On 24 March 2026, a Youth Think Tank discussion took place at the University of Silesia in Katowice — “From Ukraine” — a mark of quality, professionalism, and resilience. Be an ambassador of change wherever you are,” as part of the project “SUCCESS | Socially innovative Ukrainian Centres in Central Europe: Empowerment and Social Support”.

The event created a space for Ukrainian youth in Poland to engage in meaningful dialogue on education, mobility, and the role of a “networked nation” in shaping Ukraine’s future.

The meeting brought together Ukrainian youth – students from across the Silesian voivodeship, offering them an opportunity to reflect on how studying and living abroad is not a “brain drain,” but rather a way to build strategic capital and contribute to their home country through knowledge, experience, and global connections.

Our participants had the opportunity to:

• Meet the distinguished delegation from Mariupol State University, where Acting Rector Tetiana Marena delivered an inspiring opening speech on how кризis can become a driver of innovation and development, emphasizing that a university is not defined by walls, but by people, values, and shared meaning.
• Discover the importance of global networking through the presentation of Iryna Sikorska, who highlighted international cooperation as a powerful springboard for future careers.
• Explore the role of education in rebuilding Ukraine with Svitlana Kalinina, who presented how academic expertise contributes to large-scale national recovery strategies.
• Gain inspiration from Iryna Gridina, who spoke about Ukrainian youth as “architects of change,” actively shaping their own future in a rapidly evolving world.

The discussion concluded with an engaging Q&A session, allowing students to directly interact with the speakers, share their perspectives, and ask important questions about their academic and professional paths.

After the formal part, participants continued conversations over coffee and refreshments, strengthening connections and building a supportive community of young Ukrainians abroad.

fot. Kacper Skalmierski

The University of Silesia in Katowice announces a call for applications from students to participate in the 2nd and 3rd International Aquamathics Summer School – an interdisciplinary educational programme devoted to water and aquatic environments, water management, and environmental monitoring, delivered from the perspective of the natural sciences, exact sciences, and engineering.

Information meeting:

24 March 2026, 13:00
Microsoft Teams platform, team code: 285yu0v

When and where the event will take place:

2nd International Aquamathics Summer School – 18–23 May 2026 (Poland; ORW Silesia, Międzybrodzie Bialskie)
3rd International Aquamathics Summer School – 8–13 June 2026 (Lithuania; Villa Ula, Burokaraistėlė)

Who can participate:

Each school may host 10 students from the University of Silesia in Katowice and 10 students from Vytautas Magnus University in Kaunas

Application deadline: 30 March 2026

Language of instruction: English

Participation fee: Free of charge

Funding:

Accommodation and meals provided
Participation and travel to classes covered

Format:

Classes will take place mainly in the field, regardless of weather conditions

ECTS credits and certificate:

Participants who complete the summer school will receive 3 ECTS credits and a certificate specifying the learning outcomes

How to apply:

To apply, complete the application form available in the Teams group and send a signed scan to one of the email addresses listed below the announcement

Selection criteria:

Applications will be assessed on a points basis according to the following criteria:

Language proficiency:

• English: A1–A2 (1 point), B1–B2 (2 points), C1–C2 (3 points)
• Second foreign language: A1–A2 (1 point), B1–B2 (2 points), C1–C2 (3 points)

Language certificates:

• Issued by a language school – 1 point
• Issued by a university unit – 2 points
• External certificates issued by an accredited examination centre – 3 points
  (scans of certificates must be attached)

Dean’s opinion confirming the relevance of the proposed support to the study programme:

• No relevance – 0 points
• Confirmed relevance – 3 points

A ranking list and a reserve list will be created based on the total score. In the event of a tie, the Committee may – in consultation with the Dean of the Faculty – differentiate scores within the “relevance” criterion (1–3 points). If this still does not resolve the tie, the order of applications will be decisive.

Contact:
agnieszka.babczynska@us.edu.pl
magdalena.skowronek@us.edu.pl

Application form: Annex 1A

For project-related enquiries: Transform4Europe Office, Rectorate building, Bankowa 12, 3rd floor, room no. 3.6; email: transform4europe@us.edu.pl

Primorska University invites students to participate in a Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) titled AI in Future Mobility.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is already being used successfully in many areas. For future mobility, such as autonomous vehicles, AI decisions must be transparent and explainable. To discuss the technology’s potential and existing challenges, an Erasmus+ BIP program is offered to interested students. In particular, the following questions will be discussed:

• Which AI models are suitable for the application cases?
• Which parameters influence the results and how strong are they?
• There are AI models that do not cause hallucinations?
• Does the AI ​​have to work independently in each vehicle or is a central AI necessary?

Programme description available at: AI in Future Mobility

• Physical component: 27–31 July 2026
  Host institution: UP FAMNIT, Koper

• Virtual component: May–June 2026
  • At least two virtual sessions
  • Exact dates to be confirmed
  • To take place before the physical component

Target group: BA, MA, PhD students

ECTS credits: 3

Funding and documents:
The activity is implemented under the Erasmus+ programme as a Blended Intensive Programme (BIP).

Participation requires meeting the requirements of the Erasmus+ programme. Only persons with an active status of a student or doctoral student at the University of Silesia may participate in the BIP. The BIP programme and participation in it must be approved by the home teaching unit of the individual participant, i.e. by the home faculty or doctoral school or IEDS – this is done by accepting and signing the learning agreement for studies, before the trip an individual Erasmus+ KA131 HED BIP grant agreement is signed. The settlement of the trip is based on the confirmation issued by the BIP’s organising institution on the completion of the whole BIP course, including the online and stationary parts, the physical presence during the whole stationary part, the acquisition of a minimum of 3 ECTS credits and the completion of the individual participant’s report and the submission of additional documents, if required, including declarations, statements of tickets and invoices or receipts in the case of travel by environmentally friendly means of transport and receipt of an increased flat-rate contribution to travel costs (Green Travel). Participants, upon acceptance by the home teaching unit, the sending university and the host university, fulfilment of all requirements and submission of the required documents, and the conclusion of an individual Erasmus+ grant agreement, receive:

• Individual funding: EUR 79 per mobility day (5 days + 2 travel days)
• Lump sum for travel costs – dependent on the chosen mode of transport and distance:
• EUR 417 – environmentally friendly travel (e.g. train, bus, carpooling)
• EUR 309 – regular travel (e.g. plane)

For the settlement of the lump-sum travel funds, in the case of travel by environmentally friendly means of transport (Green Travel), the above-mentioned documents will be required (declaration, declarations of travel by environmentally friendly means of transport, tickets, invoices/receipts (in the case of travel by bus or train).

Those with fewer opportunities to participate (people with disabilities or receiving a social allowance) can receive an additional EUR 100 for the entire trip.

Each Erasmus+ KA131 HED BIP must include an online component and an on-site component of at least 5 days (not including travel days).

Each participant covers his or her own accommodation and food costs from the funds received as part of the individual allowance.

Documents required:

• Learning Agreement for Studies (Erasmus+ BIP);
• Application for travel abroad – WS;
• [Complete signatures: participant, faculty coordinator, and dean];
• GDPR information clause.

The allowance agreement will be signed upon submission of the complete set of documents to the International Exchange Office of the University of Silesia.

Mobility will be settled on the basis of:

• confirmation of the completion of the programme by the organising university (Primorska University);
• completing an individual online questionnaire in the Beneficiary Module system;
• in the case of Green Travel funding, the documents indicated above;
• providing the Transform4Europe office with a project report titled

Recruitment: The students will be selected based on the assessment of applications.

The deadline for submitting applications is 27 March 2026.

Registration form: formularze.us.edu.pl/form/index/7108

If you have any questions about recruitment, please contact: agnieszka.kwasniak@us.edu.pl.

Photo by Gary Lopater on Unsplash

Do you enjoy walking and want to take on a motivating challenge for your health and for the planet? Transform4Europe invites you to join 26M Steps 4 Europe, a collective challenge bringing together universities from the Transform4Europe alliance.

How does it work?

Each university forms a team that tracks participants’ steps via the StepUp app. Your shared goal: reach 26 million steps by May 28, 2026!

Why take part?

• Move more and improve your health
• Reduce sedentary behavior and promote sustainable mobility
• Take part in a friendly competition with other European universities

When does it start?

The challenge begins on March 16, 2026, and will end during T4EU Week in Lisbon on May 28.

Sign up now! Every step brings you closer to a more sustainable Europe. Your university is counting on you!

Move more. Live better. Step for a sustainable Europe.

Join now: https://join.thestepupapp.com/5wRlej.

Photo by Sincerely Media on Unsplash

The LETSGROW project invites you to a two-day practical workshop introducing the principles and methods of rapid prototyping using analogue and digital tools. During the workshop, participants will work in interdisciplinary teams to develop and build prototypes in a fully equipped FabLab, gaining experience in 3D printing, laser cutting and microcontrollers. The emphasis is on creativity, user-centred thinking and iterative development. Teams will present their prototypes during an official presentation at the end of the event.

Target group

University staff, scientists, researchers, doctoral students

Date and venue

• 22–23 April, 9:00–17:00 CET
• FabLab Innovation Centre, Saarland University (building A2.1), Saarbrücken
• Registration

Key topics

• Purpose and value of prototyping
• Overview of analogue and digital prototyping tools
• Practical development of participants’ ideas
• Interdisciplinary teamwork and creative methods
• Reflection on user orientation and feasibility

We also encourage you to visit the LETSGROW project website.

The Youth Think Tank initiative connects Ukrainian youth in Poland with experts from various fields, creating a platform for meaningful exchange and hands-on learning about European values.

Event Details:

• Date: 24 March 2026
• Time: 13:45 – 15:15
• Place: University of Silesia in Katowice, Faculty of Humanities, Room B.023, at Uniwersytecka 4 street.
• Topic: “From Ukraine” — a mark of quality, professionalism, and resilience. Be an ambassador of change wherever you are.

Purpose of the meeting:
To discuss with Ukrainian youth in Poland that studying and living abroad is not a “brain drain,” but a way to accumulate strategic capital for the country, a powerful intellectual resource. “Our people abroad” reflects the idea of a “networked nation.” The discussion will include a Q&A session.

Speakers:

• Tetiana Marena, Acting Rector of Mariupol State University (MDU, Ukraine)
• Iryna Sikorska, Director of the Center for International Education (MDU)
• Svitlana Kalinina, Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Law (MDU)
• Iryna Gridina, Professor, Department of Political Science & International Relations (MDU)

Participation is free.
Registered participants who attend the discussion will receive a certificate stating: Participation in this event is recognized as 2 hours of social engagement.

Refreshments will be provided.

Register here: https://forms.gle/VDBPd7MapHQggeVe8

The Youth Think Tank is organized within the project SUCCESS | Socially innovative Ukrainian Centres in Central Europe: Empowerment and Social Support

Description: The training will bring together Ukrainian community leaders from Poland and Lithuania to strengthen their civic participation skills, build inter-community cooperation, and translate community needs into concrete action. Over four intensive days, participants will explore democratic processes, practice community engagement tools, and enhance cross-border cooperation on civic participation between Ukrainian community leaders in Lithuania and Poland.

Format: 4‑day residential, highly interactive training combining experiential learning, peer exchange, and applied project work.

Dates: 14-17 April 2026
14 April – Katowice, University of Silesia
15–17 April – Podlesice, Hotel Ostaniec

Venue: Katowice, University of Silesia / Podlesice, Hotel Ostaniec

Working language: English

Target group: Ukrainian community leaders living in Poland

Registration form: https://forms.gle/U8RgxaycnAz7VeRL7

Participant Profile

We invite Ukrainian community leaders, active volunteers, coordinators, cultural activity leaders, project initiators, and emerging civic actors of Ukrainian origin who currently live anywhere in Poland — large cities, regional centres, and rural municipalities. Both representatives of formal organizations (associations, foundations, culture centres, diaspora groups) and informal community initiatives are welcome.

Participants should (eligibility criteria):

• Arrived in Poland on 24 February 2022 or later from Ukraine.
• Hold Ukrainian citizenship.
• Be 18+ and involved in community or civic work.
• Have a sufficient level of English.
• Commit to full participation in the 4-day training.
• Be motivated to strengthen civic participation and community engagement where they live.

We aim for balanced representation, diversity in age and gender, and inclusion of smaller or emerging local initiatives — not only well‑established organizations.

Aim: To empower Ukrainian community leaders living in Poland and Lithuania with the knowledge, skills, partnerships, and practical tools needed to initiate, strengthen, and sustain civic participation and community development initiatives in their local contexts.

Objectives:

1. Build Civic Competencies: Develop participants’ understanding of democratic systems in EU, rights‑based participation, and effective models of civic action at community level.
2. Strengthen Community Leadership & Engagement: Equip leaders with practical methods to mobilize community members, facilitate dialogue, identify community needs, and design inclusive participation processes.
3. Accelerate Local Civic Initiatives: Support participants to co‑create local activities, form partnerships with institutions, and plan follow‑up implementation after the training.

Training course topics:

• Civic society & democratic participation: how community voice influences change.
• Mapping community needs, assets, and stakeholders.
• Community leadership roles, competencies, boundaries, and self‑care.
• Inclusive engagement: reaching diverse age groups, newly arrived people, and those at risk of exclusion.
• Project basics: from idea to action (problem tree, objective setting, stakeholder buy‑in, budget basics, risks).
• Working with institutions: who does what (municipalities, NGOs, integration centres, cultural institutes, education).

International Leaders’ Training course “Community Accelerator” is organized within the project SUCCESS | Socially innovative Ukrainian Centres in Central Europe: Empowerment and Social Support

Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are, however, those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Social Fund Agency. Neither the European Union nor the Granting Authority can be held responsible for them.

University of Silesia in Katowice invites all interested researchers and non-academic staff to join Transform4Europe Matchmaking Event in Katowice titled: „Cooperating on Sustainable Future: from natural sciences to science diplomacy”, which will take place on 21-22 April 2026 in Katowice.

The aim of the event is to bring together academic and non-academic staff working in relevant fields to discuss the establishment of joint programs and other forms of cooperation. The event will also be an excellent opportunity to continue talks and further develop ideas that have already appeared.

The event will include both plenary and thematic group sessions, providing participants with both an overview of cooperation possibilities and space to informally discuss ideas in a form suitable to the needs of particular groups.

Proposed expert sessions include:

• Natural sciences: biotechnology and environment
• Natural science & food security
• Tourism
• Neuroscience, cognitive science, psychology, and biomedical engineering
• Science diplomacy & research communication
• Physics
• Chemistry
• Mathematics
• Environmental Law
• Materials Science and Engineering
• International Business Law

Interested academic and non-academic experts can register through the online form: Transform4Europe Matchmaking Event until 31 March.

Full programme

The programme may be expanded by additional sessions focused on different topics.

The confirmations will be sent after the registration is closed.

Sofia University ‘St. Kliment Ohridski’ invites you to the online Science Communication Course: The Art of Public Talk—a specialised workshop by Vladimir Bozhilov, PhD.

The course supports researchers and academics in communicating scientific subjects clearly and convincingly to non-specialist audiences.
 
Objectives:

• introduce systematic methodologies for creating and delivering impactful public talks;
• provide practical guidelines for adapting complex research into common outreach formats;
• facilitate discussion of best practices through test-case demonstrations.

Date & time: 25 March 2026, 14:00–17:00 EET (Bulgaria) / 13:00–16:00 CET / 12:00–15:00 WET.
Format: Online (MS Teams) – link provided after registration.
Language: English.
Admission: Open to scientists of all academic levels; no prior communication experience required.
Registration deadline: 15 March 2026.
Register here: https://forms.office.com/e/4PD6wKRnpK
Website link: https://transform4europe.eu/science-communication-the-art-of-public-talk/

Transform4Europe Bootcamp – Turning societal challenges into entrepreneurial solutions

T4EU T-Lab Entrepreneurship invites young researchers and students to participate in the upcoming T4EU Bootcamp, taking place from 27^th April until 30^th April 2026 on the Campus of Saarland University in Saarbrücken, Germany.

The thematic focus of the event is how societal challenges can be turned into entrepreneurial solutions. In order to have a hands-on experience, participants will go through a founding lifecycle during four days in Saarbrücken.

Target group: BA, MA and PhD students

Learning outcomes: The aim of the Bootcamp is to provide opportunities for participants to gain theoretical and practical knowledge and skills when it comes to startup eco systems and founding startups.

Apart of that, participants will have the chance to enhance and improve their skills in:

• Interdisciplinary Teamwork
• Presentation Skills
• Design Thinking Techniques
• Public Speaking Skills
• Financial Modelling Skills

More information: Transform4Europe Bootcamp – Transform4Europe

Registration form: https://formularze.us.edu.pl/form/index/7089. Registration deadline: 20th March.

Agenda

T-Lab Fair – “Entrepreneurship Transformation Lab”

The T4EU T-Lab Entrepreneurship invites young researchers and students to participate in the upcoming T4EU Fair, taking place from 27^th April until 29^th April 2026 on the Campus of Saarland University in Saarbrücken, Germany.

The event will be focused around transforming innovative ideas into tangible impact across academia, business, and society. Participants explore the entrepreneurial mindset through interactive input sessions, visits from local startups and innovation hubs, and collaborative project work addressing real-world challenges.

Target group: BA, MA and PhD students

Learning outcomes: The aim of the Fair is to provide opportunities for participants to gain theoretical and practical knowledge and skills when it comes to startup eco systems and founding startups, as well as presenting the Saarbrücken eco system with regards to the topic.

More information: T-Lab Fair – Entrepreneurship Transformation Lab – Transform4Europe

Registration form: https://formularze.us.edu.pl/form/index/7089. Registration deadline: 20th March.

Agenda

Science Café

Additionally on 29^th April Science Café will take place at 17:15-19:30 in Saarbrucken and online.

Travel and accommodation costs of the selected participants will be covered by Transform4Europe project. Accommodation of students will be organised in double/triple rooms. Plane and railway tickets will be purchased by the university. Subsistence costs and local transport based on the business trips lump sums.