“FOCUS ON UKRAINE” CONFERENCE 

GDAŃSK, 3–4 APRIL 2023 

Theatre Room, Modern Languages Building, Faculty of Languages, University of Gdańsk  

Wita Stwosza 51 

3 April, Monday

9:00 – 10:00 Registration

10:00 Formal inauguration of the conference

Ceremonial opening speech by the conference host, Rector of the University of Gdańsk, 

Prof. Piotr Stepnowski 

Opening speech by the Director General of the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange (NAWA), 

Dr Dawid Kostecki 

Opening speech by the Secretary of State at the Polish Ministry of Education and Science, 

Dr Tomasz Rzymkowski 

Opening speech by Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine for digital development, digital transformation and digitization

Dmytro Zavgorodniy

10:40 – 11:20 Introduction

Supporting the academic community of Ukraine – NAWA’s “Solidarity with Ukraine” programme, Magdalena Kachnowicz, Director of the Department of Programmes for Students, NAWA

Psychological and legal support for Ukrainian students and refugees, Katarzyna Ksenicz, Deputy Director of the Communication and Service Department, SWPS University of Humanities and Social Sciences

Experience of the "Solidarity with Ukraine" programme - presentation by Prof. Taras Hutsol, Polissia National University (Ukraine)

Studies in Poland during the war in Ukraine – speeches by refugee students

11:20 – 12:30  Discussion panel (PL)

International co-operation of universities as an instrument for counteracting social crises 

Chair: Prof. Jerzy Lis, Rector of AGH University of Science and Technology in Krakow, coordinator of CRASP’s activities related to the situation in Ukraine, member of the European University Association’s task force to support the reconstruction of higher education in Ukraine 

Panellists: 

• Prof. Arkadiusz Mężyk, Rector of the Silesian University of Technology, President of CRASP
• Prof. Marta Kosior-Kazberuk, Rector of Bialystok University of Technology
• Prof. Grzegorz Mazurek, Rector of Kozminski University in Warsaw 
• Prof. Dr. Agnieszka Kurczewska, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Łódź for Environmental Relations
• Prof. Volodymyr Bugrov, Rector of the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Vice-President of the Union of Rectors of Ukrainian Universities
• Prof. Borys Samorodov, Vice-Rector of Vasyl Karazin Kharkiv National University
• Piotr Semeniuk, Director of the Department of International Cooperation, Ministry of Education and Science

12:30 – 13:10 Discussion panel (PL)

Recognition of refugee students’ education from the perspective of war: experiences and challenges  

Chair: Hanna Reczulska, Director of the Department for Academic Recognition, NAWA

Panellists:

• Monika Czerepak, Deputy Head of the International Relations Office, Gdańsk University of Technology
• Samir Hećo, Council of Europe (online)
• Viktoria Sergienko, Director of the National Academic Mobility Information Centre ENIC Ukraine (online)
• Joanna Nyga, Department for Academic Recognition, NAWA

13:10 - 13:30 Coffee break

13:30 – 14:10 Discussion panel (EN)

Institutional and government support for Ukrainian refugees

Chair: Irina Ferencz, Director of the Academic Cooperation Association (ACA)

Panellists:

• Maija Airas, Head of Unit, International Higher Education Cooperation, Finnish National Agency for Education (EDUFI)
• Aneta Sergeant, Head of Study in Czechia, Czech National Agency for International Education and Research (DZS)
• Gerhard Volz, Director for International Cooperation in Higher Education, Austria’s Agency for Education and Internationalisation (OeAD)
• Karla Zimanova, Deputy Director of Slovak Academic Information Agency (SAIA) 

14:10 - 14:20 Special appearance by a representative of the Safe Country Foundation (Ukraine)

14:20 – 15:30 Lunch break

15:30 – 16:40 Discussion panel (EN)

European Universities as a model example of internationalization of higher education: challenges and areas of cooperation

Introduction: Solidarity with Ukraine – European Universities: Prof. Paweł Śniatała, Vice-Rector for International Cooperation, Poznan University of Technology

Chair: Prof. Tomasz Pietrzykowski, Vice-Rector for International and Domestic Cooperation, University of Silesia in Katowice, Chair of NAWA Council

Panellists:

• Prof. Anna Jurkowska-Zeidler, Vice-Rector for International Cooperation, University of Gdańsk 
• Prof. Andrii Smitiukh, Vice-Rector for Research, Teaching and International Cooperation, Odessa I. I. Mechnikov National University
• Prof. Ksenia Smyrnova, Vice-Rector for Education, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv
• Prof. Jean-Marc Planeix, Vice-Rector for Academic Partnerships and Governance, University of Strasbourg, Strategic Coordinator of the EPICUR alliance
• Dr Magdalena Wiśniewska-Drewniak, Assistant Professor at the Faculty of History, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń
• Prof. Rafał Witkowski, Vice-Rector for International Cooperation, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań 

16:40 – 17:30 Discussion panel (PL)

 Digital future – how technologies can support the reconstruction of a free Ukraine

 Chair:  Waldemar Siwiński, founder of Perspektywy Education Foundation, President of IREG Observatory on Academic Ranking and Excellence

Panellists:

• Justyna Orłowska, Plenipotentiary of the Prime Minister for GovTech - Head of the GovTech Centre (online)
• Prof. Paweł Śniatała, Vice-Rector for International Cooperation, Poznan University of Technology
• Dr Bianka Siwińska, President of Perspektywy Education Foundation, initiator of the “Girls to Technical Schools” public campaign as well as projects “IT for SHE” and “New Technologies for Girls”, and originator of the “Perspektywy Women in Tech Summit”
• Kateryna Suprun, Acting Head of Digital Transformation of Education and Science Expert Group Directorate of Digital Transformation, Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine (online)
• Grzegorz Robak, Director of the Center for International Cooperation, Warsaw University of Technology

18:30 Gala dinner

4 April, Tuesday

10:00 – 10:15 Special address by Oleksandr Plodystyi, Consul General of Ukraine in Poland

10:15 - 10:30 Special address by Dr Emily Borzcik, Regional Director Europe Scholar Rescue Fund, Institute of International Education (IIE), USA

10:30 - 10:45  Special address by Dr Maija M. Kukla, Program Director, National Science Foundation (NSF), USA

10:45 – 11:45 Discussion panel (PL)

 Local government initiatives: how local governments cooperate with academic centres to support refugees from Ukraine? 

 Chair: Marcin Witkowski, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

Panellists:

• Wiktoria Herun, Head of the Division for Cooperation with the Academic Community, Department of Strategy and Entrepreneurship, Lublin Municipal Office
• Iryna Ozymok, Local Economic Development Program Manager, Western NIS Enterprise Fund
• Anna Wawdysz, Deputy Director of the City Development and International Cooperation Department of the City of Poznan, Mayor's Plenipotentiary for Youth and Academic Cooperation of the City of Poznan
• Mirosław Lebiedź, Project Manager of the “Study in Wroclaw” project, Agencja Rozwoju Aglomeracji Wrocławskiej S.A.

11:45 – 12:00 Coffee break

12:00 - 12:50 Discussion panel (PL)

 Academic initiatives as a form of supporting Ukrainian students 

 Chair: Dr Zofia Sawicka, Deputy Director of NAWA

 Panellists:

• Yevheniia Polishchuk, Member of the Young Scietists Council at the Ministry of Education and Science in Ukraine
• Aleksandra Lewandowska, Representative for International Cooperation, Polish Representation of Doctoral Candidates (KRD) 
• Dr Igor Kilanowski, Chair of the Young Scientists Council
• Dr Jacek Kolanowski, Chair of the Young Scientists’ Academy PAS (AMU PAN)

12:50 – 13:40 Discussion panel (PL)

Scientific initiatives to support refugees from Ukraine

 Chair: Dr Dawid Kostecki, Director General of NAWA

Panellists:

• Agnieszka Ratajczak, Director of the International Cooperation Office, National Centre for Research and Development
• Dr Andrzej Dybczyński, President of Łukasiewicz Research Network  (online)
• Prof. Maciej Żylicz, President of the Executive Board, Foundation for Polish Science
• Prof. Jerzy Duszyński, Advisor to the President of the Polish Academy of Sciences
• Dr Tomasz Szumełda, Discipline Coordinator in the Division of Science and Technology, National Science Centre

13:40 - 14:00 Closing of the conference

14:00 Lunch

 *Each discussion panel is going to include a session for questions from the floor. 

*Simultaneous translation is provided throughout the conference: PL, EN, UA.