Ladies and Gentlemen,
the time of universities is measured by years that do not coincide with the calendar year, but their beginning always falls in autumn, when we inaugurate the next academic year. This year, however, is special and its calendar dimension will leave its mark on the history of the University of Silesia. Thanks to the efforts of many people from our University, in cooperation with Katowice’s other public universities, our city was awarded the title of European City of Science. The University of Silesia was the initiator of the application for this title and is the leader of the entire project.
I want to express my gratitude to all of you. It was your scientific and artistic achievements, concern for students’ education and impressive organisational work which contributed to our application being accepted, and which stand behind the fact that the rectors of six public universities in Katowice entrusted the University of Silesia with the honourable and responsible role of managing the work of the Academic Consortium Katowice City of Science.
Trust for the University
WIn many university rankings in Poland and worldwide, a particularly influential criterion is “university prestige”. It consists of recognition of the scientific and educational achievements of each of us individually, as well as the authority and position of the university in the eyes of other academic communities and the entire university environment – local, national and international. Prestige takes a long time to build and cannot be designed into any strategy. Its visible indicators are the trust and respect that surrounds the entire university. Although difficult to capture, a university’s prestige has very tangible effects.
When the results of the Excellence Initiative – Research University competition were announced five years ago, the University of Silesia’s (thirteenth) place presented us, and especially me as the rector, with a clear question: how to strengthen the position of the University of Silesia without waiting for the next edition of the competition, in a situation in which 10 research universities (including the Silesian University of Technology, which is close to us) will have increased financial resources for the development of research, education and infrastructure for 5 years? Where is the free playing field, the rules of which can be at least partially determined by the University of Silesia, and not just one that requires us to adapt to the existing guidelines?
The answer came quickly. The region, i.e. the Silesian Voivodeship, and the European academic space should be the territory of our inventiveness in building the university’s influence on the public sphere through science, art and academic didactics. This became possible because we found new ways to communicate about our scientific work, and we also effectively talked about the key role that science, art and education play in the transformation of the Silesian Voivodeship.
The university’s strategy of creative involvement in the industrial and post-industrial challenges of the region has given us a strong voice, listened to with appreciation both in local government institutions and among the ten European universities forming the Transform 4 Europe alliance. Obtaining the title of European City of Science for Katowice, the leading position within the Consortium, as well as within the T4E alliance in 2024 are confirmation of the reasonability of our efforts and commitment. Respect and trust for the University are also supported by its authority as a democratic public institution that has maintained its autonomy and independence from outside authorities for the last eight years. Compared to many public institutions, the University of Silesia was a bastion of good law, free speech, substantive debate, and care for the equality of all members of the academic community.
Lasting effects
The growing presence and visibility of the University of Silesia in the public space brings measurable and unprecedented benefits for our university, of which I will mention only three, the most spectacular ones:
- We have created – as the leader of the Academic Consortium Katowice City of Science – a model and practice of cooperation between public universities that is unique in Poland, allowing each of them to maintain their originality and independence, and at the same time cooperate and perform together where it benefits each of them. A symbolic act of goodwill for this cooperation is the second interuniversity inauguration of the academic year;
- Many years of unsuccessful efforts to obtain funds for the construction of new scientific and teaching infrastructure for chemical, biological and artistic sciences have finally found a happy ending. Thanks to our efforts, the Management Board of the Silesian Voivodeship recognised these investments as its priorities and included them on the list of strategic projects under the European Funds for Silesia Programme 2021-2027. The total value of the planned funding for the University of Silesia is approximately PLN 346.5 million.
- We have developed assumptions for the Research Programme for Silesia, which will enable the launch of a new model of financing scientific research in areas key to the development of the region, based on budget, local government and private funds. They will be awarded to scientists annually through open competitions.
Back to the University
Perhaps some of you are wondering whether the intensive presence of the University of Silesia in the public space is not at the expense of our basic academic mission and the tasks and needs of employees, PhD students and students. The question is justified because the University’s co-responsibility for the world beyond its walls should also serve the University itself; its development, better conditions for scientific and artistic work, as well as for studying and starting a scientific career.
I carefully observe the process of reciprocation that the University of Silesia receives from people and institutions in exchange for our involvement in matters related to the university’s social environment. Everything good that we do as employees at the university and beyond enriches its entire community and strengthens each and every one of us, contributing to increasing the potential of our university, starting from additional funds for research, teaching, buildings and research equipment, through the greater interest of candidates for studies, to the membership of our scholars in numerous bodies, not only academic ones.
The year of the European City of Science is undoubtedly a kind of accumulation of the presence of the University of Silesia in its immediate and distant surroundings. The first of 50 weeks of the ECSK celebrations is behind us. Let’s use this year to show the richness and diversity of science and art created at our university, and let us talk about them. And then we will summarise and evaluate the internal benefits of our efforts to decide together what we need to do next for the benefit of the University of Silesia, i.e. all of us who make up its community – now and in the future.
Prof. Ryszard Koziołek
Rector Uniwersytetu Śląskiego
Prof. Ryszard Koziołek, Rector of the University of Silesia | Photo by Julia Agnieszka Szymala