Gdańsk universities opened the new academic year

3.10.2022

With the sound of carillons playing Gaudeamus Igitur on 1st October, the rectorial authorities, senates, and academic communities of 14 universities solemnly opened the 2022/2023 academic year. The Long Live Science! event, initiated by the Fahrenheit Universities and organized together with the City of Gdańsk, brought together several hundred scientists, university staff, and students. Among the guests of the ceremonial march were the City Mayor – Aleksandra Dulkiewicz and Wiesław Byczkowski – Deputy Marshal of the Pomeranian Voivodeship and the Voiviode of the Pomeranian Voivodeship – Dariusz Drelich. The purpose of the ceremonial parade down Długa Street was to manifest the unity of the academic community and show that cooperation between universities and scientists can carry valuable fruits for the whole society, as well as promote Gdańsk as an academic city.

Representatives of 14 public and non-public universities in Gdańsk took part in the parade. In addition to the universities that make up the FarU: the Medical University of Gdańsk, the Gdańsk University of Technology, and the University of Gdańsk, there were representatives of the Jędrzej Śniadecki Academy of Physical Education and Sport in Gdańskt, the Academy of Fine Arts in Gdańsk, the Stanisław Moniuszko Academy of Music in Gdańsk, the WSB Universities, the Academy of Tourism and Hotel Management in Gdańsk, the Gdańsk College of Health, the Ateneum-University in Gdańsk, the Polish-Japanese Academy of Information Technology, the Social Economic Higher School in Gdańsk, the Higher School of Safety – Faculty in Gdańsk, and the Gdańsk Theological Seminary.

Prof. Marcin Gruchała – the President of the Fahrenheit Union of Universities, the Rector of the Medical University of Gdańsk spoke on behalf of the academic community.

– We want to manifest freedom and solidarity together, among the academic communities of Gdańsk universities, relatives and friends, as well as residents of Gdańsk, values like no other that are part of the beautiful tradition of our city. This synergy is extremely important. There is no truly academic city without strong universities, just as there are no strong universities without the support of the city and regional authorities – said Prof. Marcin Gruchała –The development of science is one of the foundations testifying to the international importance of Gdańsk. As representatives of the academic community, with the support of local authorities, we will make every effort to make the best use of our potential, knowledge, resources, and opportunities, and propose solutions to support joint scientific research and development work, serving not only the present but also future generations.

Scientists want to make Gdańsk attractive to researchers

One of the important points of the ceremony was the reading of the Gdańsk Declaration of Science in front of the Main City Hall. The document, which was read by students of the MUG: Jakub Deleżuch and Shraddha Singh, proclaims, among other things:

We want to strive together to strengthen Gdansk’s position as one of the leading scientific centers in Europe and the world. We want to effectively use the research potential to achieve increasingly higher positions in international rankings, implement socially important research projects, and attract ambitious people of science from all over the world, who will find here the right conditions for further scientific development.

Challenges for scientists

Academics identified the following as key challenges for science: combating civilization diseases, developing modern technologies, supporting human development in all important spheres, including effective assistance in strengthening democratic values.

We pledge to continue working to improve the living conditions of current and future generations, including by actively participating in the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the European Green Deal – we can read in the Gdańsk Declaration of Science.

According to the authorities of Gdańsk universities, these goals cannot be achieved without freedom of scientific research, not subject to ideological or administrative restrictions.

Gdańsk, bearing the name of a city of freedom and solidarity, is for the scientific community a guarantor of the pursuit of truth – wrote the Rectors of the most important academic centres in the Declaration.

Special session of the Senates and Faculty Councils of Gdańsk universities

The introduction to the second part of the event was the performance of the academic anthem Gaudeamus igitur, sung jointly by representatives of the choirs of the Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk University of Technology, and the University of Gdańsk. An important part of the ceremony was a meeting of the Senates and Faculty Councils of Gdańsk universities in the European Solidarity Centre.

An inspirational lecture entitled Climate crisis, planetary crisis was delivered by Prof. Szymon Malinowski, director of the Institute of Geophysics at the University of Warsaw, followed by signing of the Declaration by the rectors. The ceremony was broadcast by www.gdansk.pl.

The ceremony was organized by Fahrenheit Universities together with the City of Gdańsk. The event was held under the patronage: of the Mayor of the City of Gdańsk Aleksandra Dulkiewicz, the Governor of Pomerania Dariusz Drelich, and the Marshal of Pomorskie Voivodeship Mieczysław Struk. The organisers would like to thank the Gdańsk Museum, the Academy of Fine Arts in Gdańsk, and the Gdańsk City Guard for their cooperation.

Photo: Krzysztof Krzempek/Gdańsk Tech