Healthy Initiatives Budget vote wraps up! Results reveal the vision for a greener and more mobile MUG campus

4.07.2025

Voting has concluded in the first edition of the Healthy Initiatives Budget at the Medical University of Gdańsk. Members of the academic community – including staff, students and doctoral candidates – have selected the proposals that will be implemented in the coming months. The winning projects reflect a shared commitment to functionality, environmental responsibility, and the common good.

Following several weeks of idea collection, consultations, and voting, the results of this inaugural participatory budgeting initiative have been announced. In the staff project category, the proposal to construct a covered bicycle parking area adjacent to the University’s central administration building received the highest number of votes. The project envisions a safe, functional, and visually appealing shelter for 40 bicycles, located in the heart of the campus.

Bicycle Parking – Visualisation

– This outcome sends a strong message that practical, everyday needs – such as secure and aesthetic facilities for bicycles – matter deeply to our community, remarked Dawid Spychała, originator of the winning proposal. The project does not belong to one person alone – it is the result of conversations, observations and collective involvement.

In the student and doctoral candidate category, the most votes were cast for the GUMed Gardens proposal – green relaxation zones to be established in selected areas across the campus. These spaces aim to support rest, mental regeneration, and the building of interpersonal relationships among students.

GUMed Gardens – Site Plan

– It’s fantastic that a space specifically dedicated to the MUG students and doctoral candidates will be created – a place which combines functionality with nature and supports both learning and relaxation, says Błażej Masłowski, author of the winning project and a third-year medical analytics student. – Initiatives like this genuinely support the well-being of those studying and conducting research, fostering a friendly and inspiring environment on campus. The new area will surely become an important hub for student integration across all faculties, as well as a daily spot for rest and work surrounded by greenery.

Both the winning and non-selected submissions offer valuable insights into the priorities and expectations of the MUG community.

– The Healthy Initiatives Budget demonstrates how much can be achieved when we listen to one another and act collectively for the benefit of the entire University. I congratulate the authors of the selected proposals and thank everyone who engaged in this process – this is a meaningful step toward a more inclusive, modern and welcoming academic environment, emphasized Prof. Michał Markuszewski, Rector of the Medical University of Gdańsk and Chair of the Healthy Initiatives budget committee.

– Every submitted proposal represents a genuine investment in creating a supportive place to work and study. It also proves that the MUG community is ready to take initiative when given the opportunity. Through these projects, the University continues to grow as a responsive institution shaped through shared responsibility, added Katarzyna Grzejszczak, Vice-Chancellor for Strategy and Development, responsible for overseeing the organisation and implementation of the initiative.

In the coming weeks, the preparatory phase will begin – including concept development, administrative procedures, and subsequent execution. Updates on project progress will be shared regularly.

More than 1700 individuals – including the MUG employees, students and doctoral candidates – participated in the vote.

More information about the Healthy Initiatives Budget can be found at: www.bzi.gumed.edu.pl.