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New Year's meeting
The Rector and the Vice-Rectors of the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń presented their accomplishments to date and their plans for the near future at a New Year's meeting with the university community and the city and regional authorities.
The New Year's meeting of the authorities, representatives of the NCU staff, doctoral students and students, held in the Collegium Maximum, was attended by Piotr Całbecki, the Marshal of the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Voivodeship, Piotr Hemmerling the Deputy Voivode of the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Voivodeship and Paweł Gulewski, the Mayor of Toruń. Prof. dr habil. Andrzej Tretyn, NCU Rector, refrained from the traditional New Year's address, only mentioning the financial situation of the university, and asked his vice-rectors to sum up the year and outline plans for the future.
Andrzej Romański
Before they took the floor, however, the Rector welcomed the assembled guests, among whom, in addition to local government officials, were five former rectors of the NCU: Prof. dr habil. Stanisław Dembiński, Prof. dr habil. Jan Kopcewicz, Prof. dr habil. Andrzej Jamiołkowski, Prof. dr habil. Andrzej Radzimiński and Prof. dr habil. Andrzej Sokala.
This is a special ceremony, because six former rectors, of whom I am one, are meeting in one place at the same time,' said Professor Tretyn. - As I quickly counted, looking at the portraits hanging in this room, this is one third of all the people who have headed our university over its 80-year history.
Professor Andrzej Tretyn recalled that last year was a special year - it was a year of both university and local government elections. As a result, the NCU alumni were elected to the most important seats in the city and region: Piotr Całbecki and Zbigniew Ostrowski to the Marshal's office and Paweł Gulewski to the Toruń City Hall.
The Rector noted that financial forecasts assumed that the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń would end 2024 with a debt of more than PLN 30 million. Meanwhile, we are starting the new year with a surplus of more than PLN 6 million. This is, among other things, the result of additional money from the state budget, which the university managed to obtain in December.
Prof. Adam Kola, Vice-Rector for Science, spoke about the work that had begun on a new project for the ministerial programme 'Initiative of Excellence - Research University'. - I would like the new project not to be exclusive, prepared for a narrow group of scientists, but as open as possible,' explained Prof. Kola. - 'Regardless of the ministry's decision on whether we will continue to be a research university, we should focus on certain research areas. Besides, we will continue to develop European cooperation within the YUFE and YERUN and regional cooperation to support the city and the voivodeship from the scientific side.
Andrzej Romański
Prof. Radosław Sojak, Vice-Rector for Human Resources and Financial Management, spoke about the reform of the university's central administration introduced on 1 January, the IT revolution ahead and two major investments: the thermal modernisation of the rectorate buildings and the University Library. He also informed that work on amending the university's statutes would start this year.
In 2024, we started to celebrate the Year of Jubilees. First, we celebrated the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the Medical Academy in Bydgoszcz and the 20th anniversary of its merger with the Nicolaus Copernicus University, and this year we are celebrating the 80th anniversary of the Toruń University. Prof Joanna Kucharzewska, Vice-Rector for Promotion and Cooperation with the Social and Buisness Environment, spoke about the upcoming events related to the jubilee, the creation of films and work on a two-volume publication dedicated to the history of the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń.
For the Collegium Medicum, last year was not only an occasion to celebrate anniversaries, but also the opening of a new medical and dental studies programme. Prof. Dariusz Grzanka, Vice-Rector for Collegium Medicum, spoke about the modernisation of the university hospitals and plans to build a new student residence.
- Looking back, we feel that we are developing,' said Prof Grzanka.- We see the level of medical science and our place in Poland and the world. It is the university that provides us with the opportunity to develop.
The opening of two new fields of study: Urban Sustainability Studies, developed as part of the YUFE aaliance, and Veterinary Analytics, presented by Prof. Monika Wałachowska, Vice-Rector for Student Affairs and Education, who noted that the university - listening to the voices of students and those coming from the labour market - was updating programmes in many fields of study and preparing to introduce a student-employee programme.
Andrzej Romański
After the speeches by the Vice-Rectors, the Rector, Prof. Andrzej Tretyn, thanked the University Council, headed by its chairwoman, Justyna Morzy, and the outgoing Deputy Rector, dr Tomasz Jędrzejewski and the press officer, dr Marcin Czyżniewski. The New Year's meeting was an opportunity to thank the outgoing directors of the following university units: the Interdisciplinary Centre for Modern Technologies (Prof. Jerzy P. Łukaszewicz), the Nicolaus Copernicus University Press (Prof. Mirosław Strzyżewski), the University Sports Centre (Prof. Piotr Błajet)), the University Library (dr Krzysztof Nierzwicki), the Centre for Academic Entrepreneurship and Technology Transfer (Michał Mentel), the University Centre for Foreign Languages (Adam Czajkowski) and the Academic Centre for Culture and Art “Od Nowa" (Maurycy Męczekalski), and the head of the Rector's Office (Joanna Zwierzchowska).
The Rector also introduced those taking up their positions - Deputy Rector Karolina Sokalska and Directors: Dr Cezary Odrzygóźdz - the Centre for Academic Entrepreneurship and Technology Transfer, Andrzej Szewczyk - Nicolaus Copernicus University Press, dr Milena M. Śliwińska - the University Library - and Michał Słoma – the University Sports Centre. Dr Patryk Tomaszewski will be the NCU's new press officer, and Cecylia Tlałka will head the Rector's Office.
Andrzej Romański
- I listened attentively to the ambitious speeches made by the NCU Rector and Vice-Rectors,' said Marshal Piotr Całbecki. - We join them as a partner and declare our cooperation, especially in the area of entrepreneurship and innovation.
Paweł Gulewski, Mayor of Toruń, recalled that the city and the university had been a beautiful duo for decades, cooperating in a new framework from 1 October 2024, based on an agreement signed by the Rector and the Mayor.
