NCU News
Events: December 2025
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.
Copernicada - winter edition
The next edition of the winter Copernicada, an inter-faculty sports competition, is approaching. Representatives of the faculties of Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń will be able to compete in five disciplines.
The main idea behind the Inter-Faculty Olympics is to promote physical culture and a healthy lifestyle, as well as to integrate the academic community. This time, representatives of the faculties can choose from five sports disciplines:
- 4x4 mixed volleyball - qualifiers are scheduled for 9 December (7:45 p.m.), and the finals will take place on 11 December;
- rowing ergometer - 11 December (7:00 p.m.);
- men's 3x3 basketball - 19 November (5:00 p.m.);
- futsal - qualifiers scheduled for 1 December (8:00 p.m.), with the finals to be held on 8 December;
- cross-country running - 2 December (7:00 p.m.)
In the case of team entries, one person should register all participants. The event is organised by the NCU Student Council and the University Sports Centre.
Registration form
Donations collection for animals
Until 15 December, all departments of Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń are collecting donations for the Toruń Homeless Animal Shelter. Items can be left in specially prepared boxes located at the main entrances to the buildings.
The collection has been going on since 1 December. The boxes are primarily for dog and cat food, toys, textiles and litter, in particular:
- for cats: dry and wet food for adult cats (e.g. Smilla, Animonda Carny, Dolina Noteci, Rafi, Purina, Sheba, Gourmet, Felix, Whiskas, Maxi Natural, Activ Pet Premium, Perfect Fit, Wiejska Zagroda) and kittens (Smilla Kitten, Animonda Carny Kitten, Dolina Noteci Junior, Feringa), veterinary food, sanitary pads, litter (preferably bentonite, but also wood, corn and silicone), paper shavings (waste paper for litter trays), treats and toys;
- for dogs: dry and wet food for adult dogs (e.g. Smilla, Animonda Carny, Dolina Noteci, Rafi, Purina, Brit M, Wiejska Zagroda, Maxi Natural, Activ Pet Premium, Perfect Fit) and puppies (wet: Dolina Noteci Junior, Rafi Junior; dry: Royal Canin Puppy, Brit Care Puppy), veterinary food, sanitary pads, treats and toys.
The shelter will also appreciate bedspreads, towels, pillows and featherless duvets.
The collection is organised by the Toruń branch of the International Veterinary Students' Association (IVSA TORUŃ).
Introduction to Malay Cultures - lecture
Department of Ethnology and Cultural Anthropology NCU invites the wide community of NCU for the online lecture, followed by a discussion, titled "Introduction to Malay Cultures" held by guest lecturer Dr. Nofel Nofiadri.
The lecture will be held on December 1st, 11:30-13:00. The link to the lecture
- Meeting ID: 997 9300 1557
- Passcode: lecture
2nd National Student Culture Review
The Student Council of Nicolaus Copernicus University invites you to participate in the second edition of the National Student Culture Review, which will take place on 4–7 December at the Academic Centre for Culture and Art ‘Od Nowa’ in Toruń. Applications can be submitted until 16 November.
The National Student Culture Review is an event where anyone can showcase their artistic talent in theatre, cabaret, dance, music, film and visual arts. Applications for non-obvious forms of broadly understood art are also welcome.
During the event, there will also be an opportunity to take part in workshops led by specialists in various fields. There will also be meetings with experts, networking and integration sessions, which will allow participants to meet people with similar passions and establish cooperation.
Registration form
Current information about the event is published on Facebook.
Thursday with philosophy: Solo travel and philosophy
The Institute of Philosophy at Nicolaus Copernicus University and Dwór Artusa invite you to another meeting in the series ‘Thursday with Philosophy’. On 4 December at 6:30 p.m., Prof. Adam Grzeliński from the Institute of Philosophy at Nicolaus Copernicus University will give a lecture entitled ‘Solo Travel and Philosophy’. Admission is free.
Travelling seems to be the opposite of philosophy – it is an activity and an experience, not a theoretical reflection. However, a long journey alone gives a unique perspective and allows one to reflect on the essential aspects of being in the world. The time spent alone on empty paths allows one to look inside one's heart and mind, to reflect on what is important, and concepts such as curiosity, encounter, value, space, time and beauty cease to sound theoretical and become a vivid, intense experience.
Thursday with Philosophy, ‘Solitary Travel and Philosophy’, Prof. Adam Grzeliński, PhD - 4 December 2025, 6:30 p.m., Malinowa Room (2nd floor) at Dwór Artusa (Rynek Staromiejski 6). The event will be held in Polish.
The credibility of AI – Copernican Debate in Toruń
‘The credibility of AI. Great opportunities? Great crisis?’ - this is the topic of the next debate organised by the International Copernican Research Centre. The meeting with experts will take place on 5 December at 5 p.m. at the Copernican Library in Toruń (ul. Słowackiego 8).
The guests of the Copernican Debate will include Dr Joanna Mytnik, GUT Prof. (Gdańsk University of Technology), Prof. Włodzisław Duch (Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń) and Prof. Przemysław Kazienko (Wrocław University of Technology). The experts will discuss, among other things, the transparency of training data, the impact of artificial intelligence on education and the process of knowledge creation, and the responsibility of companies for the operation of technology. The key issue linking all these topics will be the question of whether AI will become a reliable ally of humanity or rather a cause of a new crisis of trust in technology and people. The event will be held in Polish.
The debate will be moderated by Karolina Głowacka from Radio Naukowe.
Admission is free for all interested parties. The meeting will also be broadcast on YouTube.
Event on Facebook
2nd Student Art Fair
The NCU Faculty of Fine Arts invites you to the second edition of the Student Art Fair, during which young artists will present and sell their unique works. The event will take place on 6 December from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Faculty of Fine Arts building (30/32 Sienkiewicza Street). Entrance is free.
The Student Art Fair is an open artistic event during which students present and sell their original works – from paintings and graphics to sculptures, jewellery and handicrafts. It is not only an opportunity to purchase unique works, but also a chance to meet young artists in person, learn about their inspirations and support emerging artists. The fair creates a space for exchanging experiences, building a community of art lovers and promoting creativity and innovative forms of expression.
The Christmas edition of the Fair is organised by the NCU Faculty of Fine Arts in cooperation with the Amicus UNC Foundation and the NCU Student Council.
Event on Facebook
Art workshops with Szymon Pruciak
The Faculty of Fine Arts invites you to a workshop on cyanotype printing supported by new AI generative graphics technologies. The classes will be held on 8 December from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the building at 121 Mickiewicza Street and will be led by Szymon Pruciak, a lecturer at the American University of Cyprus.
These practical workshops introduce students to a hybrid work process that combines contemporary image generation by artificial intelligence with one of the oldest processes of photographic printing: cyanotype. Drawing on themes of reimagining historical archives and decolonising visual narratives, students will learn how to create AI-generated images that can be converted into high-quality digital negatives suitable for analogue printing.
The session will begin with a guide to prompting strategies that avoid Orientalist or colonial tropes, encouraging participants to develop images that are sensitive to place, culture, and historical context. Students will generate a series of AI images, refine them according to conceptual goals, and prepare them for printing as calibrated digital negatives using accessible software such as Photoshop or specialised negative creation tools.
In the second part of the workshop, students will learn practical techniques of the cyanotype process – coating paper, exposing it to UV light and rinsing it to obtain prints in Prussian blue. The emphasis is on the materiality of early photographic chemistry and how digital images gain new meaning when converted into analogue form.
At the end of the workshop, students will have ready-made negatives generated by artificial intelligence and ready-made cyanotype prints, giving them insight into the creative and critical potential of combining historical processes with contemporary digital tools.
In connection with Szymon Pruciak's visit to NCU, an exhibition of his works will also be held at Galeria 9.39. The vernissage will take place on 11 December at 12:00 noon, and the exhibition will be open until the end of January 2026.
The event will be held in Polish.
International X-mas party
Christmas treats, decorating the traditional tree, and carol singing - these are the highlights of the International X-mas party at Od Nowa, scheduled for December 8 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Free tickets are required for the event.
The idea behind the meeting is to promote international integration and have fun together in a Christmas atmosphere. Foreign students will have the opportunity to learn about Polish Christmas traditions. The meeting will be accompanied by the UniBand 23 band from the Toruń University of the Third Age, which will perform well-known Christmas carols and pastorals. During the concert, participants will create a large Christmas chain, which will then be used to decorate the Christmas tree. After the concert, there will be workshops on making decorations, decorating gingerbread cookies, and traditional Polish games and activities.
The event will also feature Christmas Eve dishes, including croquettes and borscht. An admission ticket entitles you to a portion, so please keep it with you after entering the event.
The meeting will be held in English. The number of places is limited - tickets are required, which can be collected at the Copernican Integration Centre (room T.5) from Monday to Friday between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.
The event is co-organised by the Copernican Integration Centre and the Department of International Partnerships and Educational Mobility. The event is supported by the Aleksander Jabłoński Foundation, the Ethnographic Museum in Toruń, and the Toruń Gingerbread Museum.
Poster
Facebook event
The Centenary of the Baltic Institute – conference
On Wednesday, 10 December 2025, the Copernicus Library (ul. Słowackiego 8) will host a scientific conference entitled ‘The 100th anniversary of the Baltic Institute in Toruń’. The event will start at 9:30 a.m. and last until 3:00 p.m.
The conference is dedicated to commemorating the centenary of the founding of the Baltic Institute, which has left a lasting mark on the scientific achievements of interwar Toruń. Members of the Institute took an active part in the attempt to establish a university in Toruń, and after the war, many of them co-founded the Nicolaus Copernicus University. The Baltic Institute existed in Toruń until the outbreak of the war, and after its end, it was reactivated on the coast – first in Gdynia, then in Gdańsk.
The speakers will present the scientific achievements of the Baltic Institute from its Toruń period, concerning history, archaeology, ethnology, geography and maritime economy. The speakers will include people from the Tri-City, who will discuss the post-war period of the Baltic Institute's existence. The conference will be accompanied by a special exhibition of the Institute's publications, collected in the Copernicus Library in Toruń.
The event is co-organised by the Faculty of Historical Sciences of the Nicolaus Copernicus University. It will be held in Polish.
More information
'Palimpsest of Memory' - exhibition
The Faculty of Fine Arts invites you to a solo exhibition by Szymon Pruciak, an interdisciplinary artist and lecturer at the American University of Cyprus. The opening of ‘Palimpsest of Memory’ will take place on 11 December at 12:00 noon at Gallery 9.39 (Szosa Bydgoska 50/56).
In 1878, British photographer John Thomson captured Cyprus through a colonial lens, giving the island a picturesque and ‘semi-oriental’ character. The ‘Palimpsest of Memory’ project revisits these photographs, using artificial intelligence to explore how machines inherit and reproduce this way of seeing. Generative artificial intelligence recreates Thomson's scenes from within, imagining perspectives that correspond to the imperial camera. The resulting images are realised using historical 19th-century photographic methods, combining digital speculation with the earliest chemistry of photography.
The project draws on Walter Benjamin's reflections on mechanical reproduction and analyses them for the algorithmic age, in which images are created from data rather than light. In dialogue with Edward Said, Donna Haraway and Karen Barad, the work treats vision as a shared, entangled act of man and machine. It encourages viewers to re-examine how technologies of vision shape history — and to imagine a future in which the very act of looking becomes an ethical practice.
The exhibition will be open until the end of January 2026.
Szymon Pruciak is a visual artist and lecturer at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities at the American University of Cyprus. He works with photography, film and video, using both historical photographic techniques and new media. His works have been presented at dozens of group and solo exhibitions in Europe, the Americas and Asia. Some of his works are also part of the French National Collection.
Opening of a photography exhibition at Collegium Humanisticum
The Faculty of Historical Sciences invites you to the opening of an exhibition entitled ‘The 1981 protests of the Nicolaus Copernicus University student community in the photographic materials of Dariusz Czerniakowski, a graduate of archaeology at Nicolaus Copernicus University.’ The exhibition will open on 11 December at 10:00 a.m. in the lobby of Collegium Humanisticum (ul. Bojarskiego 1).
The exhibition presents several photographs documenting the heated days of student protests in the period preceding the imposition of martial law by the authorities of the Polish People's Republic on 13 December 1981. Most of them concern the strike action carried out on 17 February 1981 in the building of the Institute of History and Archival Science of Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń. The remaining photographs come from a march organised on 8 March 1981 by the Independent Students' Association of Nicolaus Copernicus University to commemorate the anniversary of the events of March 1968, as well as from a Holy Mass celebrated on 3 May 1981 in the Old Town Square in Toruń for Polish farmers.
The opening of the exhibition will be accompanied by a ceremony awarding Dariusz Czerniakowski the Medal of the Marshal of the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Province, Unitas Durat Palatinatus Cuiaviano-Pomeraniensis.
Mystery Friend #3 - Mystery Spider
The Amicus Foundation UNC invites you to a meeting in the "Mystery Friend" series, which will take place on December 11 at 5:00 p.m. at the Copernican Integration Centre. The theme of the event will be "Mystery Spider".
"Mystery Friend" is a series of monthly integration meetings full of surprises. Each meeting is a new challenge and a chance to develop in an atmosphere of intercultural exchange and social education. It will provide you with great fun and unforgettable experiences, while teaching you how to cooperate and integrate in a multicultural environment. Their goal is to integrate the entire academic community - students from abroad are welcome.
What does a "spider" have to do with the upcoming holiday season? Come and help us solve the mystery of the "spider" that has adorned Polish homes during Christmas for generations.
Admission to the event is free, and all necessary materials will be provided on site. Due to the limited number of places, registration is required. You can submit your application using the form available on the Amicus Foundation website.
The project is part of the YUFE 2030 initiative.
School on Space Quantum Technology
The FAMO consortium, together with MoSaiQC and QuRIOUS, invites master's students and young researchers at the beginning of their scientific careers to a three-day School on Space Quantum Technology, which will take place on December 15-17. Registration is open until December 5, 2025.
This year's meetings will focus on quantum communication, computing, and sensors in space. The detailed program and topics of the presentations can be found on the website.
Participation in the school is free of charge, but participants must cover their travel and accommodation costs.
More information