Twelve scientists from nine countries will visit the University of Gdańsk as part of the third edition of the 'Visiting Professors' programme. The first of these, Yoshi Masahiko - an economist from Japan who will speak about the trade policies of European Union countries in the context of the energy crisis - will come to the UG next week! 

The laureates include applicants from the Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics, the Inter-University Faculty of Biotechnology UG and MUG, the Faculty of Economics, the Faculty of Philology, the Faculty of Social Sciences, and the Faculty of Biology. The selected 'visiting professors' group includes researchers from Japan, Norway, the USA, Canada, Latvia, Malta, the UK, Denmark and France.

Following the closing of the call for applications for the 3rd edition on December 1, a committee consisting of dr hab. Anna Maria Jurkowska-Zeidler, prof. UG, Vice-Rector for International Cooperation (chairperson of the committee); prof. dr hab. Wiesław Laskowski, Vice-Rector for Research; dr hab. Arnold Kłonczyński, prof. UG, Vice-Rector for Students and Education Quality, assessed the applications submitted.

- 'The programme is already an established part of building an international campus and creating an academic environment based on openness and cultural sensitivity. From the outset, it has aimed to develop multifaceted relationships with foreign academics and universities. We are delighted with the unwavering interest in the competition from edition to edition - 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 prof. Anna Maria Jurkowska-Zeidler. - 'The projects selected in the competition have specific and measurable research and didactic goals, which perfectly match the priorities of the development of scientific disciplines represented at our University. They assume promising results in joint research, publications, conferences, seminars, and courses and lectures for students.'

Here is the complete list of the awarded projects of the 3rd edition of 'Visiting Professors':

Alexander Müller-Hermes (University of Oslo, Department of Mathematics, Norway) invited by the Department of Mathematics, Physics and Computer Science, Institute of Theoretical Physics and Astrophysics. The project supervisor on the UG side is dr hab. Marcin Marciniak. The purpose of the visit is to teach and research activities in the field of quantum mechanics.

George diCenzo (Queen's University, Department of Biology, Kingston, Ontario, Canada) invited by the Interuniversity Faculty of Biotechnology UG& MUG. The supervisor on the UG side is prof. dr hab. Ewa Łojkowska. The objectives of the visit are teaching and research activities in the field of bioinformatics.

Inna Romanova (University of Latvia, Faculty of Business, Management and Economics, Latvia) invited by the Faculty of Economics. The supervisor on the UG side is dr Renata Orłowska. The visit aims to show students and university staff new methods of teaching and acquiring knowledge in economics and finance.

Jesse Lerner (Intercollegiate Media Studies, Claremont Colleges, USA) invited by the Faculty of Philology, Institute of English and American Studies. The supervisor on the UG side is dr Grzegorz Welizarowicz. The purpose of the visit is to hold lectures and workshops on American culture and society living in border areas. There will also be a workshop for students of the Film and Media Studies Department, culminating in creating a film entitled 'Gdańsk as the Borderlands'.

Mark Mifsud (University of Malta) invited by the Faculty of Social Sciences. Supervisor on the UG side is dr Barbara Kijewska. The visit aims to give a series of lectures on the theme of 'Humanity, Society and the Environment', as well as joint research work on education for sustainable development, sustainable environmental action and sustainable society.

Mohsen Mobasher (University of Houston-Downtown, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, USA) invited by the Institute for Research and Culture in the Faculty of Philology. The supervisor on the UG side is dr Aleksandra Wierucka. The visit aims to deliver a series of lectures on topics related to emigration and immigration. A publication on international youth migration to the Tricity will also be produced.

Ole Boe (Norwegian Police University College, Oslo, Norway) invited by the Institute of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences. The supervisor on the UG side is dr Andrzej Piotrowski. The purpose of the visit is to give a series of lectures on the psychology of soldiers and how to cope with stress. Another aim is to produce several publications and a book on military and psychology.

Rachel Allison (Mississippi State University, Department of Sociology, USA) invited by the Faculty of Social Sciences. The supervisor on the UG side is dr hab. Radosław Kossakowski, prof. UG. The visit aims to conduct a series of lectures on social problems in sports. It is also planned to produce at least one article to be published in the Sociology and Sport Journal. The main topic is to be a comparison of the situation of American and Polish female football players.

Richard J. Whitt (The University of Nottingham, School of English, UK) invited by the Department of Philology. The supervisor on the UG side is dr Karolina Rudnicka. The visit aims to give lectures on medical discourses in Old English and Old German. Practical English and German language workshops will be held, as well as a 'discourse on childbirth past and present' for students and staff of the Medical University of Gdańsk. The collaboration with the visiting professor will culminate in a joint publication based on the analysis of the 'Late Modern English Medical Texts corpora'.

Torbjorn L. Knutsen (Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Department of Sociology and Political Science, Norway) invited by the Faculty of Social Sciences. The supervisor on the UG side is dr hab. Arkadiusz Modrzejewski, prof. UG. The purpose of the visit is to conduct a monograph lecture and conversation classes on international relations theory, contemporary international relations and political philosophy for students of the Institute of Political Science. As part of the visit to UG, a meeting with the Institute of Political Science staff and the authorities of the WNS will also be organised, as well as an open lecture on contemporary challenges in international relations and foreign policy.

Vincent Perrichot (University of Rennes, France) invited by the Department of Biology and the Museum of Inclusion. The supervisor on the UG side is dr hab. Jacek Szwedo, prof. UG. The visit aims to give a series of lectures on the evolutionary history of ants and on the formation and preservation of resin fossils. In addition, workshops on ant identification and research are to be conducted.

Yoshi Masahiko (Kobe University Graduate School of Economics, Division of Economics, Japan) invited by the Faculty of Economics. The supervisor on the UG side is dr Renata Orłowska. The visit aims to conduct joint research on the trade policies of the European Union countries in the context of the energy crisis. In addition, a series of lectures on the economies of Central and Eastern Europe after the pandemic and the economic role of Japan in cooperation with the European Union will be held.

- 'The assessment criteria in our competition have remained unchanged. I want to remind you that these are: the reputation of the invited scientist and the prestige of their home scientific centre, strengthening of existing international cooperation between centres, interdisciplinary research topics, impact on the quality of education of students and young academics, the decisive factors are also the tangible scientific effects of the visit that are important for the development of the scientific discipline practised at UG,' - said prof. Wiesław Laskowski.

It should be recalled that the programme applies to persons without Polish citizenship employed as professors at a foreign university. The programme's beneficiary receives reimbursement of travel and accommodation expenses and remuneration for teaching and/or research work. You can find details of the competition and application procedure on the website.