Campus life [2025-02-18]

NCU celebrates and unites

— Marcin Behrendt

- We are trying to be very close to our potential students, because we want more and more young people to study at the NCU,' says Vice-Rector for Promotion and Cooperation with the Social and Business Environment dr. habil. Joanna Kucharzewska, NCU Prof.

Marcin Behrendt: You took over the position of Vice-Rector for Promotion and Cooperation with the Social and Business Environment at a specific time, in the jubilee year.

Vice-Rector for Promotion and Cooperation with the Social and Business Environment dr. habil. Joanna Kucharzewska, NCU Prof.: - The cumulation of important anniversaries, including two whose celebrations needed to be prepared all at once, still in 2024, i.e., 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, was quite a challenge. Thanks to the commitment of the staff of the Department of Promotion and Communication and many employees of the Collegium Medicum, my vision of the celebrations came into reality. The ceremony was held at the Pomeranian Philharmonic Hall in Bydgoszcz, attended by many invited guests, people involved in medical education and branding of the Collegium Medicum, and visionaries who believed 20 years ago that the merger of the two universities would work in synergy. There was a symbolic meaning in the joint performances of the choirs from Toruń and Bydgoszcz, historical memories and the moment of awarding the outstanding personalities of merit to the Collegium Medicum with the Laurus Aesculapius statuette, made especially for the occasion.

The University Day is ahead of us and it will be the highlight of the celebrations of the 80th anniversary of the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń.

- As early as September 2024, we communicated our jubilee at a press conference and by taking part in a family picnic on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of public transport in Toruń, showing a city bus covered with 'Copernicus' in pop-art styling. It is worth taking a look at these humorous representations of our patron, who is not a monumental figure but a contemporary student (in a slightly comic style) who, while studying at the NCU, can pursue his passions in science, art or sport. The celebrations will culminate on University Day. On our patron's birthday, 19 February, in addition to the regular programme, i.e. the Rector's speech, the awarding of doctoral and postdoctoral degrees, the University will confer the honorary doctorate to Professor Oded Galor. The events in the NCU Auditorium will be preceded by a solemn and colourful procession from the concert hall in Jordanki to the Copernicus monument. The city's inhabitants are cordially invited to march together and celebrate the jubilee. On the same day, we are also organizing the Polish Science Gala at the art and congress centre CKK Jordanki.

The celebrations of the University's jubilee probably won't end with the University.

- The 80th anniversary of the NCU will be commemorated until the end of this year through scientific, artistic and sporting events bearing the logo of the NCU Jubilee Year. Among the events planned are two international scientific conferences Un/Doing Academia in Time of Polycrisis and The 1st Polish Congress of Logic, as well as popular lectures; an exhibition of works by Stefan Gierowski, an outstanding abstract painter and honorary doctor of our university; and an exhibition of works by Stefan Knapp, the author of the mosaic on the NCU Auditorium. A lasting reminder of the Year of Jubilees 20-40-80 will be murals and a gallery in the foyer of the rectorate. It should also be added that we are working on new NCU-branded items and products. The product range will appear on the Department of Promotion and Communication website and will be sold at its headquarters in Reja Street and at the Tourist Information Centre in the Old Town Square. To our guests, but also to the entire university community, from 19 February we will offer a two-volume anniversary publication, recalling the history of the two campuses of Toruń and Bydgoszcz, by Anna and Mirosław Supruniuk (volume 1: NCU) and Krzysztof Nierzwicki (volume 2: CM), in an artistic setting and composition by Radosław Staniec, and published by the NCU Press.

Toruń authorities have decided to launch bus line no. 80 connecting the main railway station with the university campus in Bielany. The number of the line is not random..

- Cooperation with the local government has begun very well and the idea of a new 'eighty' line has won the favour of Toruń Mayor Paweł Gulewski. We want to work together to create a better urban space, diagnose social needs, conduct research for the city, create artistic and promotional events, and organise various events together. The university campus is adjacent to the beautiful Bydgoskie Przedmieście. At the end of 2028, the tram depot will be moved from Sienkiewicza Street to the west of Toruń. As a university, we are interested in participating in the development of the historic buildings. It is a great place to organise a gallery, especially as it is adjacent to the Faculty of Fine Arts. There is also a building at 6 Sienkiewicza Street that has been abandoned by faculty members and is awaiting renovation. A few years ago, as Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts, together with Vice-Dean dr Karolina Zimna-Kawecka, we prepared a SWOT analysis showing what could be done in this building, what its potential was, and we declared the faculty's great help in preparing the design and conservation documentation. I would like this building to be a place for meetings, integration and conferences, as well as cultural and artistic events.

The NCU has two campuses: one in Toruń and one in Bydgoszcz. Is cooperation with the Bydgoszcz authorities equally productive?

- We are showing that research and scientific cooperation has no borders, we are breaking down barriers and misunderstandings, and we are seeking common goals, contrary to the political narrative. The very fact that we have been working together with the Collegium Medicum for 20 years is the best example of this. The signing of a cooperation agreement with the Kazimierz Wielki University in Bydgoszcz and the Oncology Centre in Bydgoszcz proves that we are ready to cooperate in many areas.

Poland is experiencing a demographic crisis, which is certainly having an impact on the number of students. What assets would you like to use to promote the NCU in order to attract as many school-leavers as possible?

- We have placed a strong emphasis on promoting the University directly to young people from secondary schools. We planned several meetings organised by the educational portal 'Perspektywy'. The first was held at the beginning of September in the NCU Auditorium. A few weeks ago, I was in Warsaw at an award ceremony for the best secondary and technical schools in Poland, during which I presented the NCU offer. In March, the awarding of diplomas in the Regional Ranking of Secondary Schools and Technical Schools will take place on our campus. After the official part, we will organise a tour of the faculties for all guests. We are trying to be very close to our potential students, to present our offer to them, because we want more and more young people to study at the NCU. During the Senate session, Rector Prof. Andrzej Tretyn revealed his dream that the number of students at the NCU should reach 20,000. Today it is less than 18,000. The plan is ambitious, but I hope it can be achieved.

What promotional support can faculties count on?

- We have maintained the very good arrangement of regular meetings with the deans' promotion officers. We meet once a month and discuss key tasks. Recently, we prepared a training course on faculty promotion through social media. We taught how to make so-called 'reels', a short message to young people to get them interested in what's going on at our university. This is one form of support. In addition to this, when new courses are created, and I know that such courses will certainly be launched next semester, we will try to promote them in particular as our new offer. Besides, we will organise an open day at the NCU, during which each of the faculties will be able to present their strengths.

During the election campaign you mentioned our University's alumni as key partners …

- We have a very good relationship with the NCU ambassadors. During the University Day, six additional people will be honoured with this title. These are extremely important people for us and we already work with them. They also promote our University in various ways. External stakeholders, most of whom are our graduates, sit on the curriculum boards of the faculties. We listen to their voices and learn from them in order to change our study programmes to suit the current needs of the job market.

You are Vice-Rector responsible not only for promotion, but also for cooperation with the social and business environment.

- We are very open to cooperation with the social and business environment. I meet with representatives of various companies. Recently, these have included TZMO, Mentor and Kopernik. With the latter company, we are preparing new packaging for gingerbread, which will feature representations of buildings belonging to the NCU, but also connected with the history of our university. These products will be ready for the University Celebration on 19 February. We have excellent relations with all the social and cultural institutions in the city and region, including the District Museums, the Centre of Contemporary Art Znaki Czasu, Wozownia Art Gallery, the City and Voivodeship Conservator of Historical Monuments. Toruń Mayor Paweł Gulewski appointed a Cultural Heritage Council with representatives from various faculties.

Od Nowa, which previously reported to the Vice-Rector for Student Affairs, has come under your umbrella. So how will the club function under your guidance?

- I would like to make Od Nova more active. It should have an offer for the different social groups of our academic community. In this context, I am thinking very strongly about students. I also care about important events that will attract Torunians to Bielany. As a university, we want to be closer to the residents. The high turnout at the opening of an exhibition of works by Jacek Yerka showed that Torunians are interested in art. In order to meet their expectations, we will organise a meeting with the artist, in which another 300 people will be able to take part. You asked about cooperation with Toruń's authorities. The city financially supports various important events taking place in Od Nowa. We are very grateful for this support, thanks to which we have been able to organise cult festivals for years: KLAMRA Alternative Theatre Meetings, May Poetic BUUM, JAZZ Od Nowa Festival, Toruń Blues Meeting or the Special Concert in Memory of Grzegorz Ciechowski. All these important cultural events will be maintained in the Od Nowa offer. I would also like the bar section to function from the morning, so that it will be a place where students can buy a coffee, a sandwich and go to their classes. This is my vision, and I will try to convince Roman Tondel, the new director in charge from 1 March.