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NCU in the global debate on the future of universities
Last week, Samarkand and Istanbul were the focal points for discussions on the internationalisation of European universities and the future of higher education. At the Central Asia–European Union University Congress and the annual conference of the European University Association (EUA), Nicolaus Copernicus University was represented by Prof. Magdalena Barwiołek, Vice-Rector for International Relations.
On 13 and 14 April, the Central Asia–European Union Universities Congress was held in Samarkand. The event was organised by, amongst others, the Uzbek ministries of science and health, the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education, the Conference of Rectors of Academic Schools in Poland, the National Agency for Academic Exchange, the Perspektywy Educational Foundation, and the IREG Observatory on Academic Ranking and Excellence.
The Congress was accompanied by the 3rd Forum of Rectors of Poland and Uzbekistan, attended by ministers, rectors, and representatives of dozens of higher education institutions from both countries. The main aim of the event was to strengthen partnerships, support joint research initiatives, and promote the internationalisation of higher education in the context of rapidly developing cooperation between the European Union and Central Asia.
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Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń was represented by Dr habil. Magdalena Barwiołek, NCU Prof. and Vice-Rector for International Relations, and Professor Arkadiusz Jawień, Director of the Centre for English Language Teaching at the Nicolaus Copernicus University Collegium Medicum.
The key areas discussed were:
- academic mobility,
- joint study and research programmes,
- cooperation in strategic fields such as new technologies, medicine, and the digital economy.
The Polish-Uzbek Rectors' Forum also had a strategic and networking dimension. It resulted in new agreements between universities, the development of joint degree programmes, and research initiatives.
On 16 April, discussions on the future of European universities moved to Istanbul, where the annual European University Association (EUA) 2026 conference is taking place. Representing the Rector of Nicolaus Copernicus University, Prof. Andrzej Tretyn, Prof. Magdalena Barwiołek took part in the EUA General Assembly, during which the financial framework and action plan for the coming year were adopted.
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The conference brings together over 430 participants from 41 countries, providing a platform for discussion on the future of higher education.
During the opening panel, Ekaterina Zaharieva from the European Commission emphasised that one of the EUA's key tasks is to ensure that researchers continue to choose Europe.
The event programme includes lectures, webinars, panel discussions, and networking opportunities, focusing on current challenges and trends in higher education.
