We talk about the direction of further development of the University of Gdańsk, cooperation with the socio-economic environment and the goals set for the near future with dr hab. Sylwia Mrozowska, prof. UG - the new UG Vice-Rector for Cooperation and Development.
Photo by Alan Stocki/UG.
Elżbieta Michalak-Witkowska: - You have been appointed by the Rector of UG, prof. dr hab. Piotr Stepnowski, to the position of Vice-Rector for Cooperation and Development. Please tell us what your vision is for the development of the University of Gdańsk?
Dr hab. Sylwia Mrozowska, prof. UG: - The dynamics of change and contemporary global challenges make it necessary for higher education institutions to redefine their social and economic role and ways of managing their intellectual capital. The most important task should be considered - firstly - to increase their own resilience to crises and - secondly - to take a strategic role in the process of supporting the stability of regional ecosystems.
In the last two years, when I created and developed the Centre for Sustainable Development at the University of Gdańsk, I had the opportunity, among other things, to initiate the University Conversations on Sustainable Development programme. We conducted nearly fifty interviews with academics with the Centre's team. These interviews confirmed that our university's academic community has a high sense of responsibility towards the social and economic environment.
The University of Gdańsk is at the centre of a region that is about to undergo major transformations. As an institution and a community, we have the potential to support our environment. Therefore, I would like to work towards solutions that facilitate and support regional transformation.
- With the establishment of the UG CZR you mentioned, research and education activities for sustainable development have been intensified at the UG. Do you plan to continue them?
- I am very close to the idea of sustainable development, which recognises technological development as supporting an ecological transformation in which the planet and the protection of its resources is the most important actor. The application of such an approach requires a new partnership between the humanities and sciences and the development of social studies of science and technology. If higher education institutions want to play a key role in innovation ecosystems, they should acquire the ability to bring together diverse stakeholders around a common vision and to bring together different cultures spanning academia, including PhD students and students, as well as the business community, civil society organisations and cultural institutions.
Therefore, I would like to continue to strengthen and develop cooperation between representatives of different scientific disciplines. I am very keen to find solutions that will increase the visibility and effectiveness of research and projects already underway and enable their effective implementation.
- What issues will you devote your time to first? What is a priority?
- In the first instance, I would like to create opportunities to transform conceptualised academic ideas, concepts and socially useful solutions into development projects.
The goals I set for myself are firmly rooted both in theoretical discussions about the role of universities of the future and in the practical needs of the regional environment.
I have in mind, firstly, the Quintuple Helix model, in which sustainability is not seen as a need, but - an opportunity for development and growth. This concept assigns specific roles to higher education institutions: building stable bridges between science and society, transforming knowledge into innovation, increasing transdisciplinarity and entrepreneurship, introducing solutions to share knowledge and increasing the role of collaboration as a working method.
Secondly, the processes taking place in the region, in Poland, in Europe, especially in the context of the energy transition or the implementation of climate change adaptation and mitigation policies, require close systemic cooperation of various actors operating within a single space, e.g. a region. It is intra- and inter-institutional cooperation - in my opinion - that is the key to increasing the effectiveness of the academic community's efforts.
- How do you assess the University of Gdańsk's cooperation with the socio-economic environment?
The University of Gdańsk has been consistently developing cooperation with business for many years. The university units set up for this purpose are expanding their scope of activities and achieving success, although administrative and legal issues remain a barrier. Institutionally, we are ready to deepen our cooperation with business and - find ways to enter social innovation. At the university, the teams of the Technology Transfer Centre, the special purpose vehicle for commercialisation of research results - Univentum Labs, the Centre for Sustainable Development and the Centre for Analysis and Expertise are working successfully. Thanks to the work of these units, we can establish cooperation with the social and economic environment. In addition, the implementation of international development projects helps us to exchange practices in the use of digital technologies, the implementation of open access to knowledge principles, and the building of common research and innovation infrastructure.
- What do you wish for your new position?
- A strong team, open to challenges, whose results are visible and whose work is appreciated.
- Thank you for the interview.