Dear Academia,

We have spent the last three years introducing fundamental changes to our university with the aim of modernising different areas of its functioning and overcoming various kinds of - often unexpected - challenges as efficiently as possible. New IT systems, an increase in the university's research support programmes (including small grants and the Support Programme for the Gdańsk Humanities), a significant increase in the mobility of academic and administrative staff, a tripling of the number of students participating in the Erasmus programme, and the opening of new English-language courses are just some of our joint achievements.

This period was also a time to notice and appreciate the extraordinary potential of our large and diverse community. We could all see that, despite the lack of significant support from the Ministry, we really can afford to be a strong and competitive institution, an attractive place to pursue scientific passions, a university that is staff-friendly and readily chosen by candidates from all over Poland. This change has had a very positive impact on our image on the Polish and European academic map. Today, we are perceived as a modern and open university, socially engaged, active in the international arena and setting new standards for transparent principles of commercialisation of scientific research, planning parallel careers for employees in the research and teaching paths, and gender equality.

The next years of development of the University of Gdańsk lie ahead of us. I firmly believe it will be the time to take advantage of the new socio-political opening, economic prosperity, and European funding to significantly increase our university's budget. I will strive to further improve our salaries across all staff groups. I also want to continue developing pro-quality programmes to support our research, publication activities, and successful acquisition of scientific projects. I will make every effort to emphasise developing, diversifying, and improving the quality of our teaching activities, both in terms of modernising our existing offer and seeking areas where the university can lead educationally both in Poland and internationally.

I am also confident that the time ahead of us is the time to effectively deepen our fruitful cooperation within the European University of the Seas (SEA-EU) alliance and the Daniel Fahrenheit University Union (FarU). In both of these initiatives, the University of Gdańsk already plays a key role, which, in perspective, allows us to internationalise our activities further and build a strong, competitive academic centre in Gdańsk, cooperating at the same time with the social and business environment of our metropolis.

Dear Academia, all these plans and intentions, as well as the following detailed programme of actions for the coming years, will not be possible without our common commitment and the conviction that it is we who set the goals that are important to us and achieve them together and in solidarity.

With best regards,

Prof. dr hab. Piotr Stepnowski,

Candidate for the Rector of the University of Gdańsk  for the years 2024-2028