Participants from 15 countries attended the Staff Week event ‘Happiness at Work 2024’ organised by the University of Gdańsk's Office for Cooperation and Internationalisation. It was an excellent opportunity to exchange experiences on internationalisation.

From November 18 to 22, 2024, participants from 15 countries, including the USA, Finland, Madagascar, Portugal, Germany, Greece, Bulgaria and many other European countries, attended the Staff Week, one of whose objectives was to emphasise the importance of internationalisation in shaping a work environment conducive to well-being and personal development.

During the workshop ‘Internationalisation as a key to happiness’, led by Magdalena Herzberg-Kurasz from the UG Institute of Sociology and Agata Rudnik from the UG Academic Psychological Support Centre, practical examples of implementing international cooperation were discussed. The programme also included mindfulness classes led by experienced experts, Thejani Bulathwatta from the UG Academic Psychological Support Centre and Stefan Biedronka, a doctoral student from the UG Doctoral School of Humanities and Social Sciences, which aimed to present ideas and practices to support the achievement of inner peace, balance, and happiness. Participants had the opportunity to learn breathing, mindfulness and stress reduction techniques. Morning yoga sessions put participants in a positive mood and allowed them to start the day with energy and openness to new challenges.

Staff Week participants had the opportunity to form relationships with people from different countries and cultures. The atmosphere of openness fostered conversations about ways to increase wellbeing in daily working life. Also, the optional excursions organised during the event, including to the European Solidarity Centre, became not only an opportunity to learn about Polish heritage, but also a space for casual conversations and exchange of views. It was in moments like these that relationships were built that may result in future joint projects or new initiatives.

‘Meetings such as this are a reminder that global cooperation is not only possible, but also necessary to jointly deal with the challenges of the modern world. Staff Week was a great opportunity to look at work and life from a new perspective. Internationalisation is not only about professional cooperation - it is also about building intercultural bridges,' emphasised Magdalena Dziki and Joanna Zakrzewska, organisers of the event. ‘The cultural diversity and perspectives brought by each participant enriched the discussions and provided a better understanding of how to build a happy working environment on a global level.’