The Mental Health Mural, ProBe'r and the 'What's Next' Conference were the winning projects of the first edition of Fahrenheit's Champions of Collaboration competition, which were announced at a gala ceremony to announce the results. The winners received financial prizes from the rectors of the Fahrenheit Universities for the implementation of their projects. There was much to fight for - the prize pool amounted to as much as PLN 22 000.

The competition, aimed at female students and doctoral students active in scientific clubs of the Fahrenheit Universities, attracted 154 participants, who submitted 18 projects in six competition categories and four scientific fields.

Innovation and new technologies proved to be the most popular category, with as many as nine teams selected. Medical Sciences led the way among the scientific fields, with nine projects submitted.

Best ideas from students and doctoral students

The best project was the 'Mental Health Mural' submitted by the Interdepartmental Scientific and Artistic Club (UG), Scientific Tourist Club of Architecture Students (PG), SKN Interdisciplinary Healthcare Management (GUMed) and ANIMA - Psychological Science Club (UG). The project will result in the development of an urban space and the creation of a website with information on where to seek psychological help.

The jury appreciated the attractiveness and creativity in the approach to the issue and in the preparation of the application itself. The project is interdisciplinary, with a clear division of areas and responsibilities. Its implementation will bring benefits not only to the academic community but also to the people of Gdańsk and tourists.

In second place was the 'ProBe'r' project conceived by the BIO-MED Scientific Association of the Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology of the UG and GUMed and the Biotechnology Students' Association of the Gdansk University of Technology.
It is a concept for developing a modern beer-based non-alcoholic beverage containing live probiotic lactic bacteria cultures. In terms of attractiveness, the project scored the most points. The jury appreciated it for its innovation, feasibility in terms of both schedule and budget, and straightforward approach. It is a research project in which the group will face a real scientific issue.
Also on the podium was the Conference 'What's Next' - a project developed by SKN Psychology (GUMed), SKN Inspiar (UG) and KN Sound and Image Engineering (PG). It is a multidisciplinary event with a wide range of topics: human relations, nature conservation, the creation of a friendly urban space and what life and death are in this day and age.
The jury appreciated the strong voice of young people who want to make a difference and are not afraid to tackle difficult topics. The conference was carefully thought out - the project specified in detail the topics of lectures, debates, workshops and accompanying attractions. The project was also highly praised for the feasibility of the schedule and budget or the promotion of the Fahrenheit Universities.

First and foremost, cooperation

'The idea of the Fahrenheit University is centred around the integration, joining and cooperation of the environments of our universities in Gdańsk - the University of Gdańsk, the Gdańsk University of Technology and the Medical University of Gdańsk. This idea would never be complete and would never be fully realised if it were not for the participation of students and doctoral students,' - said prof. dr hab. Marcin Gruchała, Chairman of the Assembly of the Daniel Fahrenheit Association of Universities in Gdańsk, Rector of the Medical University of Gdańsk, during the results announcement gala. - 'The first edition of the competition exceeded our expectations. A lot of projects were submitted. The competition rules were formulated in such a way as to stimulate cooperation between the student communities of the three member universities. An absolute condition was that the project was based on cooperation between at least two FarU universities.'

The main objective of the competition was to encourage interuniversity collaboration between students and doctoral students by utilising the resources of the three member universities of the Fahrenheit Universities. This objective defined the most important condition for participation in the competition - the realisation of a joint project by a minimum of two research clubs from two different Fahrenheit Universities or by a single interuniversity research club operating at the FarU universities.

'It is not the initiative itself, but the competition entries that are the best testimony of inter-university cooperation, which is present and developing all the time,' - said prof. dr hab. inż Adriana Zaleska-Medynska, director of the Association of Fahrenheit Universities, during the gala. - 'It is through projects carried out by doctoral students and students of the three universities that it is possible to both implement and spread the idea of the Fahrenheit University Community.'

The announcement of the results took place on December 16 in the prof. O. Narkiewicz auditorium at the Atheneum Gedanense Novum of the Medical University of Gdańsk. The event was attended by representatives of the rectoral authorities of the Fahrenheit Universities, the project evaluation chapter, supervisors of the scientific clubs participating in the competition and representatives of the project teams.