NCU News
Campus life
20-40-80
- The upcoming academic year will be a year of three important anniversaries, says Prof. dr habil. Andrzej Tretyn, NCU Rector. - We are celebrating the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the Medical Academy in Bydgoszcz and the 20th anniversary of its merger with the NCU and the establishment of the Collegium Medicum, as well as the 80th anniversary of our University.
On Thursday 19th September, the new rectoral authorities of the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń met with media representatives. Prof. dr habil. Andrzej Tretyn, NCU Rector, first presented the assembled journalists with his team of appointed vice-rectors: dr. habil. Adam Kola, NCU Prof., Vice-Rector for Research, First Vice-Rector, dr. habil. Magdalena Barwiołek, NCU Prof., Vice-Rector for International Relations, prof. dr habil. Dariusz Grzanka, Vice-Rector for Collegium Medicum, dr habil. Joanna Kucharzewska, NCU Prof., Vice-Rector for Promotion and Cooperation with the Social and Business Environment, dr habil. Radosław Sojak, NCU Prof., Vice-Rector for Human Resources and Financial Management, and dr habil. Monika Wałachowska, NCU Prof., Vice-Rector for Student Affairs and Education. The main topic of the meeting was the planned jubilee celebrations at our University.
The upcoming academic year will be extremely eventful in terms of promoting the NCU both nationally and internationally,' said Rector Andrzej Tretyn. - It will also be a year of three important anniversaries. We would like to present plans for their celebrations and invite you to celebrate them together.
A logo for a triple birthday
In the academic year starting soon, we will celebrate three important dates in the history of our university: The 20th anniversary of the merger with the Medical Academy in Bydgoszcz and the establishment of the Collegium Medicum within the structures of the NCU, the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the Medical Academy in Bydgoszcz, and the 80th anniversary of the University itself.
Important dates:
21st July 1984 - Act on the Establishment of the Ludwik Rydygier Medical Academy in Bydgoszcz on the basis of the Branch Faculty of Medicine of the Medical Academy of Gdańsk
24th November 2004 – merger of the NCU and the Medical University of Bydgoszcz
24th August 1945 – Decree of the Council of Ministers (approved on 11th September by the National Council) on the Establishment of the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń. The university was initially made up of two faculties: the humanities (with a fine arts section) and the mathematical-natural sciences. The rector and de facto organiser of the university was then Professor Ludwik Kolankowski.
5th January 1946 – formal inauguration of the first academic year at the NCU in the Collegium Maius. The inaugural lectures were given by historian Professor Kazimierz Hartleb and astronomer Professor Władysław Dziewulski. A total of 1605 students received their student cards.
- Every such important anniversary is an opportunity to create a coherent visual identity. This was the case with the celebration of other round anniversaries, including the NCU's 60th and 70th anniversaries, says Prof Joanna Kucharzewska. - So a call for proposals was organised: we wanted the design to reflect these three important anniversaries and at the same time be integrally linked to our logo.
Celebrate together
According to the NCU authorities, this will not be an internal celebration aimed exclusively at the academic community, but an opportunity to show the university as modern and open to the world and to strengthen cooperation with the city. Thus, concerts, exhibitions, artistic and sporting events are planned. There will also be events of a more scholarly nature, including debates and conferences.
Among the array of events, however, there are several important dates during which the jubilee celebrations will accumulate. The first is the forthcoming inauguration of the new academic year. Another is on 25 November, when the anniversary celebrations will take place at the Pomeranian Philharmonic Hall in Bydgoszcz.
These are two very important dates for us. So, we start the great celebrations with us - the Collegium Medicum - says prof. dr habil. Dariusz Grzanka, Vice-Rector for the Collegium Medicum. - The jubilee year will also be a year of investment for us.
A formal meeting of the Rector's Council and the Senate, choir performances and the presentation of the Laurus Aesculapii awards are scheduled to take place in the Philharmonic Hall.
– Our colleagues from Bydgoszcz pointed out to us that in Toruń we have the Convallaria Copernicana, a distinction awarded for outstanding scientific contribution or special merits for the development of the university. They suggested that the Bydgoszcz part of the university lacked a similar distinction,' says Prof Joanna Kucharzewska. - We took this request into consideration and from this year the Laurus Aesculapii will be awarded for merits for the development of the Collegium Medicum.
Another date is 19 February, the birthday of Nicolaus Copernicus, the university's patron and which will also be celebrated in the spirit of jubilee celebrations. One of the planned events is an exhibition by Jacek Yerka at the Academic Centre for Culture and Art 'Od Nowa'.
The NCU authorities want a lasting trace to remain of the year of anniversaries. One of these is known to be murals: one in Toruń on a high-rise building in Gagarina Street and another in Bydgoszcz on a building in Karłowicza Street. The projects were selected in a competition won by the artist Andrzej Poprostu.
We are also preparing a two-volume publication: the first volume will be devoted to the history of the Collegium Medicum, the second to the history of the NCU. They will be published separately for general distribution, as well as in a two-volume collector's version,' says prof. dr habil. Joanna Kucharzewska. - There will be various events as part of the celebrations, some of which we are preparing together with the city. We are addressing them to a wide audience: not only the academic community, but also the inhabitants of Toruń and the region.
