Emotional, joyful and uplifting. These epithets accurately reflect the atmosphere accompanying this year’s ceremonial inauguration of the academic year at the University of Gdańsk. The main attraction of the event was the inauguration lecture by dr hab. Michał Rusinek, prof. UJ, Wisława Szymborska’s long-time secretary, and the opening of the exhibition ‘Wisława Szymborska: a Gdańsk collage’.

An extraordinary session of the Senate connected with the official inauguration of the 2023/2024 academic year at the University of Gdańsk was held on October 3 in the auditorium of the UG Main Library.

The event was attended, among others, by a representative of the President of the Republic of Poland, parliamentarians, provincial, local and clerical authorities, senior rectors of UG and guests representing the legal community and the scientific, cultural and business world of the Coast.

The greetings for the new academic year from the President of the Republic of Poland, Andrzej Duda, were read out by the Vice-Chairman of the Pomeranian Regional Assembly, Piotr Karczewski.

‘A year of many events is behind us, including successes and fruitful cooperation in the field of research and science, a year of an even greater internationalisation of our university and a significant promotion of UG in prestigious and comprehensive rankings,’ said UG Rector, prof. Piotr Stepnowski. ‘I will now turn to the first-year students. By choosing the University of Gdańsk, you have made a good choice! You have the opportunity to create some of the most beautiful memories of your life. Take advantage of the opportunities the University of Gdańsk offers you - first and foremost, in your academic development, but also your cultural or sporting development.’

Full Rector’s speech – read here

Later in the event, a representative of the UG Students’ Parliament took the floor, and his speech was followed by the presentation of awards to the students and doctoral students who performed best in this year’s recruitment. Diplomas and awards from the hands of the UG Rector and Vice-Rector for Student Affairs and Education Quality were received by Anna Osmańska, Adam Jaeszke, Idalia Ciereniewicz, Zuzanna Cichocka, Karolina Skłodowska, Olga Ryczkowska, Marta Szymkowiak, Maciej Mazurek, Jędrzej Przybylski-Lewandowski, Mikołaj Bąk, Matylda Czarnecka, Filip Kuś, Andrzej Cylwik, Ignacy Gołębiewski and Paweł Sawicki. 

Then, the Rector of the University of Gdańsk and the Director of the University of Gdańsk Publishing House, Joanna Kamień, presented awards to the winners of the University of Gdańsk Publishing House Competition. The awards were granted in three categories: Scientific Book, Didactic Book, and the Book presenting the results of a doctoral thesis.

The next item on the agenda was a fascinating inaugural lecture entitled ‘Wisława Szymborska – between a person and a personality’, delivered by dr hab. Michał Rusinek, prof. UJ. The Nobel Prize winner’s long-time secretary led the audience through memories of the poet: her ways of working and her love of cut-outs, collages, and limericks.

After the guest speech, the audience could listen to a concert by the UG Academic Choir under the direction of prof. Marcin Tomczak. Two pieces of music were presented: ‘I Want to Thank You Lord for All You’ve Done’ by Walter Hawkins and ‘Nothing Twice’ (‘Nic dwa razy’) from Sanah’s repertoire (based on a poem by Wisława Szymborska).

Finally, the UG Rector invited the assembled guests to the further part of the ceremony, i.e. the opening of the exhibition ‘Wisława Szymborska: a Gdańsk collage’ and the author’s meeting with Professor Michał Rusinek (at 5:30 p.m. in the main room on the first floor of the UG Library) and the performance ‘Szymborska: a collage’ – a performance event awarded the Grand Prix of the Student Theatre Spring 2023 (at 7 p.m. in the main room on the first floor of the UG Library).

‘Quod bonum, felix, faustum fortunatumque sit! I pronounce the academic year 2023/2024 to have begun!’ said Prof. Piotr Stepnowski, Rector of UG, concluding the ceremonial meeting of the Senate of the University of Gdańsk on the occasion of the Inauguration of the Academic Year.