The University of Gdańsk has once again been recognised in the Genius Universitatis competition organised by the ‘Perspektywy’ Educational Foundation, which promotes a creative approach to university advertising. The book ‘Zuzia Visits the University of Gdańsk’, designed to introduce children to the world of science, build a positive image of the University of Gdańsk, and promote equality - including gender equality and diversity of professional roles - as well as social inclusion within the academic community, won second place in the Genius AD category.

‘Academic marketing is reaching the level of commercial brands. The Genius Universitatis 2026 gala, held alongside the Perspektywy 2026 International Education Fair, is now behind us. This is the most prestigious award for teams involved in communication and image-building for higher education institutions in Poland. In this year’s 13th edition, the selection was made from over 130 entries. The jury highlighted the evolution in approach: universities are not only presenting their offerings but are becoming a source of inspiration and setting new market standards. Congratulations to all the winners - your work is genuinely changing the way Polish academia communicates with the world,’ reads a post on the Facebook page of the “Perspektywy” Educational Foundation.

The award was accepted on behalf of the University of Gdańsk by the author of the concept and text of the book ‘Zuzia Visits the University of Gdańsk’, Agnieszka Beck (currently working at the Foundation for the Development of the University of Gdańsk), and the illustrator, Dominika Konkol (an employee of the University of Gdańsk Communication and Promotion Centre).

‘There is no other book on the market that, whilst promoting the university, also introduces children to university life in such an accessible way,’ says the Director of the University of Gdańsk’s Communication and Promotion Centre, dr Tomasz Czuba.

The inspiration for Zuzia’s behaviour and the phrases she uses, as portrayed in the book, came from observations of university staff’s children visiting the campus. The aim was to maintain the authenticity of the young protagonist, with whom the youngest readers (as well as listeners to whom the story of Zuzia is read by parents or carers) will easily be able to identify.

Another key strength of the book is its message of equality and inclusion: the characters represent non-stereotypical professional roles, and language promoting equality is naturally woven into the narrative:

‘The concept for the book arose from the need to create promotional material aimed at children that would reflect the values of the University of Gdańsk, including those embedded in the University’s strategy relating to social inclusion, academic equality and gender equality,’ says Agnieszka Beck. ‘We wanted to create a message that was easy to understand and full of warmth for the youngest readers, because for many children picking up this book, it will be their first encounter with the academic world.’

The publication is also enriched by beautiful, expressive illustrations by Dominika Konkol, which perfectly capture the emotions accompanying Zuzia’s adventures.

We encourage you to read the interview with the book’s creator: UG through a child’s eyes. Zuzia visits the University of Gdańsk! | News - University of Gdańsk.

We wrote about the Genius Universitatis 2025 gala here: As many as 3 awards for the University of Gdańsk in the Genius Universitatis 2025 competition! | News - University of Gdańsk.