Researchers from the University of Silesia in Katowice have achieved further significant successes in national and international grant competitions, securing funding for research, educational, and infrastructure projects. The awarded funding confirms the high quality of the research conducted, the competitiveness of our University’s teams, and its growing standing within the European research landscape.
The following projects are currently being prepared for launch:
- Marcin Lipowczan, PhD, Assoc. Prof. (Faculty of Natural Sciences): ‘Applied Biodiversity Managment and Resilient Ecosystem Transitions (BIOVERTE)’ – this is the first project led by the University of Silesia under the ‘Mundus Joint Master’ track.
Funding of EUR 4.6 million has been allocated for the project, covering the 2026–2032 period.
The project aims to create a joint Master’s degree programme that trains specialists to address biodiversity loss, ecosystem degradation, and the effects of climate change. - Marzena Rams-Baron, PhD, DSc, Assoc. Prof. (Faculty of Science and Technology): ‘BIO&PHArmaceutical Materials Science European Master (BIOPHARM)’ – the project is led by the University of Lille.
The project aims to continue the international, interdisciplinary Erasmus Mundus Master’s degree programme, which trains specialists in materials science and its applications within the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical sectors. This project is a continuation of the BIOPHARM programme implemented between 2020 and 2026. - Prof. Marian Paluch (Faculty of Science and Technology): ‘IDEAS: Improving Drug Efficacy with next-generation AmorphouS materials and trained experts’ – a project funded under the Horizon Europe programme, led by the University of Lille, with funding of PLN 2.1 million allocated to the University of Silesia.
- Tomasz Huk, PhD, DSc, Assoc. Prof. (Faculty of Social Sciences): ‘Silesian Education Observatory – 2nd Edition’ – the project is led by the Marshal Office, and the funding allocated to the University of Silesia amounts to PLN 1.5 million, including PLN 460,000 for setting up a focus group research facility in the building at ul. 14 Bankowa.
The project aims to continue the work of the Education Observatory, which supports the Silesian Voivodeship authorities in identifying educational challenges and improving the quality of education in the region through expert, training, research, and analytical activities. - University-wide project ‘T-RISE – Transforming Regional Innovation Ecosystems for Sustainable and Digitally Enabled Entrepreneurship’, funded under the EIT (European Institute of Innovation and Technology) mechanism, secured PLN 1.1 million in funding for the University of Silesia. The project is substantively managed by the Industry Cooperation Office, with the University of Alicante serving as the project leader.
The project aims to develop a sustainable, digital, and integrated innovation ecosystem within the T4EU alliance, based on academic entrepreneurship.
Researchers from the University of Silesia also secured funding for the following projects:
- Prof. Barbara Tokarska-Guzik (Faculty of Natural Sciences): ‘GEN-REYN’, funded by the UK-Ukraine Twinning Seed Fund (funding for the University of Silesia: PLN 15,000).
- Damian Guzek, PhD, DSc, Assoc. Prof. (Faculty of Social Sciences): ‘MEDem: Monitoring Electoral Democracy’ within the framework of ESFRI (European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures).
- Two projects obtained under the ERASMUS cooperation partnership programme, where the University of Silesia acts as a partner: Małgorzata Przybyła-Kasperek, PhD, DSc, Assoc. Prof. (Faculty of Science and Technology): ‘Future IT professionals Education in Artificial Intelligence (FITPED-XR)’ and Eugenia Smyrnova-Trybulska, PhD, DSc, Assoc. Prof. (Faculty of Arts and Educational Science): ‘WELLBEING-STEAM: Innovative Digital Storytelling for Inclusive and Flexible Vocational Education and Training’.
- University-wide project ‘Supporting universities in reducing early school leaving using data from the ELA system’ – PLN 65,000.
- Two projects from the Faculty of Arts and Educational Science under the Ministry of National Education’s ‘NAVOICA’ initiative—which funds the development of online courses—with total funding of PLN 150,000.
- Michał Krzykawski, PhD, DSc, Assoc. Prof. (Faculty of Humanities) – additional funding of EUR 20,000 for the Horizon project ‘MAKERS’, sourced from the Saison Pologne-France programme.
As part of an investment, loan agreements totalling PLN 9 million were signed under the National Reconstruction Programme for:
- thermal modernisation of Teacher Residence Hall No. 3 and Student Residence Hall No. 5 at ul. Paderewskiego 32 in Katowice,
- improving the energy efficiency of the Faculty of Arts and Educational Science building.
An agreement was also signed regarding funding from the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, supplementing the financing for the Centre for Biotechnology and Biodiversity project, which is valued at over PLN 60 million.
Four projects proposed by the University of Silesia in Katowice have been included in the latest edition of the Polish Map of Research Infrastructure (2026):
- BERA – Logistics and Research Centre for Polish university stations on Svalbard – infrastructure supporting polar research and collaboration among scientific teams conducting studies in the Arctic.
- European Centre for Microscopic and Spectroscopic Imaging of Matter – advanced infrastructure for investigating material structures and properties using modern microscopic and spectroscopic methods.
- POULARIS – Poland’s Underground Laboratory for Advanced Research, Innovation and Science – underground research facility designed to carry out experiments requiring minimisation of the effects of radiation and other environmental disturbances.
- MEDem Web Search Engines – infrastructure enabling the study of web search engines, algorithms, and their impact on access to information, the media, and society.
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