NCU News
Upcoming events
Retrospective exhibition of Stefan Knapp
The Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, in cooperation with the Centre for Contemporary Art in Toruń, invites you to an exhibition entitled "Stefan Knapp - Alchemist and Visionary". The opening will take place on February 20 at 7:00 p.m. at the Centre for Contemporary Art (13 Wały gen. Sikorskiego St.). Admission is free.
Stefan Knapp, a world-renowned artist from Biłgoraj (Poland), donated a unique panel to the university in 1973, on the occasion of the 500th anniversary of Nicolaus Copernicus' birth, which became a symbol of the Toruń campus. The installation on the wall of the NCU Auditorium consists of an enamelled sculptural composition symbolising the arrangement of celestial bodies with an integrated image of the Toruń astronomer and a sundial. It is one of Knapp's two largest and most important works in Poland.
The exhibition at the Centre for Contemporary Art is the culmination of the celebrations of the 80th anniversary of the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, which took place in 2025. The exhibition will feature over 110 works by the artist (spanning several decades), including paintings on canvas, ink on paper, enamels on steel plates, and bronze and aluminium sculptures.
It will be the largest exhibition of Stefan Knapp's work in Poland since 1974, featuring works on loan from the British Stefan Knapp Estate Foundation and Paweł Sokołowski's collection. The exhibition will be accompanied by the first monographic academic publication on Stefan Knapp, focusing on the Polish publishing market, and the fifth edition of his autobiography, entitled "Kwadratowe słońce" ("Square Sun").
The exhibition will be open from February 21 to May 31, 2026.
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Free Yoga Classes
The NCU University Sports Centre will host free yoga classes as part of a research study on the impact of yoga practice on emotional regulation and self-awareness. Classes will be held twice a week.
Classes will begin on March 16 and run through May 18, 2026 (except for April 6). Sessions will be held on Mondays and Wednesdays from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. in the fitness room on the first floor of UCS I (św. Józefa St. 17). The program will include two styles of yoga: Vinyasa yoga on Mondays and Hatha yoga on Wednesdays.
The number of spots is limited (no more than 16 people per class), and prior yoga experience is not required. As part of the study, participants will be asked to complete short questionnaires before and after the course.
Registration form
Opening of the "Magical Dreams" exhibition
Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń and Bator Art Gallery invite you to the official opening of the "Magical Dreams" exhibition, which will take place on 8 April 2026 at 6.00 pm at the "Dworzec Zachodni" Gallery ("Od Nowa", 37a Gagarina Street). The special guest of the event will be Jacek Yerka, and the evening will also feature a guitar recital by Adam Skrętny.
"Magical Dreams" is Europe’s largest exhibition dedicated to magical realism. The project, organised for many years by the Bator Art Gallery in Szczyrk, has gained an international reputation as one of the most important events showcasing the art of imagination, dreams, and surrealist visions. The exhibition focuses on works that combine masterful, precise painting technique with dreamlike, symbolic narrative. It is art free from commercial trends – centred on emotions, metaphor, and the artist’s individual experience.
The eighth edition (2025/2026) brings together 44 artists from 13 countries, showcasing the diversity of contemporary magical realism. Key artists representing Poland include Jarosław Jaśnikowski, Marcin Kołpanowicz, Maja Borowicz, Katarzyna Bułka-Matłacz, and special guest Jacek Yerka. The international nature of the event is highlighted by the presence of works by artists such as Bruno Altmayer (France), Igor Grechanyk (Ukraine), Peter Gric (Austria), Fabrizio Riccardi (Italy), Jose Parra (Mexico), and Siegfried Zademack (Germany).
The exhibition will run until 2 May.
Further information
Botanical walk in the forest
Take part in a herbal walk and explore the world of plants with the Copernican Integration Centre on April 15, 2026, at 4:30 p.m. This event will be conducted in English, and the number of participants is limited.
During the walk, you will learn how to identify different species, what benefits they offer, how they can be processed, and how to use them in everyday life - whether in home remedies, cooking, or natural cosmetics. We will also try to better understand the relationships and interdependencies between people and the plants around us, combining knowledge of traditional herbal practices and folklore with the latest scientific discoveries and a botanical perspective.
Details:
- Where? Copernican Integration Center (meeting point). In case of rain, please remember to bring an umbrella.
- Who? Open to all. Participation is free, but ENTRY TICKET IS REQUIRED
- Free entry ticket for the event: Copernican Integration Centre (International Point) between 1st and 15th of April from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. On Friday, 3rd of April, exceptionally from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Sara Orzechowska, a graduate of Nicolaus Copernicus University and author of “Women and Plants in Polish Folklore,” has been working in ethnobotany, herbalism, and folklore for 9 years. She is also a qualified herbalist-phytotherapist and a certified herbalist.
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Social engagement: YUFE training for students
On April 24, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., a training session from the “Civic Engagement Activities Intro Training Session for Students” series will be held for students of YUFE partner universities. The meeting will take place online in English. Registration will remain open until April 22.
This online training session will introduce you to the ideas behind the YUFE Civic Star and the rules for applying to it: why universities and YUFE are interested in community engagement; how to recognise and make visible the different competencies gained by attending civic engagement activities; principles & practicalities of obtaining the Civic Star, etc.
The training is for students who have already decided to obtain a YUFE Civic Star by attending either the YUFE Help Desks or the Community Volunteering Programme, or those just considering the opportunity.
To obtain the YUFE Civic Star, a commitment of at least 50 hours of work is required, including:
- participation in a training session,
- completion of a selected form of activity (Help Desk or volunteering),
- completion of two YUFE surveys available in the user panel on the Virtual Campus.
The event is open to students who know English at B2 level or higher. The event link will be available after registration.
Contact: civic-yufe@umk.pl
24th Toruń Science and Arts Festival
With nearly 150 events across five zones and 21 thematic blocks, the programme of the 24th Toruń Science and Arts Festival is characterised by the abundance and diversity of its popular science events.
This year’s edition of the Toruń Science and Arts Festival (Toruński Festiwal Nauki i Sztuki, TFNiS) will begin on Friday 24 April and run until Monday 27 April. The programme for the 24th edition of the event includes workshops, picnics, demonstrations, walks, lectures, discussions and meetings. We encourage the University community and the residents of Toruń and the region to get involved and take part in this popular science celebration.
This year’s Festival is themed ‘Continuity and Change’. In line with the format adopted by the Festival’s Programme Council, the programme is divided into thematic blocks – this year there are as many as 21 of them.
Plan your Festival
Descriptions of all the events featured in the programme for the 24th TFNiS are available via the search function on the Festival website, which not only allows you to sort events by subject area, activity type, date and admission policy, but also enables you to create your own unique itinerary for this celebration of popular science. To add selected events to your personal calendar, simply create an account on the TFNiS website (accounts created last year are still active), log in and click the ‘Add to plan’ button next to the selected event. Until registration opens, the option to create a personal plan applies only to events that do not require prior registration.
Please note that participation in all festival events is free of charge, but prior registration is required for some of them. This applies primarily to events with limited capacity. These include various workshops, intimate screenings and meetings. You will be able to register via the Festival website – registration opens on Monday 13 April at 12 noon.
Cycling through Kujawy and Pomerania
The University Sports Centre (Uniwersyteckie Centrum Sportowe, UCS) invites enthusiasts of active leisure and cycle tourism to take part in the Toruń Cycle Rally, which will take place on 1–2 May 2026. The festival base will be located on the UCS premises on św. Józefa Street.
At the Toruń Cycling Festival, every cycling enthusiast will find something to suit them. Those hungry for a challenge can sign up for long-distance rides across Kujawy and Pomerania. Three different route lengths are available: 77 km, 157 km and 257 km. For families, there is the “Toruń Cycling Family” recreational ride, featuring routes ranging from 7 to 17 km. “Little Heroes of Kujawy and Pomerania” is a ride designed especially for the youngest participants. Children who take up the challenge will face a ride of 1–7 km.
The NCU University Sports Centre is a strategic partner of the event.
When registering, please enter “UMK” in the “club” field of the registration form. Registration is open until 27 April; number of spots is limited.
Registration
Detailed information
NCU Goodbye Party 2026
The NCU Alumni Programme and the Copernican Integration Centre invite foreign students completing bachelor’s and master’s degrees or courses at NCU to a Goodbye party to our University.
The graduation ceremony will take place on 20 June 2026 and will consist of two parts – an official part at ‘Od Nowa’ (11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.) and a recreational part with a barbecue at Copernican Integration Centre (1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.).
Each graduate may bring an accompanying person. Participation in the event is free of charge, but registration is required - the organisers ask that you fill out a initial declaration of participation in the Graduation ceremony for international students by 31 March.
More information
- Organizers and contact details:
- Copernican Integration Centre, tel. +48 56 611 27 88
- Alumni Programme, alumni@ncu.pl, tel. +48 56 611 22 36