NCU News
Events: September 2025
50 years of the NCU Polar Station in photos
The Nicolaus Copernicus University Polar Station is organising a photo exhibition entitled “50 Years of the Nicolaus Copernicus University Polar Station on Spitsbergen.” The exhibition will open on June 27 at 6:00 p.m. at Spitsbergen Kunstnersenter, Artists Center (vei 100.2, Longyearbyen, Svalbard).
In the 2024/2025 academic year, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń will celebrate a triple anniversary: the 80th anniversary of the University, the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the Medical Academy in Bydgoszcz, and the 20th anniversary of its merger with Nicolaus Copernicus University and the establishment of the Collegium Medicum. However, these are not the only reasons to celebrate. This year also marks the 50th anniversary of the Nicolaus Copernicus University Polar Station on Spitsbergen. It was on June 27, 1975, on Kaffiøyr, that the first Toruń Polar Expedition began, which marked the start of the activities of one of the oldest and most recognisable Polish research stations in the Arctic.
On this occasion, a photo exhibition entitled "50 Years of the Nicolaus Copernicus University Polar Station on Spitsbergen" has been prepared. The works on display show the history, everyday life, and uniqueness of the Toruń Station - a place that for many has become not only a space for scientific work, but also a second home, a place created with passion, commitment, and dedication.
The exhibition will be open until September 5, 2025.
Adapciak Camp 2025
The NCU Student Self-Government invites future students to a joint training and integration trip. The NCU Adapciak Camp is scheduled for August 31 - September 4, 2025.
The NCU Adapciak Camp is a good start to student life and a unique opportunity to meet people from different fields of study. The camp combines fun with the opportunity to gain practical knowledge about the structure of UMK and student life. This year's program will include training sessions and meetings with representatives of the Student Self-Government, as well as many team games and interesting themed events.
More information on the Adapaciak website.
Paper RePlant: Artist Talk
On September 4 at 6:15 p.m. Polish time, there will be an online meeting with Dr. Habil. Katarzyna Łyszkowska, professor at the Faculty of Fine Arts at Nicolaus Copernicus University. The event will be accompanied by an exhibition of works from the artist's latest project.
During the meeting, the artist will summarise her current participation in the prestigious month-long artist residency program, The Morgan's Artist in Residence, for which she received a Windgate Foundation scholarship at The Morgan Conservatory in Cleveland (USA). Her works will also be shown at the exhibition "Paper RePlant_family tree".
Prof. Łyszkowska's project was started in Germany during a two-month stay in Libken and developed at The Morgan Conservatory. This conceptual undertaking uses paper as a medium for reflection on sustainable production, the ageing process, and the relationship between humans and nature. The artist creates a kind of "family network of relatives" - hybrids made from waste paper, fragments of bark, and discarded parts of used devices. Paper RePlant is a critical commentary on the consumerist approach to natural resources, proposing a subtle form of return to nature.
More information about the project can be found on the author's website https://katarzynalyszkowska.com/replant/
The online meeting will take place via Facebook Live.
100 Women Campaign
On Wednesday, September 10, at 3:00 p.m., the third working meeting of the planned “100 Women Campaign” and “100 Men Campaign” will take place. The event is part of the “We're all in the same boat” project.
For the third time, the theme of the meeting will be “100 Women Campaign,” a series of events that will soon take place at NCU. The campaign will be aimed at female employees who want to take care of their health.
During the next working meeting, issues related to the preparation, organization, and implementation of a series of events related to cancer prevention, which will take place in October and November, will be discussed. Participants will also talk about cooperation between Toruń and Bydgoszcz units to work together for health. It is worth noting that the organizers are also planning a similar event aimed at men.
The meeting will take place in the building of the Copernican Integration Center (ul. Olszewskiego 16) and will be conducted in Polish. The contact person is Justyna Mindak, the originator of the series (justyna.mindak@umk.pl).
Navigating Academia – lecture
The IDUB IMSErt team invites you to a lecture by Prof. Ben Derudder entitled “Navigating Academia: A Map with Blurred Boundaries, Hidden Layers, and Shifting Landmarks.” The meeting will take place on September 12 at 4:00 p.m. in Collegium Maius (room 203). The lecture will be held in English.
This talk explores the evolving and often ambiguous nature of academic success, especially within the social sciences and humanities. Using the metaphor of a map that is incomplete, layered, and constantly changing, it reflects on how researchers navigate their careers in a landscape shaped by disciplinary fluidity, institutional complexity, and shifting markers of achievement.
The first part examines the structure of this landscape: blurred boundaries between roles and fields, hidden layers of expectations and informal norms, and landmarks that move as academic cultures and priorities evolve. The second part turns to navigational strategies: how to make choices, build collaborations, and remain adaptable in the face of uncertainty. The third part considers how the map looks different depending on one’s position - disciplinary background, career stage, institutional setting - highlighting the importance of context in shaping both opportunities and challenges.
Rather than offering a fixed formula, the talk invites reflection on how we each read and redraw the map of academia, and how embracing its complexity can be a source of both challenge and creativity.
Ben Derudder is Director of the KU Leuven Urban Studies Institute and Associate Director of the Globalisation and World Cities (GaWC). He is recognised as one of the most influential scholars in urban studies and has received the Research.com Social Sciences & Humanities Leader Award in Belgium annually from 2022 to 2025.
Autumn returns 2025
On Saturday, September 13, the 28th UMK Alumni Reunion will be held under the slogan “Autumn Returns 2025.” During the ceremony, congratulatory letters will be presented on the occasion of the 60th, 50th, and 25th anniversaries of graduation from NCU with a master's degree.
Autumn Returns is an annual meeting of graduates of all fields and years, with a special focus on those who graduated 50 years ago. The celebrations begin with a Holy Mass for graduates, which is celebrated in the Academic Church of the Holy Spirit (Piekary 24, entrance from the Old Town Square) and the laying of flowers at the monument to Nicolaus Copernicus.
During the celebrations, meetings with representatives of the Nicolaus Copernicus University and Toruń authorities will take place. This year, an important part of the meeting will be a special lecture given on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Alumni Association, which will be delivered by Dr. Dorota Grabowska-Pieńkosz. On this occasion, the University Library will also present an exhibition entitled "30 Years of the Nicolaus Copernicus University Alumni Association in Toruń". In the Nicolaus Copernicus University Auditorium, state decorations and congratulatory letters will be presented to those who completed their master's degrees in 1965, 1975, and 2000. As is tradition, a gala dinner is also planned for the evening.
Detailed program of the event
Toruń Festival of Flavors
This year's Festival program includes culinary demonstrations and tastings, as well as meetings with experts. Guests will be treated to dishes prepared not only by chefs known in the region and throughout the country, but also by the rector of Nicolaus Copernicus University, Prof. Andrzej Tretyn, and the mayor of Toruń, Paweł Gulewski.
The Festival is scheduled to begin on Saturday at 11:00 a.m. with demonstrations combined with tastings, followed at 1:30 p.m. by a lecture by Dr. Marta Sikorska from the Nicolaus Copernicus University Culinary Heritage Center: “Marta: patron saint of Pomeranian chefs and cooks.” A highlight of this year's event will be a ceremonial dinner hosted by the president and rector: at 2 p.m., guests will be welcomed by Nicolaus Copernicus University Rector Prof. Andrzej Tretyn and Toruń Mayor Paweł Gulewski. They will prepare royal chicken soup and Teutonic meatballs. Another guest on that day will be the well-known and respected chef Pascal Brodnicki, who will prepare beef stewed in beer with gingerbread for tasting.
Sunday will also feature demonstrations, lectures, and tastings. Of particular interest is the panel discussion “Rebuilding Taste: Does Toruń Cuisine Exist?” led by Prof. Jarosław Dumanowski and historian and journalist Łukasz Modelski.
The festival will also feature a culinary shopping area where regional products and delicacies will be available.
The events will take place on Saturday and Sunday (September 13-14) at the Młyn Hotel at 3 Łokietka Street. Admission is free and open to the public (no registration or tickets are required).
Full program
4th National Drawing Biennale
The Faculty of Fine Arts at Nicolaus Copernicus University invites you to participate in the TIME-MOTION-SPACE IV National Drawing Biennale competition. Competition entries can be submitted by email until September 15, 2025.
All professional artists and students of art colleges are invited to participate in the competition. This year's post-competition exhibition is scheduled for November/December 2025 and will be held at the Gallery of the Association of Polish Artists and Designers in Toruń (ul. Ducha Św. 8/10/12, 87-100 Toruń). Address for submitting applications: czas.ruch.przestrzen@gmail.com
Detailed information about the event, rules and regulations, and the application form can be found on the website.
30 Years Together – Exhibition
From September 15, the University Library will host an exhibition entitled “30 Years Together - The NCU Alumni Association Through the Lens,” prepared to mark the anniversary of the Association's activities. The exhibition will be open until October 1.
The exhibition will consist of 30 boards with historical photographs (including those from alumni reunions, trips, lectures, and club meetings) presenting the most important activities of the organization that has been connecting generations of NCU alumni for three decades.
The works will be presented on the ground floor of the University Library building. The exhibition is curated by Anna Klugowska and authored by Alina Dauksza-Wiśniewska and Olga Narbutt.
Fifth edition of STEM-CPD Summer School
The Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń will host the fifth edition of the STEM-CPD Summer School, which will take place on September 15-19. The main organizer is ECTN (European Chemistry Thematic Network).
The school aims to develop the teaching skills of academic teachers in STEM disciplines (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) and to create an international community of practitioners who, as certified CPD Ambassadors, will carry out professional development activities at their home universities.
The intensive summer school programme enables groups to develop activities related to the professional development of lecturers at their universities and to raise their teaching skills to an international level, thereby improving the quality of STEM education at their institutions. Upon successful completion of this year's edition of the school, participants will receive certificates and will have the opportunity to join the international community of CPD ambassadors.
The fifth edition of the STEM-CPD Summer School is organized by the ECTN Eurolecturer Academy working group in cooperation with the Faculty of Chemistry of the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń.
More information
Pokolenia Gonią Lenia 2025
The University Sports Centre encourages participation in free sports activities organised throughout Poland under the slogan ‘Pokolenia Gonią Lenia’. People aged 20-60 can take part in the programme.
‘Pokolenia Gonią Lenia’ is a multidisciplinary programme of the Academic Sports Association, which aims to encourage Poles to be physically active. Free sports classes in various disciplines are organised in different cities across Poland, giving local residents the opportunity to train under the supervision of professional instructors.
The University Sports Centre invites you to free rowing ergometer training sessions, which start on 15 September and last until 11 December. Classes are held every Monday and Thursday from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. In addition, the USC free classes also include a sauna. From 22 September to 30 October, the sauna will be available twice a week, every Monday (5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.) and Thursday (5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.), and from 3 November to 8 December only on Mondays.
Due to the limited number of spots (maximum 9 people per group), registration is required. To register, please send an email to pokolenia2025@wp.pl with the following information:
- first and last name
- age
- type of classes selected
- selected dates on which you wish to participate in classes
- contact telephone number
After sending the message, please wait for an email confirmation. The class schedule can be added to Google Calendar.
Fresh food from the region
At the Nasze Lokalne online store, you can place orders for fresh, regional specialties straight from producers in Kujawsko-Pomorskie Province at any time. Purchases made by September 15 (by 6:00 a.m.) will be available for pickup on September 18 at designated locations in Toruń or delivered by DPD FOOD on September 19.
Nasze Lokalne is an example of the implementation of the idea of short food supply chains, i.e., deliveries directly from farmers or local producers. Orders can be placed at any time, and deliveries are made twice a month. The Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń is a partner in the project.
The store's offer includes cheese, cold cuts, fish, fruit and vegetable preserves, and homemade baked goods. Orders placed by September 15 will be ready for pickup on September 18 at one of three locations in Toruń and Przysiek:
- Marshal's Office, pl. Teatralny 2, cafeteria (2:30–4:00 p.m.);
- Marshal's Office, ul. M. Skłodowskiej-Curie 73, room 16 (2:30–4:30 p.m.);
- NCU Auditorium, ul. Gagarina 11 (3:00–4:00 p.m.);
- Naszelokalne.pl distribution center in Przysiek, ul. Parkowa 1b (10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.).
There is also an option for delivery to a specified address in Toruń. Those who select this option can expect their package on September 18 between 3:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. Delivery to the specified address is free for orders over PLN 300. Delivery via DPD FOOD is also available. Those who choose this option can also expect their package on September 19.
Forest bathing, what is it? - meeting with an expert
What is forest bathing? Is it just a regular walk? Do you need to prepare for it in any special way? Agnieszka Szarafin-Kreft, a therapy and forest bathing guide, will answer these and many other questions. The meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, September 17, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Copernicus Integration Center.
During the meeting, the speaker will talk primarily about the need for human contact with nature and how much parks and forests have to offer. The results of studies showing the health benefits of nature on humans will also be discussed. Participants will have the opportunity to learn about the history of shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing, a practice that originated in Japan.
The event will take place at the Copernicus Integration Center (ul. Olszewskiego 16, large basement). Admission is free for all interested parties, and the event will be conducted in Polish.
More about the speaker
Event on Facebook
Conference in Würzburg
The Polish Historical Mission invites you to an international academic conference entitled "The family is the natural and fundamental unit of society and has the right to protection from society and the state. The family in Central Europe across territorial, national, religious, and social boundaries (until 1989)", which will be held on September 22-23 at the University of Würzburg. Admission is free.
The family, especially the nuclear family consisting of parents and children, is often seen as the foundation of society. It is the basic social unit in which values, norms, and cultural traditions are passed on. Legal protection of the family to ensure its stability and security is deeply rooted in many countries. The right to start a family and its protection by the state are recognised as fundamental human rights, enshrined in national constitutions and international agreements, such as the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The main objective of the conference is to present the history of families that, through their creation and existence, transcended territorial, national, religious, or social boundaries. Such families often did not fit into the contemporary ideas of the 'ideal' family and had to face particular challenges. They could consist of members of different nationalities, such as Polish-German families that were formed during and after World War II, or suddenly found themselves in a different country (for example, in Silesia) after the border changes after 1945.
Studying the history of families that crossed borders provides insight into the diversity and complexity of human communities. It shows how families in the past coped with challenges and what strategies they developed to survive in different social and political contexts. The research aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of the historical development of family structures in the Polish and German cultural areas and to emphasise the importance of tolerance for diversity in contemporary Polish and German society.
The conference is organised under the patronage of Minister of State Ulrike Scharf (Bavarian Ministry of Family, Labour, and Social Affairs) and Consul General Rafał Wolski (Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in Munich).
More information
Free workshops with Collegium Medicum
NCU Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz invites you to the laboratories of the Faculty of Pharmacy, where the 7th edition of Practical Workshops for secondary school students will be held from September 22 to 26. Registration is required.
The organizers have prepared 21 workshops that will introduce students to the topics of pharmacy, laboratory diagnostics, and cosmetology. Participants will have the opportunity to learn how a modern medical laboratory works, see how selected medicinal substances are analyzed, and try their hand at creating their own cosmetics.
The workshops will be held in the laboratories of the Faculty of Pharmacy at the NCU Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz. Registration is open until September 19, 2025.
For more information and contact details for those coordinating workshop registration, please visit: https://www.wf.cm.umk.pl/kandydat/warsztaty-praktyczne-dla-licealistow/
First Polish Congress of Logic
The Polish Society for Logic and Philosophy of Science is organizing the Polish Congress of Logic. The event will take place on September 22-26, 2025, at the Institute of Philosophy of Nicolaus Copernicus University.
The aim of the congress is to present key research for the development of contemporary logic, with particular emphasis on the contribution of Polish logicians. The Polish Society for Logic and Philosophy of Science (PTLiFN), the second oldest logic society in the world (after the Association for Symbolic Logic in the USA), is the main inspirer of the first edition of the Polish Congress of Logic.
This event refers to the ethos of Polish logicians associated in particular with the Lviv-Warsaw School and the Polish Mathematical School, and at the same time aims to bring together people currently involved in logic in Poland and around the world, and to exchange information on scientific results and professional experiences.
The Polish Congress of Logic is being held as part of the celebrations of the 80th anniversary of the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń. Many experts from academic centers on all continents have announced their participation in the event.
The event is organized by:
- Polish Society for Logic and Philosophy of Science
- Department of Logic, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń
- Department of Logic and Cognitive Science, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań
- Department of Logic, Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University in Warsaw
In the podcast “Focus on Campus,” an original program by UMK spokesperson Dr. Patryk Tomaszewski, you can listen to a conversation with Dr. Tomasz Jarmużek, professor at UMK, current president of PTLiFN, and originator of the Congress. During the broadcast, Prof. Jarmużek talks, among other things, about the upcoming Polish Congress of Logic and the intellectual traditions to which contemporary logic in Poland refers.
More information
Metamorphoses of the military orders - conference
On Wednesday, 24 September, the 23rd conference in the series ‘Ordines Militares. Colloquia Torunensia Historica’, co-organised by the Faculty of Historical Sciences of Nicolaus Copernicus University, will begin in Vienna.
The theme of the conference, ‘Military Orders in the Face of Loss and New Beginnings – The 'Rediscovery' and Metamorphoses of the Military Orders from the Middle Ages to the Modern Era,’ refers to the 500th anniversary of the Treaty of Krakow (8 April 1525) and the dissolution of the Prussian branch of the Teutonic Order (Teutonic Knights) in 2025. This marked the beginning of far-reaching changes, both in the structures of the organisation and in the self-perception of its members. It can be described as the gradual ‘rediscovery’ of the Order in new circumstances, new political conditions and in the face of new expectations of the secular and ecclesiastical circles of the time. The emerging tendency to limit the Order's activities to the areas of the Reich and the various metamorphoses that the monastic corporation underwent from the 16th to the 18th century ultimately led to the transfer of the corporation's headquarters to Vienna in the early 19th century. The organisers of the conference also wish to refer to this fact by moving the proceedings from Toruń to Vienna, which is exceptional in the more than 40-year history of the conference series.
During the two-day conference (25–26 September), 17 papers will be presented on various aspects of the functioning of military orders in times of change. The conference will be attended by speakers from 12 countries, as well as numerous discussants from various parts of Europe.
On the eve of the conference, 24 September, the 12th Forum for Young Researchers of Military Orders, organised by dr hab. Katharina Kemmer (Forschungsstelle Deutscher Orden, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg) and dr Piotr Kołodziejczak (Institute of History and Archival Science, Faculty of Historical Sciences, Nicolaus Copernicus University), will be held.
The conference is organised by dr hab. Krzysztof Kwiatkowski, NCU Prof. (Institute of History and Archival Sciences, Faculty of History, Nicolaus Copernicus University), Professor Jürgen Sarnowsky (Historisches Seminar, Universität Hamburg) and Professor Helmut Flachenecker (Institut für Geschichte/Forschungsstelle Deutscher Orden, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg). The project is co-financed from the state budget, allocated by the Minister of Education and Science as part of the ‘Excellent Science II’ programme.
Conference programme