Mr Jakob Calice, PhD - Managing Director of the OeAD-GmbH - Agency for Education and Internationalisation in Vienna, since January 2019. He is the Chairman of the Innovationsstiftung für Bildung. He also serves as a member of the Board of Trustees for Sinnbildungsstiftung and as a Member of the Supervisory Board for Mauthausen-Memorial and the Stiftung für Wirtschaftsbildung, contributing his expertise in business and organizational leadership. Dr. Calice's has served as Director at Kulturkontakt Austria and Secretary General at the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research. His experience extends to various leadership positions within the Federal Ministry of Science, Research and Economy, where he served as Chief of Staff and Member of Cabinet, focusing on research and technology promotion. He studied history at the University of Vienna and gained his PhD in cultural studies and tourism in Leeds.

Mr Michal Fedák, MA - Executive Director of SAIA, n. o. (Slovak Academic Information Agency). Joined SAIA, n. o., in 2004 where he was responsible directly for administration of various scholarship and granting programmes. He served as Deputy Executive Director and member of the Executive Committee of SAIA, n. o. He has been appointed Executive Director of SAIA. From November 2022, he was temporarily released from his duties at SAIA to serve as the State Secretary for Science, Research and Higher Education at the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sports of the Slovak Republic. Since October 2023 he has returned to SAIA. As an expert, Michal had a leading role in writing the first Slovak Higher Education Internationalisation Strategy that was approved by the Slovak Government in December 2021. He is also interested in migration legislation that influences the mobility of students and researchers and promotion of higher education abroad. In the past he was a member of various bodies connected with the internationalisation of higher education and research (e.g. 2000 – 2002 Managing Board of Leonardo da Vinci II. Programme, National Expert for MSCA within the Horizon 2020 EU Programme, member of the Slovak Steering Committee for Operational Programme Science and Innovation – EU structural funds period 2014 – 2020). Michal is a graduate of the Master's degree in Philology (German and Slovak language) at the Comenius University in Bratislava.

Ms Minna Kelhä, PhD - Director General at the Finnish National Agency for Education. Previously Dr Kelhä has served as State Secretary to the Finnish Minister of Education, Mr Jussi Saramo, Secretary General of the Left Alliance Parliamentary Group, Development Manager at the National Institute for Health and Welfare’s Centre for Gender Equality Information and researcher at the University of Helsinki.

Mr Roman Klepetko, MA - Deputy Director and Head of the Higher Education and Lifelong Learning Division in DZS (Czech National Agency for International Education and Research). Since 2016, Roman experienced different roles in DZS including being head of Erasmus+ Higher Education Unit, coordinator of Czech Presidency activities in education and research or head of Youth Mobilities’ Unit. In these roles he supported and promoted all Erasmus+ activities for HEIs and provided capacity building and assessment for Czech HEIs. Roman is also responsible of CZEDUCON conference and MICHE project (Monitoring of Internationalisation of Czech Higher Education). Over the years, he has held various roles in university administration, including administrative support and summer schools’ coordination at the International Relations Office at the Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague and internships at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic. Roman Klepetko holds a master's degree in Economic and Cultural Studies from the Czech University of Life Sciences supplemented by coursework in Human Geography and Regional Development at Charles University.

Prof. Dorota Piotrowska - Is a university professor, researcher and academic teacher at the Łodz University of Technology, where she also holds the position of Director of the Centre for International Cooperation, Rector's Plenipotentiary for Internationalisation, University Coordinator of the Erasmus + Programme and Institutional Coordinator for ECIU European University. As part of her academic work, she coordinates numerous projects in the broad field of internationalisation - double degree agreements, international partnership projects, accreditation and international rankings - programme and institutional mobility projects for students and academic staff. She has also introduced many innovative teaching and learning strategies, effective quality assurance systems and innovative university management models. In her research activities, she has led and supervised numerous projects dedicated to strategic management in higher education institutions, change management, research on dynamic development models of European and world higher education institutions. She is an expert supporting the Minister of Education and Science on micro-credentials, European Universities Initiative, National Qualifications System. She also acts as an expert for the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange (NAWA) and the Conference of Rectors of Academic Schools in Poland (CRASP).

Andrea Brose, PhD - Is the Educational Lead of European Consortium of Innovative Universities (ECIU) University of the EU initiative "European Universities". She has been leading the Challenge-Based Education area of ECIU University since its inception in 2019. A mathematician by training, she brings an international perspective from her 15 years at US universities. Until her current position, she led TUHH's Center for Teaching and Learning, which she shaped after its founding. She publishes articles and participates in international conferences on higher education and engineering education.

Peter van der Hijden - Former Head of Sector Higher Education Policy, European Commission. Is an independent higher education strategy advisor of Dutch nationality living in Brussels. He acts as sparring partner, board member, workshop moderator and inspirational speaker for universities, their networks and alliances, public authorities, non-governmental organisations, companies and media outlets. Peter has worked 23 years for the European Commission (Education, Transport, Research). He played a central role in developing the Erasmus programme, the Bologna process and the Modernisation agenda for universities. He further contributed to the Horizon R&I framework programmes and the human resources strategy of the European Research Area (ERA). Peter studied law at Maastricht University in the Netherlands, where he started his career as Vice-Registrar of the University Council and Policy Officer for Education and Research.Recent assignments include positioning and coaching European Universities, an EU initiative. External advisor for EC-RTD 2030 Vision Study on Universities (2020). Member of the Advisory Committee of Kiron Open Higher Education and promotor of ‘micro-credentials’ as a new and flexible learning option for all (advisor to EC, UNESCO and organisations worldwide). Peter co-authored the 2023 UNESCO-IIEP policy paper ‘Short courses, micro-credentials and flexible learning pathways Blueprint for policy development and action’.

Prof. Andrzej Kraśniewski - Is a Professor at the Faculty of Electronics and Information Technology, Warsaw University of Technology, chair of the Education Committee at the Faculty, and Advisor to the Rector on international cooperation in education. Within the ENHANCE European University Alliance, he led the working group that developed the ENHANCE Education Strategy and is now coordinating activities related to the development and implementation of short-term offers, including micro-credentials. In 1999-2020 he was Secretary General of the Conference of Rectors of Academic Schools in Poland (CRASP). He was a member of the national team that developed the Polish Qualifications Framework. He served as a member of advisory bodies (Steering Committee, Advisory Board) for projects coordinated by the European University Association. He published ca. 130 technical papers in the field of computer engineering and ca. 90 papers on various aspects of higher education, in particular of engineering education. He is a Life Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (USA).

Prof. Paweł Śniatała - Prof. PUT, Vice-Rector of Poznan University of Technology for International Relations (2020-2024) and the Coordinator of the EUNICE European University. He received the M.S. in Telecommunication, M.S. in Computer Science, and Ph.D. in Microelectronics and the habilitation (D.Sc.) in electronics. He has also graduated the international MBA study in the joint program of George State University and Poznan University of Economics. He has worked at the Rochester Institute of Technology (USA) for 4 years. Currently, he is involved in research projects related to eHealth area, cybersecurity, and AI application. Before, his area of interests focusses on integrated circuits for mixed, analog-digital, signal processing systems. He was involved in several industrial projects, e.g.: control and monitoring systems for gas mines, water treatment plants, and for airports. He is the PI of a European grant H2020 REUNICE and participated in H2020 project “CAncer PAtients Better Life Ex-perience”. He is a co-founder of the European Metaverse Research Network. He was a visiting professor in the USA, Portugal, Peru, and Taiwan. He published more than 100 papers including three monographs.

Aleksandar Šušnjar - Is the Institutional Coordinator for Young Universities for the Future of Europe (YUFE) Alliance at the University of Rijeka. His main areas of work include the European degree label initiative, development of YUFE educational offer (including joint programmes) and coordinating participation of UNIRI experts in all transnational activities. Aleksandar has participated in or is currently engaged in European projects on inter-institutional cooperation, transnational educational programmes, quality of higher education, and social dimension. He has also been a member of different national and European policy-making and expert groups dealing with student engagement, social dimension, qualification frameworks, and quality assurance and enhancement. With expert background in quality assurance, Aleksandar has coordinated internal quality evaluations at the University of Rijeka and participated in over 20 institutional, QA agency, and developmental thematic reviews at the national and international level. Since 2021, he is a member of the Register Committee of the European Quality Assurance Register for Higher Education (EQAR).

Magdalena Kachnowicz - Is the Director of the Department of Programmes for Students in the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange (NAWA). Magdalena is in charge of the department that prepares and implements programmes for international students, which allow them to study in Poland with the NAWA scholarship. She is also managing the implementation of aid programmes for students from Belarus and Ukraine: Solidarity with Belarus, Solidarity with Ukraine and EU4Belarus – SALT (Support for Advanced Learning and Training).

Luca Lantero - Is the current Director General of CIMEA, the Italian Information Center on Academic Mobility and Equivalence. He is one of the main experts at Italian and international level on higher education, on bogus diplomas and accreditation mills, foreign higher education systems degrees, TNE institutions and accreditation, digitalization of processes and blockchain technology applied to recognition. From 2018 and 2020 he was the Head of the Bologna Follow-Up Group (BFUG) Secretariat of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). Since 2019 he is the President of the Lisbon Recognition Convention Committee and he is the current Head of the ASEM Education Secretariat. In 2022 he was elected member of the Bureau of the Ethics, Transparency, and Integrity (ETINED) platform of the Council of Europe.

Joanna Nyga - Evaluator of education documents, Head of Recognition of a Foreign Diploma Unit, Department of Academic Recognition in NAWA. Graduate of the Jagiellonian University. She has many years of experience in the field of recognition of education obtained abroad. She participates in international projects and other initiatives related to the recognition of education and in projects implemented by the Polish ENIC-NARIC centre. Co-author and trainer in the field of recognition of education and evaluation of foreign documents for Polish universities.

Szymon Sala - Deputy Director of the Department of University Organization, Education and Student Affairs at the Ministry of Science and Higher Education. His responsibilities cover a broad scope of issues subject to Minister of Science’s supervisory authority over non-public universities. Those include: ensuring organizational and legal conditions functioning of the non-public higher education institutions and the system of education in higher education, including the fulfilment of the conditions for conducting studies. He oversees the process of granting permits for the establishment of studies (i.e. study programmes in specific field of study, their level and profile), as well as the compliance of higher education institutions’ functionining with applicable law. Privately passionate about history and travel in Central and South America.

Sebastian Stride, PhD -  Sebastian Stride, PhD is an expert in Higher Education and Research at SIRIS Academic, a consulting firm fully owned by a not-for-profit foundation. He has worked for 250 universities worldwide, helped raise over 5 billion Euros and is as happy to speak at Termez State University as at Harvard. In a previous life he spent 15 years working as an archaeologist on the Silk Road.

Dr. Piotr Kępski - Head of Departament of Programmes for Institutions NAWA since 2024. Graduated from the University of Warsaw (MISH) and afterwards obtained a PhD in Sociology at SWPS University. Piotr also graduated from National School of Public Administration (KSAP). He was a scholarship holder of the Robert Bosch Foundation. He has many years of experience in programme and project management in public administration. From 2004 to 2018, he worked at the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, being in charge of the cooperation with the European Commission and the implementation of digital projects. He was also a delegate to the programme committee for Future Technologies (FET) in Horizon 2020. Since 2018, Piotr has been working in the Departament of Programmes for Institutions NAWA.

Margot Biesemans - Third year PhD student at the First Doctoral School of the Medical University of Gdańsk. With distinction, she completed her Bachelor and Master of Sciences in Pharmaceutical Sciences at Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) in Belgium, specializing in Drug Design and Development. Margot's research interests span the mitochondrial metabolism and the optimization and application of untargeted metabolomics. Her expertise in laboratory techniques and data analysis was evident from three previous research publications that she has co-authored on. Additionally, Margot has presented the research results in oral and poster formats on five different national and international conferences over the last three years. In addition to her academic achievements, Margot has demonstrated leadership as a Local Officer on Research Exchange (LORE) for BeMSA VUB and as a co-organizer of the BeMSA National General Assembly (NGA).

Marta Gurczyńska - Head of the Doctoral School Office at Gdańsk University of Technology since 2019. She initiated a discussion group of doctoral school staff operating under the aegis of the IROs Forum - monthly meetings of administrative support staff employed at doctoral schools. In 2021-2023, she coordinated the project "STE(E)R-ing towards International Doctoral School" within the NAWA programme "STER - Internationalisation of Doctoral Schools" at Gdańsk University of Technology, and from 2024 she is supervising the next edition of this programme. She has been involved with Gdańsk University of Technology since 2013. She coordinated a major project "Centre for Advanced Studies - development of interdisciplinary doctoral studies at Gdańsk University of Technology in key areas in the context of the objectives of the Europe 2020 Strategy". She participated in the development of the concept of the Doctoral School at Gdańsk University of Technology, and was a member of the Content Team for the coordination of works related to the creation, organisation and launch of the Doctoral School. Member of the international organisations promoting good practices in education EUA-CDE and PRIDE Network.

Prof. Andrzej Antoni Horzela – Theoretical physicist, for over 40 years connected with the H. Niewodniczanski Institute of Nuclear Physics of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Krakow, currently Professor Emeritus of this Institute. Co-organiser and coordinator of doctoral programmes conducted at the Institute of Nuclear Physics of the Polish Academy of Sciences, both national as well as international. Co-founder and first Director of the Kraków Interdisciplinary Doctoral School (KISD) grouping 6 institutes of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Kraków and 2 departments of the AGH University of Science and Technology. Coordinator of NAWA PROM programmes of the first and second edition carried out at IFJ PAN and NAWA STER 2021-2023 obtained for KISD.

Aleksandra Lewandowska - Member of the Board of the European Council of Doctoral Candidates and Junior Researchers (Eurodoc) and Eurodoc Representative in the Bologna Follow-Up Group (EHEA). Plenipotentiary of the Polish National Association of Doctoral Candidates for International Cooperation, where she served as Member of the Management Board in the term 2022. Assistant and Doctoral Candidate at the University of Bialystok, where she served as Doctoral Candidate's Ombudsperson in term 2023. Since 2019, Member of the Student Legal Clinic - Laboratory of the Faculty of Law at the University of Białystok. Her research interests include neurophysiological mechanisms of empathy, the use of neuroscientific evidence in criminal law and neuropsychological approaches in the social rehabilitation.

Prof. Tomasz Olejniczak - Director of Doctoral School, Leon Koźmiński University. He graduated with a degree in Japanese Studies from the University of Warsaw and obtained a Master's degree in Management from the University of Tokyo. In 2012, he joined the Department of Management at Kozminski University, where he received his PhD in 2014. His research interests include Japanese management, organisational longevity and business history. He was a recipient of scholarships from the Japanese Ministry of Education, the Japan Foundation and the National Agency for Academic Exchange (NAWA) with research internships at the University of Tokyo and Bocconi University in Milan. Over the years, he has worked in the Office for International Accreditation and served as the Rector's Plenipotentiary for the Internal Quality System.

Prof. Adam Gendźwiłł - Deputy Chairman of the NAWA Council. Associate professor of political science and sociology at the University of Warsaw, head of the Center for Electoral Studies. He investigates electoral behavior, local governments, municipal politics, and reforms of administrative divisions in Europe. Former Fulbright fellow (Northwestern University, Evanston) and NAWA Bekker visiting researcher (Southern Denmark University, Odense). He participated in several international projects (COST Action, Horizon 2020, Polish-Norwegian Research Cooperation Program). Currently, he leads a research project on female political representation in local governments, funded by the Polish National Science Center. He serves as an expert on elections, local governments, and research/higher education policy. He has been cooperating with the Council of Europe, Batory Foundation, Institute Strategie 2050, and other non-governmental organizations.

Dr Paweł Dąbrowski - Has been involved in migration issues and migration law since 2001, both as an academic teacher and as a public administration professional. Dr. Dabrowski specialises in the topics of legalisation of stay of foreigners, related to return policy and refugee law. He is the author and co-author of monographs in the field of foreigners' law, including in particular the latest and the most comprehensive commentary entitled: ‘Law on Foreigners. Commentary’, C.H. Beck 2020, edited by J. Chlebny, as well as 11 articles and four glosses in this area of law. In the past, he was employed by the Office for Repatriation and Foreigners and the Border Guard Headquarters. He was a member of the Council for Refugees for three terms and acted as the Chairman of the Council between 2014-2019. In 2020-2024 he held the position of Director of the Legal Office at Kozminski University, where he has been also continuously working as an assistant professor in the Department of Administration and Administrative Law. In April 2024, Dr. Dabrowski has been appointed as a Director of the Department for International Affairs and Migration at the Ministry of Interior and Administration of Poland.

Dr. Henryka Mościcka-Dendys - Deputy Minister of Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A doctor of juridical science. A graduate in law and classical philology from the University of Silesia in Katowice. She was awarded a PhD in international law at the University of Warsaw's Faculty of Law and Administration (2007). At the MFA since 2002. She held such posts as Head of the Coordination Unit at the ministry's European Union Department and expert at the Office of the CBSS Commissioner on Democratic Development in Copenhagen (2003). From 2007 to 2011, she worked as first secretary and later as counsellor at the Polish Embassy in Berlin. In 2011-2012, she was Deputy Director of the European Policy Department for Institutional Affairs and Northern Europe. She served as Director of the European Policy Department from August 2012 to April 2013. Undersecretary of State for Parliamentary Affairs, European Policy and Human Rights from April 2013 to November 2015 and Poland's Ambassador to Denmark in 2015-2020. She headed the MFA's Bureau of Investments from September 2020 to December 2023.In 2011-2016, she was a member of the Foundation for German-Polish Cooperation's Council. She currently holds this function at the Polish Institute of International Affairs and the European Council on Foreign Relations. Undersecretary of State Henryka Mościcka-Dendys is responsible for consular as well as legal and treaty affairs. She is also responsible for programming and coordinating the promotion of Poland, public and cultural diplomacy, and issues related to the Polish community abroad.

.

Prof. Andrzej Szeptycki - Deputy Minister of Ministry of Science and Higher Education. A political scientist, university professor at the Faculty of Political Science and International Studies, University of Warsaw, expert of the Institute Strategie 2050. His research interests focus on Ukrainian domestic and foreign policy, Polish foreign policy, the situation in the post-Soviet area, as well as post-colonial studies and the politics of memory. He has lectured among other in France, Ukraine and China, His most recent publication is "Contemporary Polish-Ukrainian Relations" (Scholar 2023). He is currently the head of the research project’ Wars of Russia: causes, determinants, course and consequences of military combat operations of the Russian Federation in the post-Cold War period’ funded by the National Science Centre. Dr Andrzej Szeptycki, Prof. UW is responsible for international cooperation at the Ministry of Science and Higher Education.

Prof. Stanisław Kistryn - Physicist with a specialisation in experimental nuclear physics, expert in electronic measurement systems, co-author of over 200 publications in peer-reviewed scientific journals. Jagiellonian University Rector Proxy cooperation within Una Europa, previously Vice-Rector of the Jagiellonian University for research and structural funds for two terms, also responsible for the area of international cooperation. Currently, he is also vice-chairman of the General Council for Science and Higher Education and coordinator of the Polish section of the Coalition for Reform of the Assessment System in Science (CoARA). He was a member of the Committee for the Evaluation of Academic Units and ministerial teams for the development of funding algorithms, evaluation of journals and consultation of the draft Law 2.0. He represents the Jagiellonian University in The Guild network (he was a member of the first Board and Treasurer of this network) and is a member of the Directorate of Una Europa association, serving as its Treasurer since the establishment of the association.

Dr. Dominik Antonowicz, prof. UMK – Head of the Department of Research on Science and Higher Education at the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń. In the field of higher education, he specialises in the analysis of public policy, in particular goal setting, implementation and evaluation, as well as the system and management of universities. A graduate of the UMK (sociology) and the University of Birmingham (public management), he also worked at the Center of Higher Education Policy Studies (CHEPS) at the University of Twente (2008-2009) and the Centro de Investigação de Políticas do Ensino Superior CIPES at the University of Porto (2016) and the Centre for the Study of Canadian and International Higher Education (CIHE) at the University of Toronto (Canada) (2020-2021). He has held fellowships from the UK Government (Chevening Scholar), NAWA (Bekker), the Foundation for Polish Science (Start and Columbus). He serves as Chairman of the Council of the University of Gdansk and is also a member of the NAWA Council.

Prof. Marcin Gruchała - Rector of Medical University of Gdańsk. Chairman of KRAUM. Academic teacher, physician, specialist in internal diseases and cardiology, professor of medical sciences. Pro-rector for student affairs at the Medical University of Gdańsk from 2012 to 2016, Rector of the University since 2016. Chairman of the Conference of Rectors of Academic Medical Universities in the term 2020-2024. Since 2022, Chairman of the Assembly of the Daniel Fahrenheit Association of Universities in Gdańsk. Member of the Scientific Council of the Stefan Cardinal Wyszyński National Institute of Cardiology - National Research Institute.Throughout his professional life associated with his alma mater. Since 2013, Head of the 1st Chair and Department of Cardiology at GUMed.

Prof. Ewa Gruszczyńska – Vice-Rector for International Affairs. DAAD scholarship holder at the Freie Universität in Berlin. From 2013 to 2016 she was a member of the board of the European Health Psychology Society. Author of more than 70 scientific publications, member of the editorial committees of Anxiety, Stress & Coping; Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being and Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine. Regular reviewer of research grant proposals on international panels. Winner of awards for scientific, teaching and organisational achievements. Her research focus is on stress and coping; her most recent NCN grant, carried out in Polish-German cooperation as part of the Beethoven competition, concerns the psychological benefits of social support for those providing it.

Prof. Teofil Jesionowski - Rector of the Poznan University of Technology (term 2020-2024) and Rector-elect (term 2024-2028), Chairman of the Conference of Rectors of Polish Universities of Technology (KRPUT). He belongs to the Corporation of the Polish Academy of Sciences as a correspondent member.He has held many positions at the university and in other units. He has visited numerous scientific centres or institutions around the world. He has collaborated with the Danish University of Technology, University Technology Sydney and Kent State University. He has given lectures and talks in numerous countries representing 5 continents. He has published numerous scientific papers in reputable journals. He is a co-inventor of foreign and national patents. He is an expert of NCN, NCBiR and F.R.S.-FNRS Belgium; NWO Netherlands and DFG Germany. Professor Teofil Jesionowski has been a supervisor in 27 doctoral dissertations and 7 of his former doctoral students/masters have obtained the highest degree.

Prof. Sławomir Smyczek - Vice-Rector for Education and International Cooperation at the University of Economics in Katowice. At the same time, he is Head of the Department of Consumption Studies. He is a national representative in the Asian Marketing Association MAGScholar and in the European Universities Network DUKENET, of which he was President in 2017-2019. Since 2022, he has been the President of the Silesian Universities Network (SUN). He teaches at foreign universities, including Wirtschaftsuniversität Wien (Austria), Université de Haute-Alsace (France), Budapest Business School (Hungary), Howest Hogeschool West-Vlaanderen (Belgium) or Universidad CEU Cardenal Herrera in Valencia (Spain). He is an expert in consumer rights protection. In 2023, he was appointed to the Scientific Advisory Committee of the Financial Ombudsman. He conducts research on consumer behaviour, sustainable consumption, consumer market exclusion and marketing.

Ewa Kiszka - Head of University Internationalisation Office, Medical University of Gdańsk. Chair of the IROs Forum network of international cooperation offices. Marketing Star 2018 in the competition of the Educational Foundation "Perspektywy". Specialises in issues concerning the internationalisation of the University, international cooperation and mobility, marketing and promotion of the University abroad, support, relations and integration of the foreign part of the University community. She promotes GUMed abroad, co-organises promotional trips, establishes contacts with foreign institutions, publishes texts on internationalisation, and creates cooperation networks. He is a member of professional organisations: EAIE, IROs Forum, PRom Association and representative of the University in numerous projects concerning the internationalisation of the University. She is the author and co-creator of many events and campaigns implemented at the University aimed at improving the intercultural competence of the University community and supporting and integrating the foreign part of the GUMed community.

Dr. Adam Płoszaj – Assistant Professor at the EUROREG Centre for European Regional and Local Studies and Head of the Science Studies Research Laboratory at the University of Warsaw. Specialisation: evaluation of public policies; scientometrics; scientific and innovation policy; scientific cooperation and scientific mobility, regional and local development. Participated in the implementation of dozens of research projects, national and international, basic and applied, including evaluation projects. He has carried out projects commissioned by, among others, the European Commission, the World Bank, the United Nations Development Programme, and many national institutions. He has conducted research in Poland, Canada, USA, France, Spain, Germany and Ukraine. He was a visiting scholar at Carleton University in Ottawa (Canada), University of Groningen (Netherlands), University College London (UK), Indiana University Bloomington (USA). Co-author of the monograph The Geography of Scientific Collaboration.

Dr. Jacek Kaczmarek - Graduate of the Faculty of Medicine at the Medical University of Gdańsk. GUMed representative for relations with international alumni, lecturer in human physiology to both Polish and international students. Three-time winner of the Amicus Studentis USS GUMed award. Former head of the Independent Medical Education Laboratory; former university coordinator of the SOCRATES/Erasmus Programme; coordinator of projects including Hand in Hand into the Future in the NAWA International Alumni Programme; co-organiser of the education and information campaign ‘Culture of Respect’ and ‘Different and Equal’.

Marzena Kołtoniak - Has been affiliated with the Medical University of Gdańsk for almost 20 years. At the beginning of her work, she taught Polish language classes to GUMed students. These years have helped her gain the experience needed to support young people in a new environment. Since 2019, she has been working as one of the two Welcome Point Coordinators, where, in a friendly space, the foreign part of the GUMed community can get all the necessary support and help to solve problems related to life in a new country and university.

Shraddha Singh - 6th Year Medicine English Division student at Medical University of Gdansk (MUG) from India. Chairwoman of the board (2023-24) of the Student Scientific Society of MUG, co-leader the of Student Scientific Circle of Surgery. Chair of 29th edition of International Student Scientific Conference in Gdansk 2024. Holder of Rectors Award 2022 and 2023 for engagement in and activity to benefit the student community at MUG.

Mayra Alejandra Vivas - Is a fourth-year medical student at Gdansk Medical University, with a background in Market Management and a Biology degree. She is the president and founder of the American Medical Association Chapter at GUMed. The association focuses on fostering a well-rounded education and promoting the integration of students from diverse backgrounds. Alejandra has been actively involved in various academic and extracurricular groups at the university, prioritizing diversity and inclusivity. Additionally, she serves as an English Editor for the GUMed Newspaper, where she writes the column "Breaking up the Stereotypes." She is an AMBOSSador, advocating to provide educational tools for medical student. As recognition for her on going work and commitment, Alejandra has received the the 2023 Paul R. Wright Chapter Success Award and AMSA 2024 Presidential Award for Chapter Excellence!

Abhishek Singla - 4th year ED student. President of SASS , worked in different student organisation in the last 3 years, primarily focussed on cultural integration within GUMed. Founder of South Asian Students Society, organized various events focussed on the cultural awareness of south Asian countries in our university. One of the main goals with his participation in the university activities is for more internationalization and more inclusivity of both Polish and English division students.

Dr. Bartłomiej Nowak, Chairman of the NAWA Council - Political scientist, Ph.D. in economics, lecturer at the Vistula Academy of Finance and Business, member of the Forecasting Committee at the Polish Academy of Sciences, Chairman of the Programme Council of the United Nations Association in Poland (UNAP) and strategic advisor at the Kazimierz Pulaski Foundation. He was President of the Vistula University Group (2020-22), Head of the Department of International Relations at AFiB Vistula (2014-2017), and Executive Director of the Centre for International Relations (2010-2013). Fellow at the European University Institute in Florence, School of Transnational Governance (2018) and the Transatlantic Academy in Washington DC (2013-2014). He completed postgraduate studies for executives in political and economic reform management at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government (2005). In the past, he also held executive and advisory positions in the European Parliament (Brussels-Strasbourg, 2004-2009) and the Convention on the Future of Europe (Brussels, 2002-2003). Before Poland's accession to the EU, he was a co-founder and member of the Programme Board of the "YES in Referendum" initiative (2002-2003), as well as the National Council for European Integration (2002-2004).