopot free of charge. Sopot undertook to prepare both facilities, obtain all necessary permits for their temporary use and, in particular, equip them so that the refugees could live there as soon as possible.

The main goal of the joint activities, as emphasised in the document, is 'far-reaching support and assistance for refugees, so that those so severely affected by the war could find in Sopot a safe haven, respite and regain a sense of security'.

The meeting was also attended by Grażyna Dobrzyńska, Coordinator of the Ukrainian Support Centre, and Leszek Fiertek, Deputy Chancellor for Infrastructure and Administration at the UG. 

The rector emphasised the work that had been put into adapting the buildings: - 'As a rector of a University that has its campus in Sopot - I can say that I am pleased with the great cooperation with the city that takes place in many areas, and as a resident, I will say that I am proud of my city. '

Let us also recall that building DS. 8 built in 1930 also housed the Dean's Office of the Faculty of Law and Administration before the Faculty moved to a new building at the Oliwa Campus of UG.