How to think and talk about Europe and the ‘law of integration’ 20 years after accession to the European Union? - that was the title of the inaugural lecture given by prof. Tomasz Koncewicz, Head of the Department of European Law and Legal Comparative Studies. The lecture was preceded by speeches by the Vice-Rector prof. Wiesław Laskowski and the Dean of the Faculty of Law and Administration Prof. Wojciech Zalewski. The Rector's authorities at the inauguration ceremony were represented by the Vice-Rector for Research, prof. dr hab. Wiesław Laskowski , and the Vice-Rector for Cooperation and Internationalisation, dr hab. Anna Jurkowska-Zeidler, prof. UG. Representatives of other faculties and units of the UG, as well as local government authorities and the Tricity legal community also attended in large numbers. Prof. Wiesław Laskowski spoke on behalf of the UG Rector:
‘Physics and law have a lot in common. Physicists try to guess the laws that govern the universe, and lawyers try to find the laws that best organise societies. In physics, experiment is conclusive; in law, social experience is conclusive. A physicist's carelessness can cause an explosion, a lawyer's can lead to an explosion of social emotions.’
The Vice-Rector congratulated the Faculty of Law and Administration on its successes in the past academic year, including the signing of a letter of intent to establish a branch of the National School of Judiciary and Public Prosecution in Gdańsk and its high positions in rankings. The Vice-Rector emphasised that all graduates who obtained a very good grade on their graduation diploma and passed the entrance examinations for applications were admitted. This testifies to the high level of education and draws prospects for success in a legal career for the students.
Dean of the Faculty of Law and Administration prof. Wojciech Zalewski said: ‘We are now in a unique time, especially in the perspective of law. Recently in New York, the UN signed the ‘Pact for the Future’ - it is the documents of international law that are supposed to create the framework for future action. Last year we hosted a conference with members of the Venice Commission to discuss a European legal standard. The past eight years have shown how important values and precisely the legal standard are in law, more important than the letter of individual provisions, which can change.’
The dean also summarised activities related to hosting the Eugeniusz Kwiatkowski Chair at the WPiA last year, which was held by the former Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland, Hanna Suchocka, and talked about the successes of students in the international Moot Court Competition, the implemented Blended Intensive Programme, further English-language courses and the planned double degree course, conducted jointly with partners from China. Speaking about the signing of a letter of intent to establish a branch of the KSSiP in Gdańsk, which will be of great importance for the entire region, Prof. W. Zalewski paraphrased Churchill's words: ‘This is only the end of the beginning. We have been striving for this for a long time, but there is still a long way to go.’
The dean also mentioned that criminology remains a course of great interest and welcomed doctoral students back to the Faculty. Prof. Jerzy Zajadło became the director of the doctoral school in the new academic year.
The students were also addressed by the Chairman of the Students' Self-Government Council of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences UG, Michał Tworek. A few words were also said by a representative of ELSA Gdańsk, Dominik Radowski, who encouraged students to join the ranks of ELSA and other student associations and scientific circles.
The students' matriculation was conducted by the Vice-Dean for Education of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, dr hab. Małgorzata Balwicka-Szczyrba, prof. UG, and the awards for scientific, teaching and administrative activities were presented by the Vice-Rector, prof. Wiesław Laskowski. The special distinction of Didactician of the Year was presented to dr Andrzej Lewna by the President of the WPiA Student Government.
According to tradition, the inauguration of the academic year ended with an inaugural lecture, delivered this year by prof. Tomasz Koncewicz.
‘"When we talk about European integration we spend too much time on the how and not enough time on the why”, ’ quoted his former professor. The answer to the question ‘why’ was the essence of the lecture: why do we remain in the EU despite the differences that divide us. ‘The question ‘why’ is a question about axiology, about the values that have united us Poles with the other European nations.’
