University of Silesia in Katowice

As part of the incentive system in academic teaching of the University of Silesia in Katowice, financial awards are granted by the Rector of the University of Silesia for teachers and academic teachers for excellent didactic work in the academic year 2022/2023. Rules and regulations for granting awards and evaluation criteria are included in attachments to the Rector’s Regulation No. 175 of 3 November 2023.

Incentive programmes in academic teaching will be financed by the Research Excellence Initiative, which includes, among others: creating the best conditions for the professional development of University of Silesia employees, including building and improving the research and teaching competences of scientific staff.

Awards for academics

Competition ‘Distinctions of the Rector of the University of Silesia for excellent teaching in the academic year 2022/2023, organised as part of the incentive system in academic teaching of the University of Silesia in Katowice’, financed by the Research Excellence Initiative programme, is individual in nature and is addressed to those who in in the academic year 2022/2023 have developed or implemented elements of the educational programme within the field of study, characterised by the highest quality of implementation at the faculty scale. The decision to recognise an academic and grant a performance allowance is made by the Rector.

The award is given in the following four categories:

• work with students or PhD students,
• teaching innovations,
• cooperation in teaching,
• outstanding academic.

The application form, containing a list of people recommended from a given unit for the Rector’s award for excellent teaching, is sent by the dean or director of the unit to the Vice-Rector for Education and Students via the Education Quality Office to the following e-mail address: smoda@us.edu.pl.

Contact: smoda@us.edu.pl, tel. 32 359 16 17

The competition rules are available at: aktyprawne.us.edu.pl.

subsidies for teaching activities

from 3 November 2023 to 22 November 2023 [recruitment completed]

academic staff conducting teaching

PLN 2,000 gross
(the competition committee reserves the right to change the method of allocating funds)

As part of the incentive system in academic teaching of the University of Silesia in Katowice, financial awards are granted by the Rector of the University of Silesia for teachers and academic teachers for excellent didactic work in the academic year 2021/2022, as well as awards for educational councils for degree programmes that have met certain conditions and have obtained the “Excellent degree programme” certificate. Rules and regulations for granting awards and evaluation criteria are included in attachments to the Rector’s Regulation No. 140 and 141 of 6 October 2022.

The above-mentioned incentive programmes in academic teaching were financed by the Research Excellence Initiative, which is to create the best conditions for the professional development of employees of the University of Silesia, including developing the research and teaching competencies of the scientific staff.

Results of the ‘HM Rector’s letters of congratulations’

Results of the ‘Excellent Degree Programme…’ call for proposals

Awards for academics

The ‘HM Rector’s letters of congratulations’—call for proposals for academic/non-academic employees for excellent education in the academic year 2021/2022, organised within the Motivational System in Academic Education (SMoDA) of the University of Silesia in Katowice, financed by the Research Excellence Initiative—was addressed to people who in the academic year 2021/2022 developed or completed elements of a curriculum within a degree programme that display the highest quality on the scale of a faculty. The decision to distinguish an academic with a letter of congratulation and award an allowance is made by the Rector.

Depending on the award category, application forms are available at the following addresses:

• educational innovation,
• work with students or PhD students,
• cooperation within education.

Contact: smoda@us.edu.pl; phone: 32 359 1617

Rules and regulations

Awards for Educational Councils of degree programmes

The ‘Excellent Degree Programme’—(according to the new concept of studies) for educational councils for degree programmes within the Motivational System in Academic Education (SMoDA) of the University of Silesia in Katowice, financed by the Research Excellence Initiative—was addressed to directors of and educational councils for degree programmes. The aim of the programme is to award an ‘Excellent Degree Programme’ certificate and monetary prize to these degree programmes that will conduct and present assessments inspired by the framework of the new concept of studies concerning social and economic conditions of a specific degree programme and the assumed competences of both the candidate for studies and the graduate of a degree programme submitted in the call for proposals.

Registration form (the filled out form is to be sent to smoda@us.edu.pl)

Contact: smoda@us.edu.pl; phone: 32 359 1617

Rules and regulations

funding for educational activity

1st call – from 10 Sep 2022 to 15 Nov 2022 [recruitment completed]

2nd call – from 10 Sep 2022 to 20 Nov 2022 [recruitment completed]

1st call – academic staff conducting education

2nd call – degree programmes directors

1st call – PLN 729 gross

2nd call – PLN 7,000 gross

(the call committee reserves the right to change the way the funds are distributed)

‘Data Steward – research data management’ is a new programme organised as part of the Research Excellence Initiative, the aim of which is to improve the competencies of university staff by appointing a qualified team of faculty data stewards in accordance with the open access policy of the University of Silesia in Katowice.

The programme covers the costs of trainings that increase competencies in the field of research data management in accordance with international standards and task allowances connected with periodic increase in official duties. The implementation of the programme is planned for a maximum of 18 months. The overall amount allocated for the call for applications is up to PLN 300,000. The condition to apply for funding within the programme is submitting an application in a call available in an online application form. To the application, one has to attach a consent of a direct superior for an employee’s participation in the programme.

The amount of the task allowance for programme participants due to a temporary increase in professional duties equals PLN 1,000 gross per month for the first 6 months, PLN 1,500 gross per month for the next 6 months, and PLN 2,000 gross per month for the period of the last 6 months.

The basic tasks of Data Stewards include: support for university scientists in the preparation of the Data Management Plan (DMP), its implementation and monitoring, preparation of a report on the implementation and adaptation of the DMP instrument to the needs of faculties and disciplines and its ongoing update, and training of scientists at faculties in the field of data management as well as preparation and implementation of the DMP.

Detailed information on the programme is included in the rules and regulations

broadening employees’ knowledge, developing their competencies and skills necessary
to establish a qualified team of Data Stewards at the University of Silesia

from 25 November 2022 to 8 January 2023 [recruitment completed]

employees of the University of Silesia in Katowice selected in a call for applications

The call for applications in the new ‘Tech | Staff’ programme implemented under the Research Excellence Initiative has ended. The programme is addressed to engineering and technology as well as research and technical employees and aims to improve their research competencies related to the use of research, educational and artistic infrastructure.

The submitted applications will undergo a two-stage formal and substantive evaluation carried out by the Evaluation Team comprised of the members from the IDB Scientific Council and representatives from the Research, Educational and Artistic Infrastructure Council of the University of Silesia. The substantive evaluation involves the analysis of the applicants’ development plans in terms of the experience allowing the handling and maintenance of research equipment, as well as the ability to carry out measurements and conduct research based on it. The description of results the applicant hopes to achieve will also undergo evaluation. Authors of the best application will be invited to an interview, where they will have the opportunity to discuss their development plan in detail.

The subject of financing will include costs of specialised training and workshops as well as task bonuses due to periodic increase in official duties. The application must be accompanied by the approval to use the research, educational and artistic infrastructure mentioned in the competition application. A total amount of PLN 200,000 is allocated to finance the programme.

Programme beneficiaries will be obliged, among others, to participate in specialised training, to increase the activity in the field of operating the research, educational and artistic infrastructure equipment mentioned in the competition application, to increase the number of tests performed for teams from outside of one’s own institute, as well as to increase the visibility of the equipment operated. Details of the programme can be found in the rules and regulations.

improving research competences related to the use of research, educational and artistic infrastructure

from 6 October 2022 to 1 November 2022 [end of recruitment]

engineering and technology employees, research and technical employees

646 academics and doctoral students from the University of Silesia in Katowice applied to receive free-of-charge access to Grammarly app for professional proofreading in English. The limit of places had been exhausted before the end of one week from the date when the registration form was published. Due to great interest and out of concern for the comfort of work of academics and doctoral students, the decision was taken to provide all individuals who sent a correctly completed registration form with free-of-charge accounts.

Please also be informed that the 2nd stage of registering applications for access to accounts in Grammarly app begins on 14 December 2020. We encourage academics and researchers, as well as doctoral students of the University of Silesia, to submit applications.

It is required to state the University e-mail address (in us.edu.pl domain) during registration. Grammarly app has been provided within the framework of Research Excellence Initiative.

from 17 November 2020 to 7 December 2020 [end of recruitment]

research employees | research and teaching employees | teaching employees
doctoral students

The University of Silesia in Katowice intends to support the academic community in many areas. Taking into consideration the comfort of work for academics and doctoral students, a practical tool for proofreading texts in English has been purchased within the framework of Research Excellence Initiative.

Due to large interest in the programme, the 2nd edition of sharing Grammarly accounts has been launched.

The programme beneficiaries include: researchers, academics, and doctoral students of the University of Silesia in Katowice. 800 Grammarly accounts will be made available to 600 employees and 200 doctoral students – the applications will be handled on a first come, first served basis. The recruitment will last until 31 December 2020.

The purchased license will allow the users to use the app for improving language skills, effectively supporting them in ongoing communication and writing texts in English. Grammarly is an online tool that corrects spelling, suggests corrections and gives clues in real time, indicating spelling, stylistic, grammar and punctuation errors. It has the functionality for detecting the type of the text, as well as the tone and goal of the message. The additional options of the app include the plagiarism checker function.

It is required to state the University e-mail address (in us.edu.pl. domain) during registration. The rules for sharing and using Grammarly accounts are specified in the attached Rules and Regulations.

from 14 December 2020 to 31 December 2020 [end of recruitment]

research employees | research and teaching employees | teaching employees

doctoral students

The third edition of sharing Grammarly proofreading app premium accounts has ended. The use of the app will allow the employees and doctoral students of the University of Silesia in Katowice to improve their language skills.

Grammarly improves each written text in English on an ongoing basis, making sure that its spelling, style, grammar, and even punctuation are correct. Thus, the tool will effectively support its users in ongoing communication, and in writing scientific texts in English.

This edition of the Grammarly competition was addressed to research employees, research and teaching employees, teachers, research and technical employees (overall 400 accounts), as well as administrative staff (100 accounts) and doctoral students of the University of Silesia (100 accounts). The applications was handled on a first come, first served basis.

The rules for sharing and using Grammarly accounts are specified in the attached Rules and Regulations. The purchase of license for Grammarly is funded under Research Excellence Initiative.

from 12 January 2021 to 31 January 2021 [end of recruitment]

research employees | research and teaching employees |
teaching employees | research and technical employees | administrative staff
doctoral students